1. NAME

The name of the council shall be The Asian Regional Cooperative Council for Nuclear Medicine”, hereinafter referred to as ARCCNM.

2. OBJECTIVES

The objectives of the ARCCNM are as such:

1. To foster Asian regional cooperation in promoting nuclear medicine in Asian countries, particularly in developing and less developed countries.
2. To establish liaisons with the official national governing bodies of nuclear medicine of the member states of the Asian Region.
3. To encourage research collaboration in nuclear medicine among member states of the region.
4. To administer to training programmes for nuclear physicians practicing in the member countries.
5. To establish liaisons with international organizations devoted to the promotion of research, development and clinical application of nuclear medicine including, but not limited to:
   - The World Federation of Nuclear Medicine and Biology (WFNMB).
   - The Asia-Oceania Federation of Nuclear Medicine and Biology (AOFNMB)
   - The European-Association of Nuclear Medicine (EANM)
   - The Society of Nuclear Medicine (SNM)
   - The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
6. To enhance regional scientific activity by means of conferences, seminars and educational programmes
7. To facilitate the exchange of programmes for experts, trainees and fellows.
8. To organize Task-Force Groups in Nuclear Neurology, Cardiology, Oncology, Basic Sciences, Radionuclide Therapy and General Nuclear Medicine.

3. MEMBERSHIP

1. National Delegate Members
   One delegate from each country in Asia shall be eligible for ordinary membership. Such a member shall generally be a senior physician actively engaged in nuclear medicine practice and shall be selected by the official national governing bodies of nuclear medicine of the corresponding member state. Voting rights shall be restricted to ordinary Members.
2. Industrial Advisers
   Senior representatives of equipment and international radiopharmaceutical manufacturers may be invited for associate membership after nomination and approval by the National Delegate Assembly at an Annual General Meeting.

4. STRUCTURE OF THE ORGAN

1. Organizing Committee The Organizing Committee will consist of a Chairman, Secretary General and a Treasurer. The Chairman shall be elected by the National Delegate Assembly. The term of office shall be three years and the Chairman shall run the secretariat. The Chairman will appoint a Secretary General, Treasurer, and 6-9 members of the Organizing Committee, all of whom should be approved by the National Delegate Assembly.
   
   The meeting shall be held in a developing country in association with a scientific occasion at the request of the Chairman or Delegate Assembly.
2. Honorary Chairman & Advisory Committee Honorary Chairman shall be a senior nuclear medicine physician from within a member state and likewise, the Advisory Committee shall consist of senior nuclear physicians from within the member states. The Honorary Chairman and all Advisory Committee members will be appointed at the National Delegate Assembly.
   
   The Advisory Committee will advise all items or matters related to the objective of this Council for the promotion of Nuclear Medicine in member states.
3. Task-Force Group Members Persons with specific expertise in particular scientific fields may be drafted when deemed necessary for special purposes as determined by their ordinary membership. Task-Force Groups shall be organized when necessary. The coordinators and members in each Task-Force Group shall be nominated by the Organizing Committee.

5. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

The Annual General Meeting of the Council may be held in conjunction with a major international nuclear medicine scientific meeting as to attract the utmost attendance of the ordinary members. In particular, this Annual Meeting is preferred to be held in association with Annual Meetings of the National Society of Nuclear Medicine in Asian countries.

The business of the Council will be conducted through the medium of the Annual General Meeting, preliminary notice of which shall be given three months before the due date. The formal agenda shall be circulated to all members at least one month prior to the Annual General Meeting.

Working parties may be organized to address specific tasks, such as the design of multi-center clinical trials, as determined by a resolution of the members at the Annual General Meeting.

6. DELEGATE ASSEMBLY

The Delegate Assembly consists of National Delegate Members. All related matters shall be decided and approved at the National Delegate Assembly. National Delegates may resolve high-level political issues, approve new member states as well as Advisory Committee and Organizing Committee members, and may discuss any items or matters related to the objective of this Council for the promotion of Nuclear Medicine. The Delegate Assembly shall be held annually to administer to the programmes of the Council in a developing country, if possible, on the occasion of an annual meeting of the National Society of Nuclear Medicine as to allow members to make contributions.

7. VOTING RIGHT

The right to vote shall be limited to ordinary members. When deemed necessary, the Chairman shall have a second or a casting vote. Proxy votes may be made in writing by the ordinary members unable to attend the Annual General Meeting, provided that such votes may only relate to the resolutions advertised in the agenda, circulated one month before the meeting.

All matters shall be decided by a simple majority of votes, with exceptions to the instance of Constitutional amendments which require a two-thirds majority, or dissolution of the Council, which requires a three quarters majority.

8. POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE ORGANIZING COMMITTEE

The Chairman shall bring all matters of business before the Annual General Meeting of the Council for majority approval before enactment.

However, if unforeseen executive action is required between Annual General Meetings, the Chairman is empowered to act, provided that Organizing Committee of the Council are canvassed in writing and given at least one month to respond. In the event of written objections lodged by more than one-third of the members within a month of notification, the Chairman shall be restrained from taking executive action in that particular matter and shall defer the matter until the next Annual General Meeting. All executive actions shall be ratified by a simple majority at the National Delegate Assembly. The Chairman shall officially represent the Council at meetings of other Nuclear Medicine organizations only on matters that have been discussed and unanimously agreed by the members.

A report of such representations to other organizations shall be given by the Chairman at the next Organizing Committee Meeting and shall be approved at the Annual General Meeting of the Council.

In principle, the National Delegate Assembly shall meet annually and the National Delegate Assembly Meeting may be held at the request of the Chairman or a majority of the members.

9. FINANCES

The Council is a non-profit body and does not levy membership fees.
All expenses concerning attendance of the Annual General Meetings of the Council, and other meetings such as Delegate Assembly, Organizing Committee Meeting, Task-Force Group Meeting, which may be convened as deemed necessary, shall be the responsibility of the attending member.

Donations from various governments and companies shall be solicited for the purpose of achieving the activities of the Council.

10. DOCUMENTS OF THE GROUP

The secretariat, organized by the Chairman, shall be the repository of all documents of the Council. It shall be the responsibility of each member to provide current telephone and fax numbers and e-mail address for correspondence and all notifications of Council business shall be directed to the address in the register held at the secretariat.

11. AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION

This Constitution shall not be amended or repealed and no new paragraphs shall be added, except by the vote of a two-thirds majority of those members present, personally or by proxy, at the National Delegate Assembly.

At least two months notice of the intention to propose any amendment to this Constitution shall be given to the Chairman and signed by two ordinary members of the National Delegate Assembly. The Chairman shall send notice to every member of the Council with the official agenda one month before the Annual General Meeting at which the proposals shall be considered.

12. DISSOLUTION OF THE GROUP

The Council may be dissolved by a resolution adopted by not less than three-quarters of the ordinary members present physically or by proxy at an Annual General Meeting, provided that notification of such a resolution has been given to all members with the agenda at least one month prior to the meeting.