Chapter 1. General Provisions

Article 1 (Name and Location)

The name of the corporation shall be “The Association for Clinical Research of Fecal Microbiota Transplantation Japan”.
The secretariat shall be located at 2-1-40-401 Katamachi, Miyakojima-ku, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture.

Article 2 (Purpose)

The purpose of this corporation (referred as Corporation) is to promote the verification of the efficacy and safety of fecal microbiota transplantation and to establish it as a medical treatment, and in order to contribute to this purpose, the following activities will be carried out

(1) To establish the efficacy and safety of fecal microbiota transplantation.
(2) Education and training activities related to human indigenous bacteria and fecal microbiota transplantation.
(3) Health maintenance support and disease prevention activities by analysis of intestinal flora balance.
(4) Support for member medical institutions.
(5) Support for the operation of Japanbiome (volunteer donor bank).
(6) Support activities for intractable diseases.
(7) Other general activities related to the above items.

Chapter 2. Membership

Article 3 (Composition of Members and Eligibility Requirements)

The following persons shall be members of the Corporation. The gender of members shall not be questioned.

(1) Regular Members (refers to Transplantation Medical Institutions)
Regular Members are physicians who agree with the purpose and objectives of the Corporation and wish to actively cooperate and participate in the management and activities of the Corporation.
The initial Regular Members at the time of establishment will be Yoshin Tanaka, Masayuki Asaueholm, Noriaki Mann, and Masahiko Shirotani.
(2) Regular Members (refers to Consultation and Collaboration Institutions )
Medical professionals who agree with the purpose and objectives of the Corporation and wish to actively participate and cooperate in the management and activities of the Corporation, and who are recommended by one or more Regular Members and approved by 2/3 of the Board of Directors, and who are assigned a person in charge other than a member physician, shall qualify as Regular Members (Consultation and Collaboration Institutions).
(3) Associate Members (refers to medical support members)
Medical professionals who agree with the purpose and objectives of the Corporation and wish to actively participate and cooperate in the management and activities of the Corporation, and who have attended lectures on fecal microbiota transplantation given by Regular Members, subscribed to books, and obtained and understood other medical information provided by the Corporation in advance, qualify as Associate Members.
(4) Corporate Supporting Member
Corporations and organizations that have corporate status, agree with the purpose and objectives of the Corporation, and wish to join in order to actively cooperate and participate in the management and activities of the Corporation.
(5) Individual Supporting Member
Individuals who have undergone a transplant procedure or are interested in the health of transplant patients, and who agree with the purpose and objectives of the Corporation and wish to become a member.

Article 4 (Privileges by Membership)

(1) Regular Members and Associate Members may freely view and use medical information submitted by medical institutions belonging to the Corporation with the permission of the Corporation. In addition, Regular Members and Associate Members may participate in private study sessions that are limited to Regular Members and Associate Members.
(2) Regular Members and Associate Members may hold seminars and lectures using the medical information provided by the Corporation.
(3) Regular Members and Associate Members may write papers jointly with members of the Research Committee of the Corporation.
(4) Regular Members (Transplantation Medical Institutions) have preferential access to purified bacterial solutions for medical use.
(5) Regular Members and Supporting Members can participate in general meetings, lectures, and seminars hosted by the Corporation at a member price.
(6) Corporate and individual Supporting Members are entitled to receive a free copy of the booklet and related books for the first year only.
(7) If an individual who belongs to a Corporate Supporting Member undergoes a transplant procedure, that individual will be entitled to become an Individual Member of the Corporation.
(8) Regular Members will receive support in the form of website postings, announcements, pamphlets, and other materials.
(9) Once approved as a member, an active member may use the certificate issued by the Corporation, the Corporation’s name, and promotional materials.
(10) Corporate Supporting Members approved by the corporation may use the logo provided by the Corporation.

Article 5 (Responsibilities of Regular Members and Associate Members)

(1) After completing the admission procedures, Regular Members and Associate Members shall read carefully the materials provided by the Corporation and the medical information posted in the system to deepen their knowledge of transplantation.
In addition to Regular Members, they will be assigned a staff member within the same institution to collect medical information and perform clerical work related to transplantation, based on the materials provided by the Research Committee.
(2) Regular Members and Associate Members should actively participate in the general meetings and study groups hosted by the Corporation. Participation via internet conferencing, recording, and reviewing the minutes at a later date are also considered as participation, with the aim of attending at least 2/3 of the meetings.
(3) The staff members of the study group will provide Regular Members (transplant institutions) with advance explanations on the handling of the bacterial solution, transplantation methods, and how to deal with possible problems that may occur at the transplantation site. Regular Members should participate in the transplantation procedure together with the staff member in charge, and the subjects of the actual transplantation procedure should be Regular Members or healthy related persons.
(4) The active member must submit clinical data regarding the transplantation in accordance with the Corporation’s protocol. They must also submit other medical information as requested by the Corporation.
(5) Regular Members (Transplantation Medical Institutions) shall only perform transplant procedures on patients referred by Regular Members (Consultation and Collaboration Institutions), and other treatments and examinations shall be performed after consultation with Regular Members (Consultation and Collaboration Institutions).
(6) Regular Members and Associate Members shall submit all academic materials and official seminar presentation materials to the Corporation. The same shall apply to materials used for purposes other than those provided by the Corporation.
(7) Regular Members and Associate Members must have all data and materials used in seminars under the name of the Corporation checked by the institute in advance.
Media coverage should also be reported in advance, and the drafts should be checked as much as possible.
(8) Papers written by members shall be treated as co-authored with the Corporation, and the copyright shall be split equally between the two parties. In the case of joint authorship by Regular Members (Transplantation Medical Institutions and Consultation and Collaboration Institutions), the distribution of copyrights will be decided upon consultation between the authors.
(9) In principle, Regular Members (Transplantation Medical Institutions) should aim to achieve at least two new cases of transplantation procedures within six months of the first year, including referrals from Regular Members, Associate Members, collaborating organizations and corporate supporting members.
(10) If a Regular Member (Transplantation Medical Institutions) fails to achieve five or more new transplant procedures within one year after the sixth month of membership, the Regular Member shall not object to the admission of a new Regular Member in the same region where the Regular Member is located.
When a Regular Member (Consultation and Collaboration Institution) does not have one or more specific cases of transplantation procedure referrals, the membership category shall be reviewed.
(11) Renewal of Regular Members and Associate Members must be approved by the Board of Directors by the end of February, and the annual membership fee and system usage fee must be transferred by the end of March.For supporting members, if there is no request for withdrawal, membership shall be automatically renewed and the annual membership fee shall be transferred by the end of March.

