History of the IFCC
In 1952, Professor E J King of the Royal Postgraduate Medical
School in London suggested that the then emerging national
societies of clinical chemistry should organise into an
international body under the auspices of the International Union of
Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC). This was accomplished on July
24, 1952, at the Second International Congress of Biochemistry in
Paris, by the formation of the International Association of
Clinical Biochemists. A year later, in Stockholm, it was resolved
to change the name to the International Federation of Clinical
Chemistry, and this was formally adopted at the next meeting which
took place in 1955 in Brussels.
The initial objectives of the Federation were to "advance
knowledge and promote the interests of biochemistry in its clinical
(medical) aspects". In the early years, IFCC was closely associated
with the IUPAC Commission (later Section) of Clinical Chemistry,
and initially, the Committee of IFCC comprised the members of the
IUPAC Commission. It was recognised, however that the IFCC should
become independent, but would retain its contacts with IUPAC
through affiliation as an Associate Member. This was accomplished
in 1967, when the two organisations were formally separated.
With time, the organisational structure of IFCC developed so that
its efforts in science, education, and publishing, as well as its
financial affairs, and congress activities were dealt with by
Divisions or Committees and, where appropriate, supported by other
Committees and groups responsible for specific tasks.
The history of IFCC must include reference to the eminent
clinical chemists who have served as President and guided its
development. Professor E J King conceived the idea of the
Federation, brought it into being, and guided it through its early
years to become the group to which all national societies of
Clinical Chemistry could look for guidance. His untimely death
created a vacuum which Professor Monroe Freeman ably filled for
three years. He was followed by Professor J E Courtois until 1967,
during which time the statutes and bylaws, upon which the whole
working of IFCC is based, were created. During the seven to eight
years of the presidency of Professor Martin Rubin, IFCC became
accepted as a major international organisation and was recognised
as a non-governmental organisation in official relations with the
World Health Organisation (WHO). It became a member of the Council
of the International Organisations of Medical Sciences and
established its own regular Newsletter, developed education
programs in South America, formed Expert Panels became
authoritative groups in their own fields, and established
constructive relationships with industry.
In 1976, Dr Jörg Frei was elected President after an eight year
period as Secretary. Dr Rene Dybkaer followed him in 1979 after six
years as Vice-President. During these years the collaboration with
industry was formalised by creation of Corporate Membership, IFCC
Archives were established, Congress Guidelines were formulated, an
IFCC Travelling Lectureship implemented, a major educational
program conducted in Thailand, and the IFCC Distinguished
International Services Award established in addition to the earlier
Distinguished Clinical Chemist Award. As a new concept, a General
Conference of IFCC Officers, Divisions and Committees, togetherwith
Associate Members, was launched in Denmark in 1982. Finally, a Task
Force prepared new Articles for the Federation which were approved
by Council in 1984.
Dr Donald Young became President in 1985, after a three year
term as Vice-President. During his six years as President, Dr Young
reorganised the committee structure of the IFCC. The previous
Expert Panels were altered to Committees and an integrated
structure was formed to allow better communications and delegation
of responsibility and activity. Dr Young initiated a further review
and modification of the IFCC Statutes which was completed in 1993.
During Dr Young's tenure IFCC initiated the publication of its own
journal - Journal of the International Federation of Clinical
Chemistry. A broader interpretation of clinical chemistry to
include other areas of laboratory medicine was developed. Formal
associations were initiated with clinical chemistry organisations
in Latin America and the Asian and Pacific region.
Professor G. Siest, who was President from 1991 to 1996, worked
with the Board and Members to develop a Strategic Plan which would
guide the organisation into the 21st Century. This involved the
identification of six key Strategic issues, relating to :
Scientific Credibility, Linkage of Clinical Chemistry to Improved
Patient Care, Communication, Promotion of IFCC Products and
Services, People and Succession, and Finance. New agreements with
the European region (FESCC) and the Latin American Region
(COLABIOCLI) were signed. The strategic plan was endorsed by the
IFCC Council in 1996.
From 1997-99 the President was Professor Matthew McQueen who was
previously a member of the Scientific Committee from 1982-87,
Treasurer from 1989-90 and Vice President 1991-96. During his Term
the Executive Board translated the Strategic Plan into specific
actions. These included increasing scientific activity in the areas
of standardisation and reference materials and improved scientific
co-operation with other international laboratory professional
organisations. The Education and Management Division expanded its
role in the pre-analytical and post-analytical phases, while the
Communication and Publications Division restructured to meet the
challenges of electronic publication. One highlight was a very
important name change to the International Federation of Clinical
Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, highlighting the clinical
relevance and importance of our profession. The Statutes of the
Federation were modified to limit the amount of time any one person
can spend in the Executive Board. Representatives from the
Corporate members were formally included in the structure of each
Division. This Executive Board successfully concluded discussions
with the World Association of Societies of Pathology and Laboratory
Medicine producing a joint policy statement on "Principles of
Clinical Laboratory Accreditation". This clearly stated that the
Laboratory could be directed by Scientists or Physicians, with the
appropriate initial qualifications and specialised post-graduate
professional education and training in clinical laboratory
work.
Prof Mathias M Müller served as President for the period 2000 -
2005. He also served the Federation as Secretary, Vice-President,
and Vice-Chair and Chair of the Scientific Division. He continued
to stress high quality scientific endeavour as the backbone of the
Federation. Since 2000, the Executive Board has emphasized the
interdisciplinary character of our discipline and has focused on
clinically relevant topics. In this context, the establishment of
reference systems for glycated haemoglobin and enzyme activity
measurements as well as a global campaign for monitoring diabetes
mellitus have been initiated.
With the growing complexity of IFCC projects, the requirement
for an intellectual property policy became evident. This has been
developed. A working relationship with the National Committee for
Clinical Laboratory Standards/NCCLS (now known as the Clinical and
Laboratory Standards Institute/CLSI) was formalised and joint
NCCLS-IFCC projects started. Standardisation on high metrological
levels has always been a major undertaking and has contributed to
the credibility of IFCC. As a consequence of this policy,
collaboration with the Bureau International des Poids et Mesures
(BIPM), the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST),
the Institute of Reference Materials and Measurements (IRMM),
European, American and Japanese IVD Associations, and the
International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) is being
established for the implementation of traceability in Laboratory
Medicine. New awards for significant contributions in molecular
diagnostics, in education and in patient care were created. With
the opening of the IFCC Office in Milan the IFCC Web site was
restructured becoming the main communication vehicle between the
Federation and the membership.
In 2005, at the meeting of the Federation's Council in Orlando,
Florida, Professor Jocelyn M. B. Hicks was elected President for
2006-2008. Professor Hicks is Executive Director Emeritus at
Children's National Medical Center and Professor Emeritus of
Pediatrics and Pathology at The George Washington University School
of Medicine in Washington, DC, US. She is currently the President
of JMBH Associates, a health management consulting company that
assists clinical laboratories in preparing for accreditation,
recommends plans for enhancing scientific research capabilities,
evaluates the organization and efficiency of clinical laboratories,
and assists laboratories with developing strategic and financial
plans. She is also a scientific and marketing adviser to several
major international diagnostics companies. She plans to keep the
scientific excellence of which the IFCC is justifiably proud, but
also to improve communications and focus underneath of developing
countries.
As the scope of the Federation's activities have expanded, so
has the requirement for the exchange of information and the
documentation of the various activities which were taking place. As
with most other professional groups, the initial secretarial
functions were provided by the individual officers and scientists
within the Federation. A considerable debt is owed to these
individuals and their employing organisations. However, it was
obvious to the Executive that for the Federation to continue its
development, some form of Secretariat was required. The Federation
was fortunate originally to be supported by Radiometer A/S of
Copenhagen, which agreed to provide office space and secretarial
support. This facility was generously placed at the disposal of the
Executive Board and became known in 1983 as the IFCC
Technical Secretariat. During this period, the Fedration was
fortunate in obtaining the services of Mrs Maj-Britt Petersen, who
provided invaluable support, in particular for the Scientific
Division. In order to facilitate the appropriate distribution of
documents, the Technical Secretariat also kept a master file of
names and addresses of all those who play a part in the
Federation's affairs.
