Statute of the Academy of Medical Sciences

(Approved at the 704th Meeting of the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution (SCCR) on 26 December 2011) Ministry of Health and Medical Education - Academy of Medical Sciences of the Islamic Republic of Iran
The statute of the "Academy of Medical Sciences (AMS)", under the proposal dated 8 October 2011 by the President of the Academy of Medical Sciences of the Islamic Republic of Iran was ratified at the 704th meeting of the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution on 26 December 2011, and is hereby promulgated for implementation as follows:
Article 1- Objectives:
1. Providing consultation, theorizing, and foresight in all aspects of health
2. Achieving scientific and cultural independence
3. Developing health sciences and technologies 
4. Strengthening the spirit of research to achieve the most effective, scientific, and latest findings and innovations in the field of health sciences
5. Assisting society and individuals in achieving the highest level of holistic health with a focus on promoting medical ethics, indigenous culture, health equity, the centrality of a healthy human in progress and development, respect and role modeling, Islamic foundations, and appropriate cultural development
6. Participating in watching, auditing and monitoring all dimensions of physical, mental, social, and spiritual health
7. Safeguarding the cultural heritage and Islamic and Iranian civilization in the arena of health sciences
8. Growing and expanding education based on knowledge of philosophy, wisdom, ethics, and Islamic jurisprudence in the arena of health and medical sciences
Article 2- Duties
1. Striving to achieve the country's vision in civilization building and the Islamic and Iranian model of progress in all the paradigm and functions of the Academy.
2. Contributing to the realization of the country's comprehensive scientific map, improving the efficiency of the national administration, defending ideological values, unity, and national security, and safeguarding the Islamic and Iranian culture and identity.
3. Analyzing challenges and providing practical, care and service recommendations for improving the country's healthcare system.
4. Critiquing the policies and programs currently being implemented in the health arena and providing suggestions to relevant authorities and bodies.
5. Translating knowledge in the health sciences and healthcare and service delivery arenas through collective activities and attracting the support and encouragement of scientists, researchers, elites, and experts in the country.
6. Presenting and proposing scientific hypotheses and theories, striving to expand the knowledge boundaries, and making attempts to improve the level of knowledge and research in the country in line with maintaining scientific and cultural independence and in harmony with the country's comprehensive scientific map in the health arena.
7. Cooperation and providing solutions to strengthen Islamic culture, spiritual health, and medical ethics and striving to recognize and promote health jurisprudence.
8. Paving the ground and supporting the establishment and expansion of knowledge in the fields of philosophy and wisdom, Islamic ethics and jurisprudence in the field of health and medicine, and training human resources in these fields in cooperation with the Islamic seminary and the university.
9. Studying and developing a comprehensive document and program for the training of physician-scholars (Hakims) in the arena of health in cooperation with the Islamic seminary and the university.
10. Refining, strengthening, and fostering public health culture in society.
11. Carrying out fundamental scientific and research advisory work on issues related to knowledge, theorizing, and technology by the Academy under the instruction of triple organs: administrative, judiciary, and legislative; Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution and scientific and research centers; and providing required proposals.
12. Studying the experiences of countries in acquiring and developing knowledge and technology in the health arena and also reviewing the latest scientific findings and manner of using them based on the existing backgrounds and possibilities in the country.
13. Encouraging and motivating scientists and researchers to innovate and create scientific works by providing them with financial and intellectual support.
14.Supporting the creation of the required facilities for the exchange of information and research results and the exchange of views among scientists and researchers and the exchange of health science specialists and researchers with other countries, especially Islamic countries, for the preservation and revival of the Islamic and Iranian medical heritage by paying travel allowances, granting scholarships, sabbatical leave and scientific trips through relevant authorities.
15. Reviewing and proposing criteria for promoting the scientific level of seminars, conferences, and medical conferences at the national level and evaluating such conferences.
16. Supporting the holding of scientific conferences dealing with the latest findings of health sciences.
17. Disseminating health science information and knowledge through the publication of scientific, research, and applied journals and books, especially the latest findings of health sciences at the national and global level.
18. Encouraging and honoring scientists and their services, and awarding bonuses, prizes, and scientific badges to scientists and researchers of the institutions that have carried out prominent scientific research.
