Minutes of the General Meeting on 11 October 2002 in the Justig-Liebig University of Gießen/ Germany from 4.00 p.m. to 6.30 p.m.

1. The meeting was opened by Dr. U. Deschl (Wuppertal/Germany). The minutes of the last general meeting and the agenda for the current meeting were accepted without any objections.
   
   
2. Dr. Deschl gave a report about the actions undertaken since the last general meeting towards the planned renaming of the Gesellschaft für Toxikologische Pathologie (GTP) to the European Society of Toxicologic Pathology (ESTP). The associated European societies were informed about the ideas and plans of the GPT through letters, several personal meetings and telephone conferences. Dr. Deschl particularly emphasized the meeting with representatives of the associated societies and the IFSTP on the occasion of the 21st International Symposium of the Society of Toxicologic Pathology (STP) in Denver, Colorado/USA. During this meeting Dr. Deschl gave a detailed lecture on the reasons, the clear targets and concrete steps on the way to establishing the ESTP. The lecture was very well received by the audience. Participants from the GTP also included Dr. P.-G. Germann (Basel/Switzerland), Dr. J. H. Harleman (Basel/Switzerland), Dr. W. Kaufmann (Ludwigshafen/Germany) and Dr. M. Heinrichs (Hattersheim/Germany).
   
   Provided the proposed statutory changes are approved (as outlined below and in the attachment), five further members representing the different areas will be included in the executive committee. Dr. Deschl introduced the following colleagues as proposed representatives from the different regions and sketched their work to date: Dr. A. Argentino-Storino (Pomezia/Italy, personally present), Dr. D. Cahard (Montpellier/France), Mr. J.M. Finch (Tranent/United Kingdom), Dr. I. Sjögren (Maaloev/Denmark) and Dr. P. Wester (Bilthoven/Netherlands).
   
   In addition to the foundation of the ESTP it is suggested that the question of the need for an organization for members with German as their mother tongue be discussed. The establishment of a special committee with the working title Sonder-Komitee was agreed. This committee has the task of looking into whether there is sufficient interest in a German-speaking sub-group and, if so, of making suggestions on how to organize it within the ESTP. Dr. H.-L. Schmidts (Hattersheim/Germany), and Dr. V. Geiss were given the task of making the technical preparations. Any statutory decision can be made at the next general meeting at the earliest because of the periods of notice involved.
   
   
3. Using transparencies Prof. Dr. E. Karbe presented the proposals of the committee on the statutory changes to be made, which were all connected with the Europeanization of the society:
   § 1,1 Name change: Changing the name of the GTP to the European Society of Toxicologic Pathology e.V. (ESTP);
   § 2,2a and § 2,2g Purpose: Extension to cover Europe and introduction of English as the standard conference language.
   § 7,1 and § 7,4 Committee: Extension of the committee to include the previous 1st Chairperson and five councilor positions to be filled by one representative each from the five regions of Europe for a transitory period of 4 years.
   § 12,4 Use of society funds for the dissolution of the society: Sole beneficiary: the Europäische Gesellschaft für Veterinärpathologie (European Society of Veterinary Pathology) and deletion of the Deutschen Gesellschaft für Pathologie (German Society of Pathology).
   
   For explanation Prof. Dr.Karbe referred to the information presented by Dr. Deschl under Point 2 and the general meeting on 8 September 2001 in Munich. In addition, Prof. Dr. Karbe proposed a vote on these issues in the form of a package. After controversial discussion of the proposals the additional requests, to delete the words "inland and abroad" in § 2,2f, and to call the society, which is now the sole beneficiary, by its official English name (European Society of Veterinary Pathology) were added to the package of proposed statutory changes.
   
   The general meeting voted by the required majority for the proposed statutory changes (44 in favor; 2 against; 3 abstentions; with a total of 49 members present).
   
   
4. Dr. U. Deschl (Wuppertal/Germany) reported that in the period under review, in addition to the five representatives of the areas already mentioned, 15 applications for membership had been received: Dr. J. Darbès (Clermont-Ferrant/France), Dr. L. Longeart (Amboise/France), Dr. P.F. Wadsworth (Alderley Park/United Kingdom), Prof. Dr. W. Baumgärtner (Hannover/Germany), Dr. S. Czasch (Darmstadt/Germany), Prof. Dr. D.R. Dietrich (Konstanz/Germany), Dr. J. Funk (Basel/Switzerland), Dr. A. Hagedorn (Basel/ Switzerland), Dr. A. Kolling (Bremen/Germany), Dr. H. Marxfeld (Basel/Switzerland), Dr. L. Mecklenburg (Hamburg/Germany), Dr. R. Meliss (Hamburg/Germany), Dr. D. Roman (Basel/Switzerland), Dr. P. Ulrich (Basel/Switzerland) and PD Dr. J. H. Walter (Ludwigshafen/Germany). The great majority of members present followed the recommendation of the committee and voted in favor of admitting all the applicants as members of the society.
   
