At a meeting in Rome in 1990, the national medical associations recognised that they had created a permanent forum permitting a fruitful dialogue with WHO.
For the purposes of membership, a national medical association is defined as a free independent nongovernmental association of physicians constituted in an organization, which elect its own officers, appoints its own staff and determines its own constitution, except for any statutory duties that it undertakes, and whose activities cover all the various aspects of professional practice.
In Budapest (1994), London (1995) and Stockholm (1996) post-Forum meetings were held for the benefit of the newly emerging and re-establishing national medical associations from this part of the region.
Each year, national medical associations report not only on their general activities but also on any action they have taken in areas which the Forum has considered.
A meeting of the Forum is organized once a year (normally March or April), to review developments relevant to the medical profession and to exchange experience.