Board meeting minutes

2025 – October 15th

Agenda board Meeting Nordic Fertility Society

1. Chair and secretary of today’s meeting, Stina
2. Adjuster of the protocol, Niels
3. Last minutes. Nothing to add to previous protocol.
4. Micro-TESE meeting (Niels and Leif)
   All Nordic countries except Iceland will be represented at the meeting. It starts Thursday evening with informal discussion and dinner. The public part is held during Friday. Up to now there are about 17 invited Thursday and Friday and 16 additional registered for Friday. The venue can hold up to 40 attendants on Friday. From the board Niels, Leif and Stina will represent NFS. Are there any other members of the board who would like to attend on Friday please tell Niels. The meeting is expected to go with a minus of 20-30’ DKK. The sponsoring was more difficult to get than expected but Ferring and Gedeon Richter will support the meeting. We discussed the financial aspect of the meeting and agreed that this kind of activity is in line of NFS mission and therefore reasonable to accept a cost.
5. Congress Reykjavik 2026 (Snorri)
   Snorri discussed the outline of the program with the board. See attached Excel file (NFS 2026 - programme draft 131125). We need to put forward names of good speakers that we think would fit in respective session. Thereafter the local committee will try to outline a more detailed program, and the board will then help to invite the speakers. We need to keep in mind that the program reflects different professionals’ interest as well as balance between countries. The New England Society has responded to our invitation and will have a symposium. We need to decide the timeline for abstract for oral/poster sessions.
   The Harpa venue is booked, and a congress bureau is booked but not signed yet.
   We discussed the sponsor model and agreed to keep the three levels of sponsorship: Gold (3 free attendants) 225 000 DKK, Silver (2 free attendants) 75 000 DKK and Bronze 38 000 (1 free attendants) DKK. (Is this sum + VAT?) We now adjust the fee app. 15 % according to inflation from the last congress 2024. We also agreed that it could be easier to have the sum in DKK every time so it will be easy and transparent to follow over time. We also decided after feedback from the companies to keep every level clean and inclusive, in other word no possible add-ons this time. We also discussed the proposed model of letting gold sponsors host a symposium. We decided to say no to this offer but are happy to hear suggestions from them. For the gold sponsors we agreed to keep the model with 5 minutes of cooperate presentation each at plenary sessions.
   The fee for attending the meeting will as usual be divided in early-bird, regular, late and on-site fee. The level for each step needs to be discussed further.
   We agreed to invite to members of the NILS board to host a lab workshop on Thursday morning. NFS will provide the venue and free attendance and hotel and travel for 2 members of NILS for this.
   Right now, it is crucial to get the congress homepage up and link the information from our regular homepage to this.
6. Financial situation (Stina, Leif)
   Still no solution. Astrid is helping us in the discussion with Danske Bank. Stina will contact Danske Bank, Baker Tilly, Astrid, Janni, Leif and suggest a digital meeting ASP in making this question coming to an end. We are taken by the hardship in getting this question solved.
7. Homepage
   Since Steinunn was not attending we just briefly discussed this matter. We need to have the homepage in tailored in a better way. As it is right now it does not reach the lower limit of standard.
8. Other activities
   The debate article has taken one turn from Stina- Hans Ivar. Next step is feedback from Janni. But we also need to agree where/whom should we address this, if we get it in place.
9. Matters arising
   -
10. Next meeting
    We discussed pros and cons on an on-site meeting early spring. We final agreed on an on-site meeting but with good hybrid solution for those who are not able to join. Thursday late lunch-Friday lunch. Stina will suggest dates. In the meantime we will need to be alert in the e-mails about the congress and have shorter online meetings.

2025 – May 27th

Agenda board Meeting Nordic Fertility Society

1. Chair and secretary of today’s meeting is Stina.
   
   
2. Adjuster of minutes Hans Ivar.
   
   
3. Presentation of the board and news from the national societies.
   
   Sweden. New chair for the society is Lena Ydenius. 11/9 there will be a Hot Topic meeting in Sweden about genetics within reproductive medicine. Introduction course (ABC-kursen) 15-16/1,
   2026 and annual meeting 16-17/4, 2026.
   
