IPOS Federation of Psycho-Oncology Societies

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In September 2007, the IPOS Board of Directors and participants in the meeting of national societies agreed to establish an IPOS Federation of Psycho-Oncology Societies. By unanimous approval of the IPOS Board of Directors on 15 May 2008 and by subsequent approval of the membership on 11 June 2008, the IPOS Federation Board has been created as a Standing Committee of IPOS, pursuant to Article VI, Section 1 of the Constitution (revised 19 September 2007). The President of each qualified society is provided a seat on the Federation Board. Eligibility and criteria for membership is set forth in the Federation Policy Statement, which may be amended from time to time.

The objective of the IPOS Federation is to represent psycho-oncology, world-wide, speaking compellingly in a unified voice the message that all cancer patients and their families throughout the world should receive optimal psychosocial care at all stages of disease and survivorship.

The first meeting of the Federation Board was hosted at the 10th World Congress of Psycho-Oncology in Madrid, Spain, on Friday, 13 June 2008. The meeting included representatives from 26 countries and was chaired by IPOS immediate past President, Professor Luigi Grassi. Links to Federation member societies shall be provided below and resources shall be made available as presented. Visit this page often for information as it develops.

Federation Policy Statement

Meeting Minutes:
23 June 2009
13 June 2008

Full Federation Member Organizations

American Psychosocial Oncology Society (APOS)
President: Peter C Trask, PhD, MPH

Association of Psychosocial Oncology (POA, Lithuania)
President: Giedre Bulotiene, PhD

Australian Psychosocial Oncology Society (OZPOS)
President: Jane Turner, MD

Austrian Platform of Psycho-oncology (ÖPPO)
President: Elisabeth Andritsch, PhD

British Psychosocial Oncology Society (BPOS)
President: Galina Velikova, MD, PhD

Canadian Association of Psychosocial Oncology (CAPO)
President: Thomas Hack, PhD

Dutch Society of Psychosocial Oncology (NVPO)
President: Mecheline Helena M Van Der Linden, PhD

French Society of Psycho-Oncology (SFPO)
President: Nicole Pelicier, MD

Hellenic Society of Psychosocial Oncology (HSPO, Greece)
President: Dr Gerassimos A Rigatos, MD

Hungarian Psycho-Oncology Society (HPOT)
President: Magda Rohanszky, MD

Israel Psycho-Oncology Society (IPSO)
President: Shlomit Perry, PhD

Italian Society of Psycho-Oncology (SIPO)
President: Luigi Grassi, MD

Polish Psycho-oncology Society (PPOS)
President: Krystyna de Walden-Galuszko, MD, PhD
Polish Report May 2010

Portuguese Academy of Psycho-Oncology (APPO)
President: Emilia Albuquerque Fernandes, MD

Portuguese Psycho-Oncology Society (SPPO)
President: Antonio Barbosa, MD

Psychosocial Oncology Association (PSOD, Turkey)
President: Dr Sedat Ozkan, MD, PhD

Spanish Psycho-Oncology Society (SEPO)
President: Maria L Die-Trill, PhD

Swedish Psycho-Oncology Society (SWEDPOS)
President: Pia Dellson, MD

Swiss Society of Psycho-Oncology (SGPO)
President: Brigitta Woessmer, PhD

Affiliate member

Centre of Psycho-Oncology for Education and Research (COPER, India)
President: Dr. Kiran Mazumdar Shaw

Associate members

Latin American Association of Palliative Care (ALCP)
President: Jorge H. Eisenchlas, MD, MSc

South African Oncology Social Work Association (SAOSWA)
President: Clare Louise Manicom, B-Soc, SCI

Federation Task Forces

Reference Documents:

National Societies Survey - comparison of 2006 and 2008 responses

European Union Council Conclusions on Reducing the Burden of Cancer.
On 10 June 2008, the European Union Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council adopted the following Conclusions on Reducing the Burden of Cancer. Please reference to Points 5, 11 and 19, as they make specific recommendations for psychosocial care.

Join the Federation by completing the membership application.

Working Documents:

Task Force for Guidelines, Standards, Accreditation and Training

Psychosocial Guidelines from: