REGULATIONS ON THE DISPLAY OF MEMBERSHIP
Japanese Orthopaedic Society for Sonosurgery — detailed rules under Article 39 of the Articles
Reference translation. The Japanese text is authoritative. These Regulations govern the manner in which members may state publicly that they belong to the Society. Their purpose is compliance with the law on medical advertising and the preservation of the standing of the Society and of its members.
Article 1 (Purpose)
The purpose of these Regulations is to provide, under Article 39 of the Articles, for the manner in which members may display the fact that they are members of the Society and that they have taken part in its activities.
Article 2 (Permitted displays)
1. During the period of membership, a member may use the following displays on his or her own website, on notices within the institution, and in other media:
(1) “Member, Japanese Orthopaedic Society for Sonosurgery”;
(2) “Completed the hands-on seminar of the Japanese Orthopaedic Society for Sonosurgery”, stating the name of the procedure and the year of completion (for example, “Trigger finger, 2027”).
2. A member may use, together with the displays in the preceding paragraph, the emblem issued by the Society.
3. The form, colours and minimum size of the emblem shall be determined separately by the secretariat.
Article 3 (Prohibited displays)
1. A member shall not make any of the following displays:
(1) any display containing the words “certified”, “certified physician”, “specialist”, “instructor” or any other term indicating a qualification as to the special expertise of a physician;
(2) any display indicating superiority over other medical institutions or other physicians by reason of membership of the Society;
(3) any display giving the misleading impression that the Society guarantees particular treatment, clinical outcomes or fees;
(4) any display giving the misleading impression that a particular operation can be performed only by members of the Society;
(5) any display to the effect that a hands-on seminar has been completed in respect of a procedure for which it has not.
2. The Society does not certify any qualification as to the special expertise of a physician.
Article 4 (Responsibility of members)
1. In making any display, a member bears responsibility for compliance with the Medical Care Act, the Medical Advertising Guidelines and other applicable laws and guidelines.
2. Where a display under the preceding Article is made in media that also describe self-funded treatment, the member shall himself or herself satisfy the requirements for lifting the restriction on advertisable matters, including disclosure of fees and of the principal risks involved.
Article 5 (Correction)
Where the Steering Committee finds a display that does not conform to these Regulations, it may require the member concerned to correct it. Where the member fails to do so without legitimate reason, the permission to use the display may be withdrawn.
Article 6 (Measures upon loss of membership)
A person who has lost membership shall promptly cease and remove any display and any use of the emblem.
Article 7 (Amendment and repeal)
These Regulations may be amended or repealed by resolution of the Steering Committee.
CASE REGISTRY REGULATIONS
Japanese Orthopaedic Society for Sonosurgery — detailed rules under Article 11-2, paragraph 3 of the Articles
Reference translation. The Japanese text is authoritative. These Regulations govern the operation of the multi-institutional case registry. Case registration is an obligation of members; in return, the extent of a member’s registration determines the opportunity to co-author publications and to use the aggregated data.
Article 1 (Purpose)
The purpose of these Regulations is to provide, under Article 11-2, paragraph 3 of the Articles, for matters concerning the operation of the multi-institutional case registry (the “Registry”) conducted by the Society.
Article 2 (Cases covered)
The Registry covers surgical cases performed with guidance by ultrasound imaging as a constitutive requirement. The range of procedures covered shall be determined separately by the Steering Committee.
Article 3 (Items registered)
The items registered shall be age, sex, side, diagnosis, procedure, equipment and instruments used, method of anaesthesia, operating time, complications, pre- and post-operative outcome measures, period of follow-up and such other items as the Steering Committee may determine, and shall be entered on the prescribed registration form.
Article 4 (Consent of the patient)
1. A member shall register a case only after having given the patient a written explanation in advance and obtained the patient’s consent.
2. Cases for which consent has not been obtained shall not be registered.
Article 5 (Research ethics review)
1. The Registry shall be conducted in accordance with the Ethical Guidelines for Life Science and Medical Research Involving Human Subjects and other applicable laws and guidelines, and with the approval of a research ethics committee.
2. The Registry shall undergo single review as multi-institutional collaborative research, and participating institutions shall register cases within the scope of that approval.
3. The absence of a research ethics committee at a participating institution shall not be an obstacle to participation.
Article 6 (Anonymisation and data management)
1. Information by which a specific individual can be identified shall not be entered in the Registry.
2. Information linking registered cases to patients shall be held at each participating institution.
3. The data of the Registry shall be managed by the secretariat, and the scope of access rights shall be determined by the Steering Committee.
Article 7 (Use of data)
1. A member may at any time use the data of the cases that he or she has registered.
2. A member wishing to use the aggregated data of the Registry for his or her own research shall apply to the Steering Committee and obtain its approval.
3. Approval under the preceding paragraph shall be granted to members who have a record of registration in the Registry.
Article 8 (Publication and authorship)
1. Where the results derived from the Registry are published, authorship shall follow the criteria of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE).
2. A member who has registered ten or more cases, who has contributed to the conception of the research or to the drafting or critical revision of the manuscript, who has approved the final manuscript and who has indicated a willingness to be accountable for the work, may be a co-author.
3. The Society shall afford the opportunity to satisfy the requirements of the preceding paragraph fairly to all members having a record of registration.
4. Registrants who do not satisfy those requirements shall be named in the acknowledgements or in the list of participating institutions.
Article 9 (Listing on the Society’s website)
1. The Society may list on its website, as member institutions, the institutions of members who continue to participate in the Registry.
2. Listing is free of charge and shall be in order of prefecture. The Society does not recommend any particular medical institution.
3. In listing, the Society shall state that explanation of indications, fees and risks is a matter for each institution.
4. Where no registration has been made for one year or more, the Steering Committee may suspend the listing.
5. In listing, the procedures performed by the member may also be shown. The range of procedures shown shall be governed by the Regulations on Hands-on Seminars and Completion Records.
6. A member may at any time request the secretariat to suspend or delete the listing.
Article 10 (Amendment and repeal)
These Regulations may be amended or repealed by resolution of the Steering Committee.
REGULATIONS ON HANDS-ON SEMINARS AND COMPLETION RECORDS
Japanese Orthopaedic Society for Sonosurgery — detailed rules under Article 39 of the Articles
Reference translation. The Japanese text is authoritative. These Regulations govern the hands-on seminars held by the Society and the recording of their completion. The Society does not certify any qualification as to the special expertise of a physician; completion is a record of the fact that a prescribed course has been taken.
Article 1 (Purpose)
The purpose of these Regulations is to provide, under Article 39 of the Articles, for matters concerning the hands-on seminars held by the Society and the recording of their completion.
Article 2 (Procedures covered)
1. The procedures covered by these Regulations are those listed in the Appendix.
2. The Appendix may be added to or altered by resolution of the Steering Committee.
Article 3 (Hands-on seminars)
1. The Society shall hold hands-on seminars for each of the procedures covered.
2. The content, duration, method of practical instruction and number of places shall be determined by the Steering Committee.
3. The Society shall ensure a practical environment using high-resolution ultrasound equipment.
Article 4 (Completion)
1. The Society shall recognise completion for each procedure in respect of a member who has taken the prescribed course, and shall issue a certificate of completion.
2. Completion records the fact that the prescribed course has been taken; it does not warrant the level of technical skill in the procedure concerned.
3. Completion is not the certification of a qualification as to the special expertise of a physician. The Society does not certify any qualification whatsoever.
Article 5 (Register of completion)
1. The Society shall keep a register of completion recording, for each person completing, the name, the institution, the procedure and the year of completion.
2. The register of completion shall be managed by the secretariat.
3. A member may at any time request the secretariat to correct or delete his or her entry.
Article 6 (Display)
The display of completion shall be governed by the Regulations on the Display of Membership. No display of completion shall be made in respect of a procedure for which completion has not been recognised.
Article 7 (Listing on the Society’s website)
1. With the consent of the member, the Society may list on its website, as member institutions, the procedures performed by that member.
2. Such listing indicates that the procedures are performed; the Society does not warrant clinical outcomes, the appropriateness of indications or fees.
3. In listing, the Society shall state that explanation of indications, fees and risks is a matter for each institution.
4. A member may at any time request the secretariat to suspend or delete the listing.
Article 8 (Amendment and repeal)
These Regulations may be amended or repealed by resolution of the Steering Committee.
The procedures covered will be expanded in due course. Additions are made by resolution of the Steering Committee.