   Finland. There will be an Annual Congress of the European Association of Tissue and Cell Banks in Tampere 12-14/11 and the annual meeting 13-14/3, 2026.
   
   Norway. The annual meeting will take place second week in January 2026. The reproductive course for administrative personnel turned out well.
   
   Denmark. New chair for the society is Janni Vikkelsoe Jeppsen. The 7th  of October, the society will have a half day meeting for all members. Annual meeting 2026 is 6-8/3.
   
   
4. Last minutes. Nothing to add to previous protocol.
   
   
5. Hot topic meeting about micro-TESE is decided to take place at 6-7/11 at Kastrup, DK. Reservation for up to 30 persons has been made. Niels and Leif are making the final touch on the program and are in contact with sponsors. Stina have made the reservation of the venue. The meeting will start Thursday afternoon with roundtable discussions and dinner. Then the scientific program is on Friday (possible hybrid?). The chair of the national societies will send out a save-the-date notice about the event. The final program will be ready early June. We also discuss that this would be a great meeting to have some spin-off meeting off in NFS Reykjavik 2026.
   
   
6. Congress Iceland 2026. The Harpa congress center is booked for 27-29/8. The congress will start and end by lunch. Snorri has been in contact with an event bureau that will help us with the congress and the details with them will be outlined in September. There will be a local committee, but the board will also assist in making the program. We discussed pros and con with different models for sponsorship. What should be included in different levels and how do we handle the possibility to give a lecture provide by sponsors. We will finalize the model for sponsorship on next board meeting.
   
   Snorri would like the board to send suggestions before 1/7 about topics, lectures etc. We aim to make the program ready early fall and then start to get in contact with possible speakers.
   
   Stina will contact NILS regarding if they want to host a work-shop Thursday morning. Stina will also contact the New England society about if they will attend like “the scotch model” from the past Oslo congress.
   
   
7. Other activities. Janni and Lena will look in to if NFS again should give some pre-courses for the ESHRE certification for nurses/midwifes and embryologist.
   
   
8. Financial situation. Baker Tilly is ready to take over as treasures, but we haven’t got this solution up and going. Stina, Leif and Janni will handle this question and Stina will contact Astrid as well. The balance at the account is stable.
   
   
9. Homepage. Still no solution but hopefully this will be solved in connection to the launch of the congress webpage.
   
   
10. Matters arising. Stina informed about a grant application on how AI is introduced in reproductive care. This is a Nordic group leading this application and we agree that NFS could discuss to be supportive to this initiative if the research become a reality.
    
    Janni brought up the discussion about donor register and the Nordic joint ethical statement in this matter. We agreed that it would be a good idea if NFS made a post in the debate and agreed that Stina, Janni and Hans Ivar should outline a suggestion.
    
    
11. Next bord meeting. We discussed pros and cons in having an on-site board meeting in connection to the hot topic meeting In November. We decided that Stina and Snorri should discuss different solutions of this question and will get back to the board about a plan for board meetings during the fall.

2025 – February 17th

Minutes: Board Meeting Nordic Fertility Society

1. Chair and secretary of today’s meeting is Stina
   
   
2. News from the national societies
   
   Sweden. The annual meeting will take place in March. Mats will step down at the meeting and the new chair will join us from April. 11/9 there will be a Hot Topic meeting in Sweden about genetics within reproductive medicine.
   
   Finland. The annual meeting will take place in March. Siri will continue as chair. There will be an Annual Congress of the European Association of Tissue and Cell Banks in Tampere 12-14/11.
   
   Norway. Had their annual meeting in January with good attendance. Åsmund continue as chair. In Norway a revision of the legislation concerning the application on biotechnology on humans (ex. ART), is underway.
   
   Denmark. The annual meeting will take place in March. Betina will step down at the meeting and the new chair will join us from April. Some private clinics have closed. There have been some changes in legislation on funding for ART.
   
   Iceland. Now two clinics are present. PGT-A will become an option, paid out of own pocket.
   
   
3. Last minutes. Nothing to add to previous protocol.
   
   
4. Financial situations. Leif has been in contact with Baker Tilly, the firm who usually make our revision. They are willing to also act as an encounter for NFS and we decide to go for this option (about 7000 DK/ year). The president (Stina) and a representative from DK (Leif) will have the responsibility and opportunity to approve payment of incoming invoices to NFS. Astrid is managing the account until it transfers to Baker Tilly. The fee for the national societies has been sent out for 2024 and 2025 by Astrid.
   