19. Proposing and allocating research funds and facilities for the activities of prominent scholars. 
20. Establishing links with academies of health and medical sciences in other countries, and reviewing and approving the Academy's membership in international forums and organizations that have similar tasks and objectives to those of the Academy, within the framework of the country's laws and regulations. 
21. Promoting and utilizing the capacity of medical scientific associations in the medical field, and societies that have something to do with health; and encouraging and motivating their participation in policymaking and planning in various dimensions of health.
22. Reviewing and analyzing the scientific, technical, educational, and research status of medical sciences and providing recommendations for its improvement and advancement to relevant authorities. 
Note: The Ministry of Health and Medical Education (MOHME) and other organizations shall cooperate with the Academy of Medical Sciences within the framework of this Statute.
Article 3: Organs
1.Islamic Republic of Iran’s President as the Supreme Head
2.    The Board of Trustees
3.    The General Assembly
4.    The President of the Academy
5.    The Scientific Council
6.    The Secretary
7.    The Deputy for Scientific Affairs
Article 4: Board of Trustees
1.    Iran’s Vice President (Chair of the Board of Trustees) 
2.    Minister of Science, Research and Technology
3.    Minister of Health and Medical Education (MOHME)
4.    Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance
5.    Vice President for Science and Technology
6.    President of Iran’s National Foundation for Elites 
7.    Presidents of the [three other] Academies [in Iran]
8.    Two scholars and experts proposed by the President of the Academy
9.    One religious scholar  of an Islamic seminary familiar with jurisprudence and medical ethics, selected by the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution
Article 5: General Assembly
The General Assembly consists of all full members of the Academy. The Assembly convenes at least four times a year, quarterly.
Note 1: Associate members are non-voting members who may attend the General Assembly under the permission of the President of the Academy.
Note 2: The President of the Academy chairs the General Assembly.
Article 6: General Assembly Duties 
1.    Approving the Academy's policies and strategic plans 
2.    Adopting internal regulations within the framework of the Statute 
3.    Nominate scholars who meet the criteria for receiving awards, prizes, medals, or badges, and recommend them to the Supreme Head of the Academies through the President of the Academy 
4.    Electing full, associate, and honorary members upon nomination by the President of the Academy.
Note: The number of full members can be determined, reduced, or adjusted upon proposal by the Academy and with the approval of the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution.
5-Approving establishment of new groups, or the merging or dissolution of existing groups, upon proposal by the President of the Academy.
Article 7: Scientific Council Composition:
1.    President of the Academy (Chair of the Council)
2.    Heads of Scientific Groups
3.    Deputy for Scientific Affairs of the Academy (Secretary of the Council)
4.    Secretary of the Academy
Article 8: Duties of the Scientific Council:
1.    Reviewing the Academy’s policies and programs and proposing them to the General Assembly for approval;
2.    Drafting and proposing regulations for the implementation of the Academy's scientific activities and submitting them to the General Assembly for approval;
3.    Reviewing and approving the scientific groups’ strategic plans and proposals; 
4.    Reviewing and commenting on scientific projects and referring them to the concerned groups; 
5.    Identifying the most important issues and topics that are required to be researched and proposing them to the qualified scientific centers in the country; 
6.    Preparing and drafting regulations for the granting of awards, prizes, scholarships, and badges to qualified individuals and proposing them to the Board of Trustees for approval; 
7.    Proposing and introducing scholars, who meet the criteria for being awarded an award, prize, medal, or distinction, to the General Assembly for approval;
8.    Carrying out other tasks referred to the Council by the Board of Trustees of the Academy, the General Assembly, and the President of the Academy; 
9.    Proposing scholarships and sabbatical leave for approval to the President of the Academy; and
10.    Proposing the merger or dissolution of scientific groups and/or the establishment of new scientific groups to the General Assembly through the President of the Academy. 
Article 9: Academy President:
The President of the Academy is elected from among the members of the Academy upon the proposal of the president of the Islamic Republic of Iran and with the approval of the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution, and the Supreme Leader appoints him/her for a four-year term. In case of the President’s death, resignation, dismissal, or retirement, before the end of the term, the new president will be elected under the same procedure.
Note 1: Re-election of the Academy President is permissible.
