Bylaws, Policies & Procedures

AGS requires that each person who uses the AGS listserv agree to be bound by the following policies and procedures of this agreement. Your continued access to this listserv is conditioned on your continuing agreement to abide by these policies and procedures and by the terms and rules of membership of AGS.

In the event that AGS becomes aware of any violations of these policies and procedures, or other activities that violate the law or jeopardize its tax-exempt status, AGS will take appropriate action, at its discretion. AGS reserves the right to terminate, without prior notice, the listserv access of any user who does not abide by these policies and procedures.

A. Technical Procedures

1. To post a message to the group, visit the Open Forum Community page, or email your message to americanglaucomasociety-openforum@connectedcommunity.org, or simply Reply All to a message received and it will be broadcast to the group.
2. Be sure to clear the Connected Community domain address with your IT department or in your personal email account settings so that correspondence is not mistaken for junk mail or spam.
3. The list server recognizes you as a member only by the email address from which you are posting. If you post from an email address other than what is in the database, your posting will be rejected.
4. Remember to keep us updated with your new or preferred email address.
5. Avoid sending large attachments to the group as it slows down the server and risks getting rejected altogether.
6. When forwarding or re-posting messages, do not change the wording and only re-post to the group with permission and attribution.
7. Include a one or two line contact information signature at the end of your message.

B. General Use Policies

1. AGS is not responsible for the opinions and information posted on AGS listservs; postings represent the viewpoint of the writer and are not endorsed by AGS.
2. Because AGS reserves the right to monitor this listserv, users of the listserv do not have a personal right of privacy in any messages in the listserv, including messages marked “privileged,” “confidential,” etc.
3. AGS reserves the right to modify or change the rules as it determines from time to time in the best interests of AGS.
4. All subscribers from any source are also expected to abide by the AGS website terms of use.

C. Basic Netiquette

1. Respect other subscribers of the listserv. Feel free to express yourself, but do not do anything to injure or harm other individuals or entities. Subscribers are expected to exercise both common sense and courtesy in the messages they transmit over the listserv.
2. Please ensure that the messages you post to this list are appropriate for this list. If you notice inappropriate postings or violations of the listserv policies and procedures, you should bring this information to the attention of the listserv administrator, not the whole discussion group.
3. Do not misrepresent yourself, or in any other way conceal your identity, or post anonymous messages on the listserv.
4. Do not alter the content or source of a message that has originated from another person’s computer with the intent to deceive.
5. Do not send or propagate messages that contain computer worms, viruses, or components that threaten to interfere with or compromise the integrity of our computer systems, networks or websites.
6. When asking questions, please request that individuals reply directly to you. After all the replies have been gathered, you may post a summary to the list. When replying to messages, do not reply to the entire list if a reply is directed at a single individual. Replying to the individual may be more appropriate. Replies of a personal nature should not be sent to the group.

D. Communications in Violation of Federal/State Laws or AGS Policies Prohibited

1. Do not use our listserv for anything that might be illegal. This listserv may not be used for anything to do with illegal drugs, gambling, pornography, prostitution, child pornography, robbery, spreading computer viruses, cracking into private computer forums, software infringement, trafficking in credit card codes, or other crimes.
2. Do not use the listserv to defame or disparage a member of AGS or any other person. Defamatory, harassing, sexist, racist, obscene, and other offensive communications are not acceptable forms of communication over the listserv, and could lead to legal liability for those engaging in such improper communications.
3. Do not upload or distribute files subject to trademark, copyright, or other proprietary rights except with the express consent of the owner of the rights. (Note that material may be copyrighted even if no copyright notice or “©” symbol appears.)
4. Do not use our listserv to communicate with competitors about prices, terms of service or otherwise communicate in a way that may violate the antitrust laws. Listserv communications constitute an ongoing "meeting" of participants; such meetings may involve competitors. The same rules against illegal agreements in restraint of trade that apply at members’ meetings also apply to listserv communications.
5. The listserv may not be used to violate any rules of membership in AGS, AGS bylaws, rules and regulations or standards of AGS.