During the latter part of the 1988-1990 triennium, the EB
devoted considerable effort in determining the role and structure
of a central office. In 1990 a new Technical Secretariat was
established in Nancy, France with the assistance of Prof Gerard
Siest. The opening of this office was a major event for the IFCC as
for the first time the IFCC employed its own staff.
The Technical Secretariat was transferred into the hands of Mrs
Chantal Thirion and remained in Nancy until 2001.
However, it became clear that as the Federation continued to
develop and take on more activities, there was the need for
specialised professional administrative services and in 2001, the
Office was transferred to Milan, Italy where it shares resources
with a major Professional Conference Organiser, where Lisa Ionescu
is the IFCC office coordinator.
The IFCC has maintained its relations with WHO and transferred
its International Medical Laboratory Information System to WHO. In
addition, it has expanded its support of regional organisations and
regular regional congresses that are held in Europe, in the Arab
Region, in the Asian and Pacific Region, and in the Latin American
Region. The IFCC has accepted the ICSU Principles of free
circulation of scientists and has assured the attendance of
visiting scientist at all meetings. The interests of IFCC continue
to expand. lt has addressed the policy of patenting key products
for analytical methods, and continues to work collaboratively with
many international organisations to sponsor major educational
programs in Mexico and Argentina. The IFCC is also working with a
number of other International Organisations such as IRMM, NIST,
NCCLS/CLSI and BIPM in developing new standards and in the area of
standardisation of methods.. The IFCC continues to be very
influential in defining and reviewing appropriate terminology in
Laboratory Medicine and other fields of chemistry. In addition, the
management structure of the Federation has been reorganised
continuously to enable it to respond effectively to contemporary
issues.
IFCC is now a Federation of 74 Full Member national societies of
Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine representing about
30.000 individual clinical chemists, laboratory scientists, and
laboratory physicians and 35 Corporate Members covering the major
areas of clinical laboratory developments.
In 2002, by John Lines and Jacques Heeren published "IFCC
Celebrating 50 Years". This book is a more comprehensive history of
the Federation and is available from the IFCC office.
Membership of IFCC Executive Boards
|
President
|
Secretary
|
| EJ King (UK) |
1952 - 1960 |
IDP Wootton (UK) |
1952 - 1958 |
| ME Freeman (US) |
1960 - 1963 |
ME Freeman (US) |
1959 - 1960 |
| JE Courtois (FR) |
1963 - 1967 |
B Josephson (SE) |
1960 - 1963 |
| M Rubin (US) |
1967 - 1975 |
MC Sanz (CH) |
1963 - 1967 |
| J Frei (CH) |
1976 - 1978 |