Article 6 (Procedures for Admission as a Regular Member (Transplantation Medical Institutions))

(1) A person who wishes to become a member must be recommended by two Regular Members of the Corporation after carefully reading the Articles of Incorporation and the Constitution and By-Laws.
(2) Upon receiving a request for recommendation, the Regular Member(s) shall fill out the prescribed items on the letter of recommendation and submit it to the Board of Directors.
(3) Upon approval by the Council and the Board of Directors, the applicant shall sign a nondisclosure agreement with the Corporation, pay the prescribed admission fee and annual dues, and become a provisional Regular Member.
(4) Provisional members shall become Regular Members upon successful completion of a transplant within three months.

Article 7 (Admission fee, membership fee and other expenses)

Members must pay an admission fee and membership dues as separately determined by the General Assembly.

(1) Regular Member (Transplantation Medical Institution) admission fee: 150,000 yen. Annual membership fee: 100,000 yen.
(2) Regular Member (Consultation and Collaboration Institution) admission fee: None. Annual membership fee: 50,000 yen.
(3) Associate Member (medical supporting member) admission fee: None. Annual membership fee: 10,000 yen.
For access to and use of medical information, a monthly system fee of 5,000 yen (tax not included)/month is payable in a lump sum every month until the end of the fiscal year.
(4) Corporate Supporting Member Admission fee: None. Annual membership fee: 120,000 yen per unit (minimum of one unit).
(5) Individual Supporting Member: Admission fee: None. Annual membership fee: 5,000 yen (transplant patients of the Corporation are exempted from this fee)

Article 8 (Withdrawal from Membership)

A member may voluntarily withdraw from membership by submitting a notice of withdrawal as specified separately.

Article 9 (Expulsion)

If a member falls under any of the following categories, the member may be expelled by a resolution of the Board of Directors
(1) When a member violates the Articles of Incorporation or other rules of the Corporation.
(2) When a member has damaged the honor of the Corporation or committed an act contrary to its purpose.
(3) When there are other justifiable grounds for expulsion.

Article 10 (Loss of Membership)

In addition to the cases described in the preceding Article 9, a member shall be disqualified in any of the following cases
(1) When a member continuously fails to pay the membership fee for one year or more without just cause.
(2) When a member dies or is declared missing, or when the Corporation is dissolved.
(3) When the Board of Directors agrees.

Chapter 3. Research Committee and Ethics Committee

Article 11 (Research Committee)

(1) The Research Committee shall hold meetings and manage research activities.
(2) The Research Committee shall have a Research Director and a Research Vice Director.
(3) The Director of the Research Committee and the Vice Director of the Research Division are appointed by the Representative Director upon recommendation by the Board of Directors.
(4) The term of office of the Director and Vice-Directors of the Research Committee is two years.
(5) In principle, the Research Committee will meet once a year.
(6) Presentations at the Research Committee meetings are limited to members, those who are equivalent to members, and guests of the committee.
(7) The committee may establish local chapters in each region.
(8) The Ethics Committee shall operate in accordance with the regulations, and when an application for review is received from a member, the Ethics Committee shall convene promptly and notify the member of the results.

Chapter 4. Accounting and Administration

Article 12 (Accounting)

The accounting of the Organization shall be conducted in accordance with corporate accounting principles, and the necessary reports shall be made to the members in writing.
(1) Expenses of the JSC shall be covered by membership fees, subsidies, donations, and other income.
(2) Membership dues shall be paid by the end of March for each member at the end of the fiscal year, as described in Article 7. However, this shall not prevent the Representative Director from permitting a delay in the payment of membership dues for special reasons.

Article 13 (Business Year)

The fiscal year of the Corporation shall be from April 1 of each year to March 31 of the following year.

Chapter 5. Social Contribution Activities

Article 14 (Donation Activities)

The Corporation is a non-profit research and activity organization, and any surplus remaining from the operation of the Corporation shall be used for social contribution activities by a resolution of the Board of Directors.

Chapter 6. Supplementary Provisions

Article 15 (Supplementary Provisions)

(1) This constitution shall come into effect on November 19, 2017.
(2) Amendments to this constitution shall be made by a resolution of the Board of Directors as required by law.
(3) This constitution may be amended or abolished by a resolution of the Board of Directors and the Council.
(4) Matters not provided for in the Constitution shall be determined separately by the Representative Director with the vote of the Board of Directors.

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