E. Commercial and Political Communications Prohibited

1. Posting of any commercial material, or contacting any member to advertise, sell, or solicit or otherwise promote any commercial product or service, is prohibited, as doing so also could jeopardize AGS’s tax-exempt status. Commercial activities include, but are not limited to, promotional announcements and product- and service-related press releases. Should such messages appear on the listserv, AGS will not be held liable either directly or indirectly for damages that result from the use of this information. Such messages should immediately be brought to the attention of AGS. For educational purposes only, links to videos, programs, and podcasts may be provided as long as there is no direct commercial sponsorship or bias.
2. Use of this listserv for any communication that could be construed in any way as support for or opposition to any candidate for a federal, state or local public office is prohibited. The federal law providing for AGS’s tax-exempt status forbids the use of AGS resources or facilities, including these fora, in any way that would even appear to support or oppose such a political candidate.
3. Use of this listserv for endorsement of candidates in an AGS election, or for other AGS-related electioneering, is prohibited.

F. Limitation of Liability & Indemnity

You agree that AGS will not be responsible to you for any damages or losses you may incur in connection with our listserv or any of the data or other materials transmitted through or residing on our listserv, even if AGS has been advised of the possibility of such damage or loss. In addition, you agree to defend and indemnify AGS, its officers, directors, employees, and agents and hold AGS, its officers, directors, employees, and agents harmless from and against any and all claims, proceedings damages, injuries, liabilities losses, costs and expenses (including attorneys fees) relating to any acts or omissions by you or materials or information transmitted by you in connection with our listserv leading wholly or partially to claims against AGS, its officers, directors, employees, or agents or our listserv by other users or third parties.

G. User Acknowledgement Acceptance

I have read and understand the listserv rules and agree to accept these rules and to use the listserv only in compliance with them.

The board of Directors of the American Glaucoma Society recognizes that this organization is best served by representation from the broadest possible diversity of member background, experience, and professional activities setting. As a policy, the Board of Directors is committed to diverse representation on the Board and its committees and staff without regard to race, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, age, gender, or physical disability.

Guidelines for Industry Collaboration

The American Glaucoma Society (AGS) is dedicated to minimizing and eventually eliminating needless blindness from glaucoma. AGS has worked with industry to help achieve this goal and to ensure the best outcomes for glaucoma patients.  The AGS strives to provide excellent and comprehensive care to patients with glaucoma in a collaborative manner in the community, academic and industry settings. AGS serves as an important patient advocacy force to promote glaucoma awareness among policy makers and the general population. Through those approaches, glaucoma patients receive better care and live a more productive life today.

To facilitate greater transparency about AGS’s work with industry, this document describes (1) how members of industry should reach out to AGS with proposals for collaboration, (2) how AGS will consider such proposals from industry, and (3) the circumstances in which AGS is most likely to devote its limited resources to a collaborative endeavor with industry.

How should members of industry reach out to AGS with a proposal to work collaboratively with AGS?

The best way for members of industry to reach out to AGS is by contacting either the chair of the AGS patient care committee or the executive vice president who will forward the request to the patient care chair.  Initial contact should be made in writing.  To avoid the need for follow-up requests, proposals should include sufficient supporting information to enable AGS to evaluate the merits of the proposal.  Where appropriate, the proposal should contain references to studies, actions taken by regulators, etc.

In response to the proposal, AGS may request additional information or ask to schedule a meeting with the appropriate company representatives. 

Because most AGS members are practicing physicians with many competing demands on their time, industry must understand that it may take some time for AGS to act on a proposal. 

How will AGS consider proposals from industry?

AGS evaluates proposals from industry strictly on the merits and in light of AGS’s mission to reduce and eventually eliminate blindness from glaucoma.  To this end, AGS will give greatest weight to proposals supported by valid scientific documentation and clinical evidence.

A decision by AGS to pursue a particular collaboration with industry must be approved by AGS’s executive committee or board of directors.  Individual AGS members are not authorized to take any action on behalf of AGS in response to an industry proposal. 

AGS believes that competition is imperative to ensure the development of best treatments for glaucoma by industry.  Therefore, AGS is committed to remaining impartial in its interactions with industry.  To avoid conflict of interests, AGS members with a financial or other interest in a particular company or product will be precluded from voting on how or whether to proceed in a collaboration related to that company or product. 

Proposals related to pricing and reimbursement are particularly sensitive, given AGS’s obligations under state and federal antitrust laws.  Before scheduling any meetings or taking any action in response to a proposal from industry related to pricing or reimbursement, AGS will obtain appropriate legal advice from its outside legal counsel.

Under what circumstances is AGS most likely to devote its limited resources to a collaboration with industry?

Given its limited resources, AGS is unable to pursue every proposal for engagement from industry.  In general, AGS is most likely to engage in collaboration with industry where there is a pressing patient need for the collaboration supported by reliable evidence and where industry lacks the resources and/or expertise to accomplish the goals on its own. 

9/1/2022