I was invited to give 2 courses in the lectureship programme in Uruguay September 22, 99 and Paraguay September 15, 99. I was lecturing 6 hours on the �concept of reference values, the series of reference values, the selection of production of reference values, and the presentation and use of reference values�.

During my course on reference values, many people have asked if we can update or improve on some documents, particularly the documents on use of Reference Values which are only existing in the SFBC document and have not been put at IFCC level. They also asked for developing a software for doing Reference Values. That could perhaps be a task that we can propose to the Scientific Division or to the Education and Management Division.

This course is based on practical exercises and created large discussions with the audience in each case with more than 100 participants.

Sophie Visvikis was giving 2 hours presentation on �genetic influence on Cardiovascular disease and the selection of important polymorphism�.

Based on this lectureship programme I am also having meetings each time, 1st with the Paraguan Clinical Chemistry Society.

Report on meeting with the Paraguan Clinical Chemistry Society , Asuncion, 15 September 1999, 6pm

Attendees: the complete board of the Paraguan Society including the President (Dr. Graciela Vel�zquez de Salivar), the Secretary, the Treasurer, the National Representative (Dr. Margarita B de Cabral) and 5 other members.

Firstly the function and structure of IFCC were explained and the possibilities offered through every division:

?        The Scientific Division and the problems of Associate Members.

?        The Education and Management Division for which they are essentially knowing the quality control programme and the lectureship projects.

?        The Congress Conference Division.

We were discussing on COLABIOCLI meeting and the difficulties they had are now in the hands of a Technician National Society.

?        And finally, the Communications and Publications Division.

I explained what is now on the web, what is now becoming the JIFCC and finally our Scientific journal of CCLM. They have not filled the questionnaire for having the free access to CCLM, they will do that soon.

They have had some delays in the transfer of their dues. The number of Members having paying is really near the reality compared to other surrounding countries (it is not a very rich country) and the adjustment seems to be necessary on a big scale.

They were happy with all the details on the functioning and they were thanking IFCC for the work in South America in particular.

At the end of this lively discussion I gave the President the newly designed IFCC gift, they were very happy with that and I also gave a scarf and a tie but the tie will be for the past president who did not attend this meeting. This Society is really a feminine one.

At the reverse, they offered me a map of the Uruguan Society in wood, which would also be a nice souvenir.

In summary, the Paraguan Society is an active one, very interested in collaboration with IFCC and being in this Region just in the middle of 3 important countries: Argentina, Brazil and Mexico and clearly at a higher level than the small National Societies which is not reacting or working with IFCC outside Uruguay.

September 27 1999 - G�rard Siest

Report on the meeting with Uruguan Society Board

Montevideo, 22 September, 1999

Present members for IFCC: G�rard Siest, Rosa Sierra Amor and Xavier Fuentes Arderiu

Present members for Uruguan Society: Graciela Vel�zquez de Saldivar, the president, Stella Raymondo, IFCC National Representative, the treasurer, the secretary and one member from the board; Dr. Clara S. de Grunberg

The meeting was held at 6pm, after a heavy day of Teaching and Conferences. It was a very well attended meeting with small exhibitions from representatives of the Region.

?        We presented the organisation of IFCC, the Divisions and the recent actions of everyone. We used the posters of every different Division presented in Florence,. We have essentially given the explanation to the treasurer, the secretary and Graciela the president, (Stella Raymondo are more familiar with the functioning of IFCC).

?        They thanked IFCC for the support given in Uruguay particularly through this lectureship (travel for Xavier Fuentes and myself) and they have also been supported before.

?        They have an interest to be more involved in IFCC and more than through the Associate Members which we know is a critical point.

?        We had a discussion on the level of the fees but we had explained with Rosa that we need have clear income from the National Societies to balance the income from Corporate Members and we have also to know exactly the number of members that we are representing really in Laboratory Medicine and Clinical Biology worldwide.

?        They have also not filled the document for the CCLM free web issue and that has been done during the meeting.

?        Finally, we also had a discussion on some possibilities for CCLM on block subscriptions and they will be studying this possibility.

?        At the end of the meeting I presented to the Society the newly designed paper weight from IFCC and I also gave to Graciela, the President one scarf.

So it was an interesting meeting, very friendly, and as Paraguay we can be sure that Uruguay really is a National Society working clearly with IFCC and sometimes prefering to work with IFCC than with COLABIOCLI.

G. Siest