   
5. The spokesman, Prof. Dr. M. Reinacher (Gießen/Germany), reported on the work done by the Local Educational Committee (WBK) 2002, consisting of Dr. S. Halm (Ludwigshafen/Germany), Dr. M. Heinrichs (Hattersheim/Germany), Dr. M. Jacobs (Darmstadt/Germany), Dr. W. Kaufmann (Ludwigshafen/Germany) and Dr. A. Romeike (Amboise/France), to prepare the 16th Section Seminar of the GTP in Gießen/Germany. The WBK 2003 will be made up of the current group "north" together with colleagues from the associated societies. Dr. K. Tuch (Hamburg/Germany) agreed to take over the coordination. The general meeting agreed to the venue of Hamburg by majority vote. After informing the general meeting about the date (25 - 27 September 2003) and the exact venue (Institute of Zoology of the University of Hamburg), Dr. Tuch introduced some proposals and plans for the event, which should consist of a main topic, state-of-the-art lectures, free communication and a slide seminar. A reception is also planned in the Zoological Museum and a gala evening in the form of a boat trip. The suggestion to no longer send out slide boxes was received with criticism. The majority voted for continuation of the current custom and hence for dispatching about 30 slide boxes. The length of the conference and the high attendance fee were also criticized (cf. point 8).
   
   
6. Prof. Dr. W. Drommer (Hannover/Germany) drew the attention of the general meeting to various options for qualifying as a toxicopathologist and in particular to
   • Toxicologic Pathology Training Course (TPTC) II of the ESTP in English (Hannover, 21 - 23 November 2002) on the topic of the Pathology of Endocrine Organs and the
   • Classic Examples of Toxicologic Pathology X in English (Hannover, 21 and 22 February 2003).
   Prof. Dr. Drommer expressed his regret about the lack of interest in the TPTC II for which only 19 enrolments have arrived to date.
   
   
7. In his report on the Prize Committee Dr. T. Nolte (Biberach/Germany) expressed his dissatisfaction that he had received no suggestions from the members. After the issue of a reminder that suggestions should be submitted, 15 publications were short-listed. Many of them, however, were prepared by non-members and several were dissertations. After confirmation that the current criteria were still valid for the award, the 2002 prize of the GTP will be presented to PD Dr. Anja Sterner-Kock (Walldorf/Germany) at the gala evening on 11 October 2002. The laudatio will be published in the official journal of the GTP, Experimental and Toxicologic Pathology.
   
   
8. Dr. U. Deschl (Wuppertal/Germany) reported about the Central Educational Committee (CEC), that was set up at the request of the general meeting (8 September 2001 in Munich) and held its first meeting on 11 January 2002 to develop an educational strategy for the GTP or ESTP. Apart from the three events (Classic Examples of Toxicologic Pathology in the spring; Section Seminar in the autumn; and TPTC in November), the CEC does not see the need for further conferences because enough opportunities are available for further training. The organization required for these events is high enough already. For this reason the CEC suggests changing the events organized so far, in order to achieve even higher attractiveness. To do this requires, for example, close cooperation between the CEC and the Local WBKs in Europe. The majority of members in the general meeting voted in favor of these suggestions.
   
   The proposed extension of the Slide Seminar in Hamburg in 2003 by one day was also agreed by majority vote. This conference should now start on Thursday in the later afternoon. The general planning already made known of a joint meeting of the ESTP and the Society of Toxicology (SOT) on the topic of nephrotoxicity, to take place in Lindau in 2004, which should last for a total of 5 days, made up of two blocks of two days of the SOT and the ESTP with a one-day interval in between, was accepted by the majority of members present at the general meeting.
   
   
9. According to the spokeswoman of the Members Committee, Dr. A. Romeike (Amboise/France), an address list has recently been issued of colleagues in Eastern Europe.
   
   
10. Dr. H. Ernst (Hannover/Germany) reported from the "What is your diagnosis?" Committee that this section has been renamed "Guess what?" The first case was made available on the Web in August 2002 and should stay there until December 2002.
    
    Unfortunately not a single answer has been received yet. From January 2003 onwards, the cases presented should be changed every three months.
    
    
11. According to PD Dr. P.-G. Germann (Basel/Switzerland) of the Guideline Committee, the guidelines for immunotoxicology should be made available on the Web within the next three to four weeks.
    
