International Academy of History of Pharmacy(IAHP)
The International Academy of History of Pharmacy was created in 1952, based on an idea of Pr Georg Edmund Dann, from Kiel, for the 70th anniversary of George Urdang. The represented countries among the founders are the following (numbers of members are in parenthesis) : Germany (2), Argentina (1), Austria (2),
Belgium (2), Brazil (1), Denmark (2), Ecuador (1), Spain (2), USA (1), Finland (2), France (2), UK (2), Israël (1), Italy (1), Japan (1), Norway (1), The Netherlands(2), Peru (2), Sweden (2), Switzerland (2) et Yougoslavia (2). The executive committee was composed of George Urdang, president, Georg Edmund Dann and Eugène-Humbert Guitard, vice-presidents, Pieter Hendrik Brans, general secretary, et Dirk Arnold Wittop Koning, treasurer. The first formal meeting took place in Paris in 1953, during the IFP (International Federation of Pharmacy), le 17th of september, in the famous Salle des Actes of the Faculty of Pharmacy.
The Journal « Communications » published as soon as 1983, is the basis of the functioning of the Academy. Each issue includes three main parts : « The life of the Academy », « News from members », and « Recent historical publications from members ». Are also published minutes of the formal meetings, as well as obituary column on deceased members and files of candidates to be elected by the members.
Communications was successively published by the French Pierre Julien, then by the Swiss François Ledermann, and finally by the French Bruno Bonnemain.
The Academy meets as often as possible and, since long, at least during the International congress of History of Pharmacy. During this formal meeting, which includes a conference from one of the academy member, the new members are admitted officially.
The Academy exists to honour those who have made outstanding contributions to the history of pharmacy in their respective countries. Membership of the Academy is one of the highest honours that can be bestowed on historians of pharmacy by their international peers. The conditions of membership are strict, and the scrutiny of their nomination is rigorous. To be eligible for membership pharmaceutical historians must have demonstrated a sustained and extensive record of original research and publication in the history of pharmacy. They must be recognised as experts in the history of pharmacy in their own country, and be nominated by at least two existing members of the Academy. Those members are normally from the same country as the candidate, although they will be from outside when pharmaceutical historians from countries not currently represented in the Academy are nominated. And they must not yet have reached their 70th birthday