Note 2: In case the proposed nominee for the position of presidency of the Academy is not a full member of the Academy, first of all, the General Assembly should decide upon his or her full membership, and if this is approved, he or she will be appointed as President of the Academy.
Note 3: The President of the Academy is the supreme executive and administrative authority of the Academy and shall represent the Academy before natural and legal persons and legal authorities.
Note 4: The President of the Academy may exercise the right of representation before persons and legal authorities through an agent or representative he or she chooses, and may delegate some of his or her authorities and signing rights to his or her deputies and the Secretary as he or she deems appropriate.
Article 10: The Academy President Duties:
1.    Submitting an annual performance report and strategic plan to the Board of Trustees and the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution;
Note: Supervision over the Academy's activities is the responsibility of the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution.
2.    Proposing the administrative and financial organization and related bylaws, annual budget, and submitting the financial performance of the Academy together with the independent auditor's report to the Board of Trustees for approval;
3.    Proposing the Academy to become a member of international forums;
4.    Appointing the heads of scientific groups, scientific deputy’s office, secretary, and advisors of the Academy;
5.    Proposing issues to the Scientific Council to the General Assembly for their final approval;
6.    Proposing the General Assembly to approve individuals’ application to become full, associate, and honorary members of the Academy; and
7.    Supervising the proper implementation of the decisions of the Academy’s Board of Trustees, the General Assembly, and the Scientific Council.
Article 11: The Academy Secretary is appointed from among the full members by election and decree of the President of the Academy.
Article 12: The Academy’s Secretary Duties:
 1-Managing all the administrative and financial affairs of the Secretariat;
2-Recruiting the Academy’s required staff; and
3- Performing any other tasks assigned to him/her by the Board of Trustees, the Assembly, the Scientific Council, and the President of the Academy.
Article 13: The Scientific Deputy is appointed from among the full members by election and decree of the President of the Academy.
Article 14: The duties of the Scientific Deputy, and the determination of scientific groups and their duties, as well as the support unit for scientific groups, shall be determined under the internal regulations.
Article 15: The maximum number of full members of the Academy shall be 50.
Note: The selection and admission of new full members above the ceiling specified in this Article shall be possible for full members over 75 years of age (while continuing the permanent membership of these members with all rights).
Article 16: Manner of Selection of Members:
Individuals proposed for membership in the Academy shall be selected based on general and scientific criteria approved by the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution or the Academy itself and under the recommendation and approval of the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution or the Academy itself. In the case of the latter, members of the Academy shall be proposed to the General Assembly by the President of the Academy or at least five members of the General Assembly and approved by the General Assembly and shall become members of the Academy by decree of the President of the Academy.
Article 17: Membership Conditions 
1.    Full and associate members should be nationals of Iran and display a practical commitment to the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the principle of “Velayat Faqih”, and must comply with the laws and principles of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
2.    They must hold at least the rank of associate professor.
Article 18: Any full members of the Academy who make absentees in more than half of the meetings in a year without a valid excuse as determined by the President of the Academy, shall be considered resigned.
Note: The Academy President may, after reviewing the case, decide on the continuation of membership of such persons as honorary members.
Article 19: Term of Membership: The membership term for associate members is four years, and continuation of their membership is subject to the same procedures as provided for in the present Statute.
Note 1: The re-election of associate members is permitted.
Note 2: Membership of full and honorary members is for life.
Note 3: In case, for any reason, a full member of the Academy is deemed ineligible by the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution, the Supreme Council may reconsider the continuation of membership or quit membership of the relevant person.
Article 20: The Academy is an independent legal entity affiliated with the office of the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The appropriations allocated to the Academy in the annual state budget shall be included in the appropriations of the Office of President of the Islamic Republic of Iran as a contribution.
Article 21: The Academy’s financial and transactional matters shall be subject to the regulations that are approved by the Board of Trustees upon the proposal of the President of the Academy.
Article 22:  The regulations for auditing the Academy’s annual accounts shall be approved by the Board of Trustees upon the proposal of the President of the Academy.
Article 23: This Statute, consisting of 23 Articles and 14 Notes, was approved by the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution at its 704th meeting on 26 December 2011.

President of the Islamic Republic of Iran &
President of the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution-
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad