Compliance, plans, and reports

EHA is a non-governmental and not-for-profit membership organization. We’re guided by our mission to mobilize professionals, share knowledge, connect interests, and advocate for hematology in Europe—and beyond. 

We have a broad range of protocols and processes in place to ensure we adhere to the highest standards of governance, as demanded by our members.  

Official statutes

EHA’s independence is assured through our statutes. These state that our members are individual scientific researchers or physicians who demonstrate an active interest in the discipline of hematology.  

EHA’s members, assembled in the Annual General Meeting, are the sovereign authority of our association. They appoint the EHA governing body and the Board of Directors to manage the association.  

In turn, the Board is accountable for its policies and finances to the members at least once a year, at the Annual General Meeting.  

Annual reports

Every year, EHA shares an update on our initiatives and the actions we’ve taken in support of our overall mission. You can access these documents on our annual report page. 

Good Governance Committee 

The EHA Good Governance Committee proposes policies and provides advice to the EHA Board. One of its main objectives is to negate or minimize the risk of potential or perceived conflicts of interest.  

Many of the policies below have been the result of the work of this committee. 

Disclosure policy

Members of the Board, the committees, and EHA staff are obliged to: 

  • Declare any conflict of interest (COI) 
  • Sign a declaration listing any affiliations they may have with industry that could potentially form a COI 

Educational quality and independence  

EBAH accreditation

For all Continuing Medical Education (CME), including the annual EHA Congress and online education, EHA applies for accreditation from the European Board for Accreditation in Hematology (EBAH).  

Accreditation in line with EBAH’s CME Standards and Guidelines ensures the independence of the: 

  • Organizer 
  • Topic selection 
  • Speaker selection 
  • Educational materials 

In addition, these standards and guidelines prescribe a number of conditions that the educational event must meet. These include an obligation on faculty to disclose their industry affiliations with industry. 

Corporate adherence

EHA has annexed to all corporate sponsor contracts the EBAH-CME Code of Conduct. This effectively binds sponsors to a priori adherence to the EBAH-CME Standards & Guidelines. 

In addition, EHA Board members and invited speakers at the EHA Congress are precluded from speaking at industry organized satellite symposia during the event. 

EHA Review Board

EHA further assures educational quality and independence by having installed an autonomous working committee called the Review Board that ensures that all educational content is original, up-to-date, and relevant to users of the EHA Medical Education Program.  

Guidelines for publishing in HemaSphere

HemaSphere is the open access journal of EHA and a premier hematology information resource. It adheres to the ethical principles outlined by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). 

Prospective authors are asked to adhere to the following principles. 

Protection of human individuals in research

A formally constituted review board must review and approve all studies, prospective or retrospective, that involve:  

  • People 
  • Medical records 
  • Human tissues 

The body in question could be an institutional review board or an ethics committee. Their review must be documented. 

When reporting experiments on human individuals, we request that authors indicate whether the procedures followed were in accordance with the Helsinki Declaration of 1975, as revised in 2008. 

We also request that: 

  • The right to privacy of patients is respected 
  • Informed consent is obtained 

Identifying information (names, initials, or hospital numbers) cannot be used in manuscripts. 

Registration of clinical trials

The ICMJE provides specific guidelines on the registration of clinical trials—an essential requirement for publication in HemaSphere.  

All manuscripts must provide the name of the trial registry and the registration number/identifier. 

Randomized clinical trials

Reports of randomized clinical trials should follow the recommendations given in the Con­solidated Standards of Reported Trials (CONSORT) statement. 

The statement offers a standard way for researchers to report trials. 

Protection of animals in research

When performing experiments on animals or animal tissues, authors should: 

  • Seek approval by an institutional ethics committee  
  • Strictly follow the institutional and national guide for the care and use of laboratory animals 

Manuscripts reporting on studies on animals or animal tissues can only be considered if ethical committee approval of the study has been documented. 

Data sharing statement

Manuscripts must contain a data sharing statement. This should explain whether data is available or not, as outlined in the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors data sharing policy.  

If your trial began enrolling participants on or after January 1, 2019, you must include a data sharing plan in its registration. 

Authors of secondary analyses using shared data must: 

  • Reference the source of the data  
  • Attest their use was in accordance with any agreed terms 

Statuses

Public Benefit Organization (PBO)

EHA is a PBO under Dutch Tax Law.  

This status obliges EHA to comply with a set of rules that include: 

  • Ensuring that more than 90% of our efforts are focused on the common good 
  • Publishing a yearly report on our activities and finances 

European Medicines Agency (EMA)

EHA is an evaluated and confirmed healthcare professional organization, eligible to be involved in the EMA.  

EHA must comply with stringent funding and governance requirements as stipulated in the criteria to be fulfilled by healthcare professional organizations involved in EMA activities. 

BioMed Alliance

EHA is a member of the Biomedical Alliance in Europe (BioMed Alliance) and is bound by their Code of Conduct for Healthcare Professionals and Scientific Organizations.  

This sets out core principles to maintain and enhance professional independence, objectivity, and scientific integrity.  

ANBI

EHA is recognized as a charitable institution (ANBI) under Dutch tax regulations and is obliged to publish specific information to remain compliant. Read our latest ANBI submission

Income

We build and maintain mutually beneficial relationships with a range of sponsors. 

Our income comes from: 

  • Membership fees 
  • Registration fees 
  • Charity sponsorship 
  • Industry sponsorship 

We receive funding from: 

  • Pharmaceutical companies, including corporate sponsorship 
  • Unrestricted grants for education and training programs 
  • Fees for space rented for booths and satellite symposia at scientific meetings 

In 2023, 18% of our income came from corporate sponsorship. The largest contribution came from a single company, representing 1.23% of our overall income. 

EHA is registered in the EU Transparency Register under identification number 91666778136-14. 

Remuneration policy

  • EHA is a Common Good Organization under Dutch law.  
  • Profits generated from Congress are invested in other activities that serve the hematology community.  
  • The Board and Committee members contribute on a voluntary basis to the Association’s work.  
  • Expenses for meetings are reimbursed.  
  • The EHA Executive Office has its own employment arrangements.  
  • The employees in the Executive Office function according to various job profiles, which are linked to the remuneration policy. 

Official contact details

European Hematology Association (EHA)
Koninginnegracht 12b
2514 AA The Hague
The Netherlands
RSIN/fiscal number: NL8090.86.864 

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