J Frei (CH) |
1967 - 1975 |
| R Dybkaer (DK) |
1979 - 1984 |
PMG Broughton (UK) |
1976 - 1978 |
| DS Young (US) |
1985 - 1990 |
A Kallner (SE) |
1979 - 1981 |
| G Siest (FR) |
1991 - 1996 |
JG Hill (CA) |
1982 - 1984 |
| MJ Mc Queen (CA) |
1997 - 1999 |
MM Müller (AT) |
1985 - 1987 |
| MM Müller (AT) |
2000 - 2005 |
R Vihko (FI) |
1988 - 1990 |
| JMB Hicks (US) |
2006 - |
P Garcia Webb (AU) |
1991 - 1993 |
| |
|
O Zinder (IL) |
1993 - 1996 |
| |
|
J Whitfield (AU) |
1997 - 1999 |
| |
|
R Bais (AU) |
2000 - 2005 |
| |
|
P Laitinen (FI) |
2006 - |
| |
|
|
Vice President
|
Treasurer
|
| E Werle (DE) |
1966 - 1972 |
L Hartmann (FR) |
1966 - 1972 |
| R Dybkaer (DK) |
1972 - 1978 |
PMG Broughton (UK) |
1972 - 1975 |
| RG Edwards (AU) |
1979 - 1981 |
RG Edwards (AU) |
1976 - 1978 |
| DS Young (US) |
1982 - 1984 |
JG Hill (CA) |
1979 - 1981 |
| A Kallner (SE) |
1985 - 1990 |
A Kallner (SE) |
1982 - 1984 |
| MJ Mc Queen (CA) |
1991 - 1996 |
ML Castillo de Sanchez (MX) |
1985 - 1987 |
| MM Müller (AT) |
1997 - 1999 |
MJ McQueen (CA) |
1988 - 1990 |
| CA Burtis (US) |
2000 - 2005 |
NC Den Boer (NL) |
1991 - 1996 |
| V Palicka (CZ) |
2006 - |
P Mocarelli (IT) |
1997 - 2002 |
| |
|
JMB Hicks (US) |
2003 - 2005 |
| |
|
G Shannan (SY) |
2006 - |
|
Assistant Secretary
|
|
| G Siest (FR) |
1972 - 1975 |
|
|
| A Kallner (SE) |
1976- 1978 |
|
|
Members of Executive Board
| A Sobel (US) |
1952 - 1954 |
J de Wael (NL) |
1966 - 1967 |
| P Fleury (FR) |
1952 - 1960 |
I Nagy (HU) |
1980 - 1987 |
| B Josephson (SE) |
1952 - 1960 |
FW Sunderman Jr (US) |
1981 - 1985 |
| JCM Verschure (NL) |
1954 - 1959 |
N Montalbetti (IT) |
1981 - 1985 |
| WM Sperry (US) |
1955 - 1960 |
H Wishinsky (US) |
1985 - 1987 |
| JE Courtois (FR) |
1958 - 1963 |
SS Brown (GB) |
1985 - 1990 |
| K Hinsberg (DE) |
1958 - 1963 |
J Jaervisalo (FI) |
1985 - 1990 |
| MC Sanz (CH) |
1958 - 1963 |
I-K Tan (SG) |
1985 - 1990 |
| NF Maclagan (UK) |
1960 - 1967 |
D Scheuch (DE) |
1985 - 1990 |
| VN Orekhovich (SU) |
1960 - 1967 |
F Dati (DE) |
1988 - 1993 |
| SH Jackson (CA) |
1960 - 1967 |
HP Lehmann (US) |
1990 - 1994 |
| R Ruyseen (BE) |
1963 - 1967 |
N Montalbetti (IT) |
1990 - 1992 |
| M Rubin (US) |
1963 - 1967 |
N de Cediel (CO) |
1991 - 1993 |
| |
|
O Zinder (IL) |
1991 - 1994 |
| |
|
P Mocarelli (IT) |
1994 - 1999 |
| |
|
JB Whitfield (AU) |
1994 - 1999 |
| |
|
A Kallner (SE) |
1994 - 1999 |
| |
|
H Wetzel (DE) |
1994 - 1999 |
| |
|
L Muszbek (HU) |
1997 - 1999 |
| |
|
TD Geary (AU) |
1994 - 1999 |
| |
|
RI Sierra Amor (MX) |
1997 - 2002 |
| |
|
W Hölzel |
2000 - 2003 |
| |
|
CWK Lam |
2000 - 2005 |
| |
|
G Shannan (SY) |
2000 - 2002 |
| |
|
V Palicka (CZ) |
2003 - 2005 |
| |
|
D Mazziotta (AR) |
2003 - 2008 |
| |
|
M Thomas (UK) |
2006 - 2008 |
| |
|
J Lopez (MY) |
2006 - |
Until 1967 the Titular Members of the Commission on Clinical
Chemistry of IUPAC also functioned as the Executive Board of
IFCC.