    
12. In his short status report on the official journal of the GTP, Experimental and Toxicologic Pathology, Prof. Dr. E. Karbe (Wülfrath/Germany) criticized the low number of publications from within the ranks of the GTP and appealed to members to publish more often in their own journal. He also announced that the abstracts of this year's case reports would be subjected to a second peer review, which will necessarily lead to delays in publication. The late publication of issues 1 and 2 of volume 54, which were not available until July and August 2002, and also the reduced number of pages were criticized by the general meeting.
    
    
13. Prof. Dr. E. Karbe gave a status report on the International Academy of Toxicologic Pathology, described the point system used for admission to the academy, explained the interim arrangement for colleagues from countries with recognition of qualifications without examinations and announced the current fees ($ 250 for colleagues employed in the industry, $ 150 for colleagues from other areas and $ 100 as the annual fee).
    
    
14. PD Dr. P.-G. Germann (Basel/Switzerland) reported about the International Federation of Societies of Toxicologic Pathologists (IFSTP): the main topic of the Eurotox Congress 2003 (in Florence/Italy) will be Immunotoxicology/Immunopathology; in South Korea a new society of toxicopathologists has been founded with approximately 70 members, who will be involved in the preparations for the next congress of the IFSTP in Japan in 2004. In 2007 the congress should take place in Europe.
    
    
15. PD Dr. P.-G. Germann (Basel/Switzerland) announced that the CD-ROM of the Zbinden collection will be available at the Slide Seminar 2003 in Hamburg/Germany. Prof. Dr. E. Karbe (Wülfrath/Germany) added that a CD-ROM with illustrations and short texts is planned for the case examples presented during the series Classic Examples of Toxicologic Pathology and those from the annual autumn conferences. The lecturers and their companies will be contacted in the near future about this. The general meeting approved this plan by majority vote.
    
    
16. This topic was deleted because the GTP has been renamed ESTP and progress has been made in the Europeanization of the society.
    
    
17. Dr. U. Deschl (Wuppertal/Germany) announced that the data base Registry of Industrial Toxicology Animal-data (RITA) Hannover will organize a total of four meetings this year.
    
    
18. From the project Cell Proliferation and Apoptosis (CEPA), Dr. T. Nolte (Biberach/Germany) reported that two to three meetings are planned for this year. A publication is currently being prepared under the overall control of Dr. W. Kaufmann (Ludwigshafen/Germany).
    
    
19. The treasurer Dr. B. Lenz (Basel/Switzerland) gave an overview of the current status of income and expenditure since the last general meeting (8 September 2001 in München). The accounts were audited and approved by Dr. P. Brander (Basel/Switzerland) and Dr. T. Nolte (Biberach/Germany). Dr. T. Nolte therefore moved to give discharge to the committee of the GTP and the motion was carried by majority vote.
    
    
20. Prof. Dr. E. Karbe was elected returning officer by acclamation for the subsequent election of the members of the committee. He referred back to the already nominated candidates for the committee and took a vote on each individual candidate after asking for further nominations.
    
    Without any nominations of other candidates or votes against, and with abstentions the candidates were elected as follows:
    • Dr. J.H. Harleman (Basel/Switzerland) as the 1st Chairperson;
    • Dr. U. Deschl (Wuppertal/Germany) as the Previous 1st Chairperson;
    • Dr. W. Kaufmann (Ludwigshafen/Germany) as the designated 1st Chairperson;
    • Dr. U. Junker (Basel/Switzerland) as the 2nd Chairperson;
    • Dr. M. Heinrichs (Hattersheim/Germany) as the Secretary;
    • Dr. B. Lenz (Basel/Switzerland) as the treasurer
    • Dr. P.F. Wadsworth (Alderly Park/United Kingdom) as Board Member of our journal (councilor);
    • Prof. Dr. Drommer (Hannover/Germany) as the Representative of University Lecturers (councilor);
    • PD Dr. P.-G. Germann (Basel/Switzerland) as the IFSTP Councilor;
    • Dr. A. Romeike (Amboise/France) as the Representative of the Young Generation (councilor);
    • Dr. A. Argentino-Storino (Pomezia/Italy) as the Representative for Italy (councilor);
    • Dr. D. Cahard (Montpellier/France) as the Representative for France (councilor);
    • Dr. J.M. Finch (Tranent/United Kingdom) as the Representative for the United Kingdom (councilor);
    • Dr. I. Sjögren (Maaloev/Denmark) as the Representative for Scandinavia (councilor);
    • Dr. P. Wester (Bilthoven/Netherlands) as the Representative for the Netherlands (councilor).
    
    
21. No further points were raised under Miscellaneous.

Dr. M. Heinrichs, Secretary (Minutes)
Dr. U. Deschl, 1st President (Chairman)