ISDSP: Regulations and statute

Name and Headquarters. Applicable law. Article 1.

1.1. The society (hereinafter “Society”) named: International Society of Dietary Supplements and Phytotherapy (ISDSP) is hereby established.
1.2. The Society is headquartered in Rome, Italy. It may extend its activity, with additional offices also located abroad.
1.3. The relationship between the Society and its members shall be governed exclusively by law and by these Articles of Association.

Objectives. Article 2.

2.1. The objective of the Society is to bring together influential groups and individuals within an international, interdisciplinary Society in order to promote the discipline of using dietary supplements and phytotherapy in the daily diet, in healthcare and medicine for the well-being of the public.
The aforesaid objectives shall be implemented by:
(i) promoting and disseminating studies and knowledge about all matters linked to the use of dietary supplements and phytotherapy in the diet and in medicine, in order to obtain a higher level of general health, using the appropriate means.
(ii) drafting Guidelines and Standards for the preparation and use of dietary supplements and phytotherapy in order to promote a higher level of general health.
(iii) fostering interdisciplinary collaboration between those involved in the use of dietary supplements and phytotherapy in medicine and in healthcare for the individual.
(iv) fostering partnerships with the companies involved in developing dietary supplements, phytotherapeutics and medical devices (“Clinical trials”, experience, dossiers, drug formulations, treatment protocols, etc.)

2.2. The aforesaid objectives may be met in the following ways:
a) by organising an international Conference (hereinafter “International Conference”, or: the “Conference”) at least once every three years (circumstances permitting). The Conference shall be held in different geographical regions in Italy and abroad;
b) by organising training courses on topics relating to dietary supplements and phytotherapy;
c) by creating and supporting study groups working on topics of special interest;
d) by encouraging and facilitating the circulation of knowledge and information in scientific publications, by means of newsletters and a dedicated website;
e) by appointing work groups to coordinate clinical trials conducted in various facilities;
f) by promoting the acknowledgement of internationally accepted definitions, terminology and methodologies;
g) by representing the interests of its members in relation to public and private international organisations having similar purposes to the objectives of the Society.

Duration, official language and communications addressed to members. Article 3.

3.1. The Society shall be of unlimited duration.
3.2. The official language of the Society is Italian and, within the limits permitted by law, English. However, lack of knowledge of the English language shall not compromise one’s possibility of becoming a member of the society.

Membership. Article 4.

4.1. The Society incorporates all professional disciplines interested in using dietary supplements and phytotherapeutics in the diet, everyday health and medicine. The Society’s membership criteria shall not take the candidate’s sex, race, nationality, religion or political views into account.
Membership of the society shall be free of charge.
4.2. Involvement in the society is possible in the following ways:
Founding Members
Members who set up the Society. They have the right to vote and are part of the general meeting.
4.b. Subscribing Members
Members qualified as doctors or with a degree in a scientific subject, who support the objectives of the society, without the right to take part in meetings and with no right to vote.
Board Members
Members who support the society’s objectives, with the right to take part in meetings and to vote, with the exception of amendments to the articles of association, approval of the annual accounts and any other matter linked to investments of the society. The board members shall be appointed by the Executive Board and are selected from distinguished figures in the Society’s areas of interest.
Subject experts
Members who demonstrate their interest in the society’s dissemination activities, with no right to vote and no right to take part in the general meeting.
Partner Companies or Organisations
Companies or Organisations, with particular reference to national and international pharmaceutical companies and scientific companies, which aim to support the society’s objectives through ventures consistent with the aims of their own articles of association. The Executive Board shall engage the partner companies or organisations periodically, presenting the society’s programmes to them.

4.c. Membership Approval.
The Executive Board reserves the right to refuse any membership applications. The reason for exclusion does not need to be given.

4.d. Loss of Membership
Membership may be lost for one of the following reasons:
– The Member’s renouncement of his or her Status in the Society (by providing an explicit statement expressing this will);
– Death of the Member;
– Striking off of the Member as decided by the Executive Board;

4.e. Membership Rights.
Members shall be entitled to: receive the Society’s newsletter, with updates about the Society’s activities and the results of the study groups; receive the official magazine and access any other documents prepared by the Executive Board and by the Society.

Article 5 Ownership and accounts

5.1. The Society shall be authorised to own, lease and use any type of asset.
5.2. The Society’s financial year shall coincide with the calendar year
5.3. The Executive Board shall be responsible for drawing up the annual balance sheet and shall also be in charge of bookkeeping in accordance with the law.

Article 6. Structure of the Society.

6.1. The Society is composed of the following bodies:
a. The General Meeting (hereinafter the “General Meeting”, or: “GM”);
b. The Executive Board (hereinafter the “Executive Board” or: “EB”).
6.2. Regional Administrators
The Executive Board shall appoint the regional administrators, whose role will be to disseminate the objectives of the Society in the areas for which they are competent. The regional administrators shall also have the task of staging a regional scientific event on an annual basis. They shall lose their status if they fail to stage the aforesaid event two years running, except in cases of force majeure.
6.3 Other bodies
All other officers and committees mentioned in these Articles of Association or appointed by subsequent deeds shall be appointed by and under the authority of the GM and the EB, as applicable.

