REPORT 13TH MEETING OF THE INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATIVE GROUP OF HEREDITARY NON-POLYPOSIS COLORECTAL CANCER, 26 APRIL, VENICE, ITALY

The meeting was chaired by James Church.

It was reported that a joint meeting had been held at the Royal Society of Medicine, London  it had been agreed by representatives of the Leeds Castle Group and the ICG interim committee that the two groups should move as soon as possible to full merger.  It was felt that the draft constitution should be endorsed prior to negotiating convergence.  This constitution has been placed on the website and a postal vote to endorse acceptance would be sought.   It was put to the meeting that the ICG should seek full merger.  This proposal was agreed unanimously on a show of hands.

A timetable was put forward  to effect the merger: a meeting will be held in late 2001.  A preliminary meeting will be held in association with the Collaborative Group of the Americas in San Diego prior to a special meeting of the full council of Leeds Castle Group and the interim steering committee of the ICG in December 2001 in London when details of merger will be addressed.  These will need to clarify the name of the new international organisation, the membership structure, the new constitution of the organisation, methods of subscription payment and the organisation of the combined two year meetings after 2003.

Patrick Lynch asked if the new constitution would ensure a democratic system for election of the council and was reassured that this was the case.  Pal Moller  asked whether a broader organisation might be developed to embrace other forms of hereditary cancer such as breast cancer.  It was agreed that the possibility of including other forms of hereditary gastrointestinal cancer should be considered but it would be too broad if breast cancer were included.

Albert de la Chapelle congratulated the organisers for a successful meeting but urged continued effort to raise the scientific quality so as to encourage submission of high quality papers.

The next business meeting will be held in Cleveland, Ohio in 2003 when the new International Society will be launched.

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