   
5. Homepage. We had hope for that Baker Tilly would be able to provide us with this service as well, but unfortunately not. Steinunn will therefore act for taking this question forward to establish another solution than the present.
   
   
6. Congress Iceland 2026. Snorri and Steinunn deliver the process so far. Two slots are possible at Harpa congress (e.g. one of two possible venues in Reykjavik and the best) 13-15/8 or 27-29/8. We agree that the later suggestion would be better and Stina will contact our gold sponsors and check that the date does not concur with other big events. Two congress bureaus have been giving an offer to host the congress, and one is the same that hosted the 2015 meeting. We give the task to Snorri and Steinunn to investigate these offers and recommend to the board which one they prefer. During 2025 (late spring/early fall) it would be good to have the congress theme and logo advertised and also to make a first draft of the program and which keynote speakers we would like to aim for.
   
   
7. Follow-up other activities. The objectives of NFS are (§2 by-laws):
   
   To create a forum for the exchange of information between all types of specialists and all professions involved reproductive medicine by increasing the knowledge within the social, psychological, ethical, reproductive medicine, genetic and clinical fields in order to increase the basic understanding and improve treatment of involuntary childless couples.
   
   To participate in and encourage further development in reproductive medicine and further education of the members of the federation.
   
   To encourage the members to increased collaboration within the Nordic countries - and within the four Nordic national reproductive medicine/fertility Societies (new).
   
   To guide in ethical, legislative and political questions in the Nordic countries - and in the four Nordic national reproductive medicine/fertility societies (new).
   
   To facilitate the work of the members according to the highest standard within clinical and laboratory work.
   
   To work for cooperation with other relevant societies in the Nordic countries as well as internationally.
   
   To work for prevention of infertility.
   
   To invite and be responsible for arranging Nordic summer meetings with not less than 24 months ́ interval and in uneven years (second revision, Sept 2013).
   
   To implement the objectives of NFS the board has decided to also investigate potential activities besides the bi-annual congress. At the last board meeting the followed areas was outlined:
   Webinars (Mats, Hans Ivar, Stina) Possible to plan for a webinar in February/mars 2025. Mats takes the lead on this. Nothing planned so far. Suggest having a webinar late spring/early fall on andrology to promote and make context for up-coming Hot Topic meeting.
   
   Hot topic meeting in November 2025 at Kastrup combined with an on-site board meeting. Possible subject micro-TESE. Leif and Niels take the lead on this. Planning has started up. Stina join this group and will investigate possible venues for the meeting. Should we aim for sponsoring? Whom/how?
   
   Åsmund described the model from NOFAB in forming an online education for coordinator/secretaries at IVF-clinic. Åsmund and Stina take the lead on this. Åsmund report the start of this event in Norway.
   
   We are in favor of that this would be a good initiative for NFS to offer but it has some practical obstacles such as; giving the course in English, different legalizations between countries, national courses already taking place for example the ABC-course in Sweden. We decided to postpone this possibility and evaluate after the Norwegian course has finished.
   
   To announce an exchange scholarship giving clinicians the possibility to visit another clinic. Steinunn and Niels will take the lead on this and present description at next board meeting ready for publication on the homepage. Still pending.
   
   We agreed to continue the discussion on up-coming board meetings about how to better align the focus, workload and size of the board to the objectives stated in the by-laws.
   
   
8. Matters arising
   
   -
   
   
9. Next meeting. Will take place digital during May, Stina and Snorri will coordinate possible dates. We plan for an on-site board meeting in conjunction with a Hot Topic meeting late fall.

2024 – November 14th-15th

Minutes: Board Meeting Nordic Fertility Society

1. Secretary and chair of today’s meeting is Stina
   
   
2.  Last minutes. Nothing to add to previous protocol.
   
   
3. The new board introduced themselves.
   
   
4. NFS congress, past Oslo and upcoming in Iceland 2026
   Hans Ivar gave an overview of the Oslo meeting. The congress was a success regarding lectures and the possibility to networking. About 230 paying participants and in addition attending boards and sponsors ending up in total 337 participants. We discussed the feedback given both from participants and sponsors. We discussed reason to fewer participants this time and in what extend the last two increased congresses (2019 Gothenburg; 2022 Helsinki) was to be seen as the rule or exception.
   
