President's Report - April 2006

Kiaora/Gidday!

The Council has been working hard on your behalf in the last few months. I highlight below some of the tasks we have given our attention to.

Firstly, we have been working on the strategic direction of our society and have started drafting a document, which we envisage will:

• Represent the interests of ANZBMS membership.
• Establish and maintain an appropriate resource base to enable the ANZBMS to operate as an efficient and effective organization.
• Develop guidelines and information for health professionals and consumers on bone and mineral metabolism - prevention and quality care.
• Be the medical and scientific voice bone and mineral metabolism.
• Provide leadership in national initiatives for prevention of diseases of bone and mineral metabolism and improving the care of people.
• Foster opportunities to participate in the development and dissemination of bone and mineral metabolism research and advances in clinical care and education.
• Work with all relevant stakeholders.

Secondly, we have been establishing a memorandum of understanding with Osteoporosis Australia (OA) in relation to the mutual development of a research foundation.
ANZBMS has considered the adoption of charitable status to capture donations and target this income towards the development of education and research into bone and mineral metabolism. Options were considered for the best management, implementation, promotion and the value of such a fund to suit donors and fund recipients.

Considering OA already has a research fund, which targets a similar donor base and supports similar activities, ANZBMS Council, with additional advice from its members, decided that the best mechanism to promote bone and mineral research was not to create or duplicate fund raising mechanisms or to compete with that existing fund raising effort. OA, due to its common goals of advancing education, research and public advocacy for bone and mineral metabolism, was considered a natural partner to develop a research fund to financially support these initiatives.

There are benefits having one Research Fund / Foundation for donor investment recognition, reducing competition and market place confusion. This one Fund will be advertised by both organizations, allowing increased development potential and capital for the fund, whilst minmising administrative charges and preventing competitive marketing. In addition, the development of an alliance between OA and ANZBMS will have consequent increased visibility for both organisations, which is important politically, since it offers the organisations the ability to speak from an expanded member base, and from both a patient advocacy and professional point of view. This is particularly important at the Federal and State Government levels.

Increased financial support will allow increased research support, including scholarships and fellowships the development of further co-funded Fellowships such as developed by OA with the RACP. This is crucial to ensure that bone and mineral research is funded appropriately in a funding environment that has traditionally undefended musculoskeletal research.

This MOU is an expression of intent and is intended to be the catalyst towards a legally binding document between both OA and ANZBMS parties. Maria Chilcott has already been employed, under the umbrella of OA, to take on the fundraising task.

Thirdly, we are delighted to announce a new meeting award named in honour of Professor Sol Posen. The award will be offered for the first time at this year’s ASM. The award is based on the best paper published in the 18 months prior to the closing date of the award. [See Sol Posen Research Award]

Fourthly, planning future meetings in 2007 – 2009 is well underway. Next year the ASM will be held in Queenstown, NZ, in September, prior to the ASBMR in Hawaii. We have chosen this timing so that hopefully from Australia, members can combine the travel to the 2 meetings if wished. In addition, the ESA meeting is being held in Christchurch just prior to the ANZBMS ASM. In 2008 and 2009, the ASMs will be in Melbourne and Sydney, respectively. The 2009 meeting will be a grand international one held in combination with the IBMS at Darling Harbour.

Last but certainly not least, the 2006 meeting oganising committees have been toiling hard to ensure the success of this important international conference at gorgeous Port Douglas. [See the 2006 IOF+ANZBMS Combined Meeting website]. We look forward to seeing you to have good science, great fellowship and fun.

All the Best,
Jill Cornish
President ANZBMS