The General Meeting (GM). Article 7.

7.1. The General Meeting is the highest authority in the Society. It is made up of Founding members and Board Members and observes the provisions set out in this paragraph. The secretary-general and the treasurer also belong to the General Meeting throughout their term of office.
7.2. The General Meeting shall meet at least once a year to approve the documents discussed. The Secretary-General shall send notice of the meeting by email or ordinary post at least four weeks in advance; this period shall not include the day on which the notice is sent or the day the meeting takes place. The notice shall contain a draft of the items on the agenda to be discussed in the General Meeting. The GM shall discuss the items on the agenda. The GM may adopt resolutions irrespective of the number of
Members; Founding Members may attend the meetings in person or through a delegate, except when amendments to these Articles of Association are being discussed. The General Meeting shall vote in the Executive Board, preferably on the basis of nominations made by the retiring Executive Board.
7.3. The GM has the role of approving – or not – any proposed amendments to these Articles of Association put forward by the Executive Board.
7.4. The Society’s accounts and balance sheet shall be submitted to the GM, whose duty it is to approve them.
7.5. The GM shall be presided over by the president of the Executive Board. The president shall appoint the Secretary of the General Meeting. The Secretary shall draw up the minutes of the GM and approve them with the president.
7.8. The Members, the Secretary-General and the treasurer each have one vote and decisions are made by majority vote. Voting shall be open; it may only be by secret ballot where expressly requested by the majority of the Members. In the event of a tie, there will be a second vote. If there is yet another tie, the president shall have the deciding vote or the power to cross the item off the agenda.

Article 8. The Executive Board (EB).

8.1. The members of the Executive Board shall be voted in, rejected or suspended by the General Meeting. Executive Board members shall be members of the Society, with the exception of the secretary-general and the treasurer, who are required to have special capability, experience and reliability. The Executive Board is made up of a minimum of 6 (six) to a maximum of 10 (ten) members and shall consist of:
(i) Six Officers:
The President
The Vice President
The Past President
The Honorary President
The Secretary-General
The Treasurer
Election and re-election of Executive Board Members shall be based on a proposal put forward by the same

Executive Board.
8.2. The EB shall fulfil the following functions:
a. it shall manage the affairs of the Society;
b. it shall help prepare Conferences and meetings and offer advice to that effect;
c. it shall coordinate and encourage the exchange of information between Members
d. it shall encourage the formation of study groups and national branches of the Society;
e. it shall allocate the budget and manage the Society’s funds
f. it shall decide on the actions to be implemented in order to meet the purposes and objectives of the Society;
g. it shall prepare and suggest amendments to these Articles of Association if deemed necessary;
h. it shall implement the decisions of the General Meeting
i. it shall act for and on behalf of the Society.
8.3. The Society shall be represented by the President and, if the latter is absent or unable to represent, by the Vice-President or Past President.
The Executive Board may grant one or more people the power to represent the Society (“representatives”).
8.4. The total term of office of Executive Board members is six years. They may be re-elected consecutively for up to two terms.
8.5 On completion of their term, all presidents shall become forever Past Presidents.

Article 9. Secretary-General.

9.1. The Secretary-General shall be responsible for implementing all the measures decided on by the Executive Board in order to meet the objectives enacted in these Articles of Association. The Secretary-General shall also be in charge of preparing works for the Executive Board. In agreement with the President, the Secretary-General shall perform an advisory role for the Executive Board.
9.2. The Secretary-General shall draw up the minutes of the Executive Board meetings and sign them along with the President.
9.3. The Secretary-General shall be responsible for safekeeping the books and records of the Society.
9.4. The Secretary-General, in agreement with the President, shall also be responsible for all the Society’s organisational and financial matters. If the two disagree, the Executive Board shall adjudicate. The provisions of article 11 of these Articles of Association shall apply with regard to financial matters.

Article 10. Executive Board Meetings

10.1. The Executive Board usually meets once a year. However, it may meet when requested by the President or at least one third of its members.
10.2. Executive Board meetings may only be considered valid if attended by at least one third of its members. The decisions of the Executive Board shall be adopted by a majority vote of the members present.

Article 11. The treasurer

11.1. The Treasurer shall be competent for the Society’s financial matters.
11.2. The Treasurer shall be concerned with managing the Society’s accounts and using them on behalf of the latter in order to meet the objectives and purposes set by the Society, as enacted in these Articles of Association.
11.3. The Treasurer shall be responsible for drawing up the annual balance sheet to be submitted to the Executive Board.

Article 12. Regulations.

As needs arise, the Executive Board shall be responsible for regulations concerning the activities and operational life of the Society, along with the interpretation of its responsibilities. These should be approved by the GM and should not breach these Articles of Association or the legal provisions.