OFFICIAL NAME
International Federation of Catholic Medical Associations
ACRONYM
FIAMC (Fédération Internationale des Associations Médicales Catholiques)
ESTABLISHED
1966
HISTORY
The first association of Catholic physicians was founded in France in 1884 in response to the appeal by Leo XIII to Christians in his encyclical Humanum genus. In 1924, at the prompting of Pius XI, an international Secretariat of national Catholic medical associations was created to coordinate the work of medical associations which had also been created in other countries by that time, and to attend to the creation of new groupings. The meetings promoted by the Secretariat among existing associations led, in 1935, to the convening in Brussels of the first of the World Congresses of the Association. A second Secretariat, independent of the Parisbased one, was created in Rome in 1949. In 1951, at the fifth World Congress, it was decided to unify the two Secretariats, and to institute The International Federation of Catholic Medical Associations. In 1966, at the 11th World Congress in Manila, Philippines, the General Assembly adopted the official statutes and bylaws of the Federation. It is recognised by the Holy See as an International Catholic Organisation, and is a member of the Conference of ICOs. As an NGO it has consultative status with Ecosoc.
IDENTITY
The specific purpose of FIAMC is to foster medical and social care consistent with the teachings of the Catholic Church, and to provide its membership with moral and spiritual support, so that they can affirm their faith in the exercise of the medical profession and bring the principles of Christian ethics to bear on scientific research. The Federation pursues its objectives by organising world and regional congresses from time to time that deal with issues linked to ethical matters and the protection of human life; by directing initiatives that the member organisations implement with its help in different countries; and by drawing up models for pastoral action and healthcare cooperation projects in the developing countries.
ORGANISATION
FIAMC is managed by the General Assembly, made up of the delegates of the regular and associated member associations; the Executive Committee, made up of the President, Vice President, General Secretary, Treasurer and Ecclesiastical Assistant, together with regional representatives and former presidents without voting rights. FIAMC has regular members, which are legally incorporated associations; associate members, which are associations currently in the formation phase, and affiliate members, which are individual physicians or groups of physicians living in countries whose political system does not allow them to create Catholic associations.
MEMBERSHIP
FIAMC has 53 national member associations in 66 countries, as follows: Africa (9), Asia (13), Europe (25), North America (8), Oceania (2) and South America (9).
WORKS
FIAMC has also cooperated to create a pharmaceuticals laboratory in Saint Marie de la Bouenza, Congo; a nursing school in Tirana, Albania; a medical consulting unit, with an annexed staff training facility in Lichinga, Mozambique; a biomedical Centre in Bombay, India to study biomedical issues, and a hospital in Taunggyi, Myanmar.
PUBLICATIONS
Decisions, a quarterly newsletter.
WEB SITE
HEADQUARTERS
Fédération Internationale des Associations Médicales Catholiques
Palazzo San Calisto
00120 Vatican City
Tel. and Fax [+39] 06.69887372
Email: fiamc.va@virgilio.it
