Principles of Membership

Purpose & Mandate

To facilitate the conduct of academic brain tumour research in Canada including clinical trials.

Conditions of Membership

Membership should be open to individuals with a major scientific interest in brain tumour research. This includes neurologists, neurosurgeons, neuroradiologists, neuropathologists, medical and radiation oncologists.

Obligations of Membership

All full active members will agree to:

Pay annual dues as currently set by the membership.
Participate in the peer-review adjudication of research projects and agree to act as reviewers when assigned.
Participate in decision making of the consortium, express individual viewpoints and respond to matters in a timely manner.
If members choose to participate in clinical brain tumour drug trials despite, or in conflict with the consensus of the consortium (i.e. non CBTC endorsed), they would forego membership until that particular trial finishes, and then reapply for membership. Of course members are free to pursue other types of brain tumour research (and in fact are encouraged to do so), as well as studies of non-brain tumour disease states.
Participate in the annual general meeting(s)and/or satellite meetings held in conjunction with the major North American annual meetings.
With respect to participation in clinical trials, members will abide by the democratic decisions of the CBTC, which may work by vote or consensus.
With respect to negotiations with drug companies, members will not deal directly and/or autonomously with individual pharmaceutical companies. Members are encouraged to direct all such inquiries to CBTC headquarters.
All members are required to disclose all personal financial contracts or interests with commercial or non-profit agencies. The purpose is not to discourage or disallow such relationships but to protect the CBTC against accusation of possible conflicts of interest.

Benefits of Membership

In return the CBTC will:

Provide a cross Canada communication network among clinicians and researchers interested in brain tumour and/or participation in all types of neuroscience research, (basic and clinical).
Promote the development of multicentre non-commercial projects, the design of clinical protocols and outcome measures, and the conduct of observational studies.
Provide a forum for the rational peer-review adjudication of prospective strategies for brain tumour treatment.
Assist all centers in rational budgeting for clinical trials. This would relieve CBTC centers of the need for direct negotiations with other companies although individual concerns will be taken into account.
CBTC will be the academic interface between pharmaceutical industry and other stakeholder organizations.
Cooperate with the National Cancer Institute of Canada (NCIC) in public and physician education to increase awareness of brain tumour and possible intervention, and to help represent Canadian Brain tumour Research at the international level.

CBTC may also assist individual centres to obtain advice or funding for public awareness initiatives and/or various other projects.

National Cancer Institute of Canada

The focus of the CBTC is brain tumour research, and that of the NCIC is oncology research in all therapeutic areas. It is recognized that there is a great deal of overlap between the 2 groups with respect to research, physician education and public awareness and that a mutually complimentary relationship must continue to foster. The CBTC will assume a cooperative relationship with the National Cancer Institute of Canada (NCIC)

Meetings

(1) Annual General Meeting
(2) Adhoc Business Meeting(s)

Organizational Structure

Chairperson: nominated and elected by full membership for a 4-year term
Vice Chairperson: nominated and elected by Board of Directors for a 4-year term
Secretary-Treasurer: nominated and elected by Board of Directors for a 4-year term
Executive Director: external hired position
Administrative Assistant: external hired position

Board of Directors [n = 7]

Candidates are nominated and elected by full membership for a 4 year term
Past chairman is ex-officio member of Board
NCIC Chairman is ex-officio member of Board
Members must be of regional Canada wide representation
Responsible for producing official documents and policy agreements
Responsible for all financial matters
Responsible for revisions and amendments to Bylaws and Principles of Membership
Responsible for crisis management and conflict resolution
Members confer on a regular basis by ad hoc meetings and conference calls
Responsible for revoking membership

Credentials Committee [n = 3]

Candidates are nominated and elected by full membership
Credential and approve new members
Responsible for ensuring those members meet their obligations

CBTC Membership Agreement

*required

*Name of CBTC Member:

*Email address of CBTC Member:

*Date:

*	I hereby accept the terms of the Canadian Brain Tumour Consortium's Principles of Membership, and agree to abide by them.