   The meeting ended with a calculated minus at 400’ NOK. This was in line with the budget presented by LOK to the board in May-24. The main reasons for the negative result were high costs related to location downtown Oslo, extended technical setup and crew, generous packages to speakers and low fee for participants. The board agreed to keep the fees in the low end for the coming meeting but to  look closely into reducing costs in these three, and perhaps other, areas. In view of this we discussed the financial situation for the upcoming congress. The board are grateful for all the good and  ard
   work the LOK has put into the Oslo-meeting.
   
   We decided to form a spreadsheet where important figures from each congress could be filled out, so we know what we compare to regarding upcoming congress.
   
   Regarding the upcoming congress the board decided:
   Dates and venues should be presented at a board meeting early 2025.
   The Icelandic congress board will need the NFS board to be an active part in organizing this meeting.
   The sponsor model should be close to the one in Oslo. It is important that it is clear when sign for each level what is included or not.
   The board discussed the new possibility in Oslo congress for any level of sponsors to add on a lecture to an additional cost. It is pros and cons with this possibility, and we need to reflect on the consequences of this in upcoming board meeting.
   Stina will contact the New England society to see if they would like to take part in the upcoming congress comparable to the Scottish session we did in Oslo. We agreed to offer free congress, but travel/hotel should be for the guest society to reimburse.
   We also discussed to what extent we can offer speakers reimbursement to the upcoming meeting. Iceland is going to be an expensive meeting as well and the board are in favor for trying to find venue and activities that keep us in budget.
   
   
5. Focus for the board the upcoming two years.
   We discussed what the goal for NFS board work should be. It is enough just to form a congress every second year or do the board need to engage in more questions reasonable according to size and assignment. The board voted and agreed as follows:
   • •Webinars (Mats, Hans Ivar, Stina) Possible to plan for a webinar in February/mars 2025. Mats takes the lead on this.
   • Hot topic meeting in November 2025 at Kastrup combined with an on-site board meeting. Possible subject micro-TESE. Leif and Niels take the lead on this.
   • Åsmund described the model from NOFAB in forming an online education for coordinator/secretaries at IVF-clinic with the goal to be “certified” in reproductive medicine-administration. We agreed that this is a good initiative, and it would benefit to be spread to all Nordic countries by NFS. Åsmund and Stina take the lead on this.
   • To announce an exchange scholarship giving clinicians the possibility to visit another clinic. Steinunn and Niels will take the lead on this and present description at next board meeting ready for publication on the homepage.
     
     
6. Finances (Astrid)
   Astrid will stop working in reproductive medicine and will therefore leave the board and the assignment as treasure. We are grateful to all the work Astrid has done for NFS. It is very demandingto be in charge of the finances if you are not place in Denmark where NFS is registered. We decided therefor to now look for a solution where a office-assistant outside the board will be our host for reasures and other office related matters. Leif and Astrid will investigate what solutions there could be and the cost for this. In the meantime, Astrid will keep track on the finances.
   The balances are today about 2 milj DK.
   
   
7. Homepage
   The board is not satisfied with the solution as it is now. We decided to change the host and go head with this after Christmas. The question is attached to if we get an office-assistance that will be able to host this or not as well as the finances. When the homepage is changed, we will look trough the education courses and update or remove so these are up to date (Stina oversees this).
   
   
8. Collaboration with NILS
   The question about merging the two societies is a non-question as we stand today. But we are happy to work together. Stina will reach out to the NILS board and offer them to arrange workshops in connection with the upcoming congress. We are happy that the NILS board are trying to change the timing for their annual meeting not to competing with the NFS congress.
   
   
9. Matters arising
   We decided to form a WhatsApp-group for the board in facilitating contacts
   
   
10. Next meeting
    Next meeting will be a digital meeting in February. Stina and Snorri will coordinate and will get back with suggestions for schedule this.

2024 – August 15th

Minutes: Board Meeting Nordic Fertility Society

1 Chair and secretary of today’s meeting 

Stina

2 Last minutes

Nothing was changed or added to the previous protocol.

