IOF is truly international, with global membership comprising the Committee of National Societies (CNS} with more than 335 member societies from 152 countries and the Committee of Scientific Advisors (CSA) with 168 individual members, in all regions of the world.
Following a request from one member society, and in anticipation of further requests to arise due to growing geopolitical conflict, IOF created a Commission to recommend rules of partnership with member societies and scientists belonging to a country which is currently responsible for an armed conflict, anywhere in the world. The remit was to consider not only the CNS and CSA but also the position on scientists who contribute to IOF journals as authors or board members. Members of the Commission were chosen to represent the diverse constituencies of the Foundation.
Survey of IOF member National Societies
The commission undertook a survey of IOF member National Societies to determine the position of their membership regarding relationships with scientists and societies from countries currently engaged in an armed conflict. The survey comprised a structured questionnaire with yes/no/undecided responses but with the facility to provide a narrative response to support their answer. The survey held between September 2023 and January 2024 provided responses from 51 National Societies from all six IOF regions and included Societies from many territories in armed conflict including Israel, Mexico, Palestine, Syria and Ukraine.
View survey questions and detailed results
The Commission presented its findings to the Board of IOF on the 10th April 2024 at which time its recommendations were unanimously adopted. Below, we have summarized the conclusions and recommendations of the survey, reflected in the position paper which summarises the Commission's findings and recommendations:
Position paper published in Osteoporosis International (June 10, 2024)
Conclusions and Recommendations
Armed conflict
1. The Commission recommends that IOF condemns all armed conflict since it adversely affects health irrespective of perception of aggressor or defender.
Committee of National Societies
2. The Commission recommends, with the proviso below, that IOF does not expel member Societies whose countries are involved in armed conflict.
3. The Commission recommends that IOF boycotts societies complicit in crimes against humanity and when the collusion of the Society is clear.
4. The Commission recommends that IOF does not refuse CNS membership on the basis that their country is involved in armed conflict.
Committee of Scientific Advisors and Board of Trustees
5. The Commission recommends that IOF does not ordinarily expel scientific advisors whose countries are involved in armed conflict.
6. The Commission recommends that IOF does not ordinarily expel Board members whose countries are involved in armed conflict.
IOF Journals
7. The Commission recommends that IOF upholds the position of the Committee of Publication Ethics that decisions to edit and publish should not be determined by the policies of governments or other agencies outside of the journal itself [27].
8. The Commission recommends that the journals of IOF do not ordinarily refuse scientific papers because their country of origin is involved in armed conflict.
9. The Commission recommends that the journals of IOF do not ordinarily expel members of the editorial board because their country of origin is involved in armed conflict.
10. The Commission recommends that the journals of IOF do not ordinarily ban reviewers of scientific papers because their country of origin is involved in armed conflict.
11. The Commission recommends that the journals of IOF do not ordinarily ban the appointment of scientific reviewers or membership of the Editorial Boards because their country of origin is involved in armed conflict.