3 Congress Oslo (Hans Ivar)

We discussed some last minutes changes and whom in the board who should preform different tasks during the congress. Overall, everything seems to be in place for the meeting. 

Regarding the financial situation the congress, as expected, will end with a minus approximately about 300 000 NOK. We agreed that “spending money” activities should take place after congresses with a surplus and therefore we decided to put the ideas about exchange program on hold for a while.

4 GA Oslo (Stina, Astrid)

Everything are in place for the GA and Åsmund will chair the session and Steinunn will be secretary.

5 Collaboration with NILS (Stina)

It does not seem like there are an interest in merging the NILS meeting with the NFS. We agreed to invite the board for NILS to the NFS board for a digital meeting later this fall discussing how we ca collaborate best in the future.

6 Exchange program (Niels, Steinunn)

We decided to put this on hold and instead focus on an education course. Suggested topics are andrology or how to make it as a scientist. We also discussed the possibilities to again arrange webinairs.  We also discussed or further collaboration with the Baltic countries and/or the New England society.

7 Next congress, Iceland (Snorri, Steinunn)

The local committee are forming their group and we will get back to this question in upcoming board meetings.

8 Guidelines for upcoming NFS congress (All)

We need to address these questions at next meeting; Timepoint, Responsibility local committee (size?) vs board, Budget among others.

9 Next board meeting 

We agreed on an on-site meeting later this fall (Stina will plan for this) for outline the two years of working together in the board. Questions to address are as least:

• We need to discuss the aim for the board and how we best should carry out this assignment. 
• We also need to discuss the difficult situation with the Danish Bank and how we can work towards a permanent Danish treasure.
• Different activities for the members.
• Up-coming congress.

10 Matters arising

We are not satisfied with the support for the website and Steinunn will investigate if we can sign with another support. At meeting today, it is unsure if Steinunn will stay in the board and if leaving we will need that someone else will be in charge of the homepage.

We grateful for all work the Antti, Kirsten, Sirpa and Janni have done for the NFS and as they now leave us and we welcome new members to the board; Snorri (IC), Betina (DK) and Siri (FI). It is troublesome that we lack one representative from Denmark, but Kirsten will be the link for now.

2024 – May 21st

Minutes: Board Meeting Nordic Fertility Society

1. Secretary of today’s meeting is Stina
   
2. Last minutes. Nothing to add to previous protocol.
   
3. Next NFS meeting in Oslo (Hans Ivar)
   Until today there are 249 registered for the congress. About 150 are participants and the rest consist of sponsor, speakers, board etc. We discuss how everybody could promote the congress. The
   national societies need to use their homepages, digital platforms etc to spread the message about
   the congress. Considering the challenging times financial we are happy that so many already have
   had the possibility to registered.
   
   Concerning the sponsorship are all the slots taken except for two and hopefully that additional sponsors will join on these as well.
   
   We require to calculate for a minus result this congress but hopefully smaller than expected due to the positive response already and the difference in currency between NOK and DK.
   We looked over the program and we are satisfied with the content. A speaker GA had to step back from the session “personal experiences” due to personal reasons and we agree to ask if Professor Kenny Rodrugiez- Wallberg could fill in. If K R-W are unable to do so we agreed that members from the board; Niels Fuglede and Stina Järvholm will moderate this session.
   
   One speaker, KL, have reached out to the board due to changes in her situation at work. KL will no longer be able to speak on behalf of her employer. The board confirmed the decision that the invitation to KL is personal and stands regardless of workplace.
   
   The local committee will ask for chairs and the board will assist in this matter if needed.
   
   Stina will prepare the report for 2022-24 and Astrid the financial report. Sina will also do the agenda for the GA that everyone ought to distribute to the national society members.
   
4. Next congress
   
   The Icelandic group are happy to host the meeting in 2026 and Snorri Einarsson will be the president for this meeting. The board agrees on this plan.
   
5. Next board meeting 
   
   We will have a board dinner on evening Wednesday the 14^th of August and a board meeting on Thursday the 15^th morning. Stina will reach out to the NILS board to see if they can join this board meeting for discuss how we can collaborate in the future.