MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING
AMONG
International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine [IFCC] and the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry [IUPAC],
International Health Terminology Standards Development Organisation FMBA [IHTSDO] established under the laws of Denmark (CVR 30363434),
The Regenstrief Institute, Inc. [RI]
REGARDING
AN OPERATIONAL TRIAL OF A DIVISION OF LABOR
IN LABORATORY TEST TERMINOLOGY DEVELOPMENT
INVOLVING
LOINC, NPU & SNOMED CT
Introduction
The IHTSDO includes some Member countries committed to using SNOMED CT in combination with LOINC, which is owned by RI and the LOINC Committee and maintained by RI; some Member countries committed to using SNOMED CT in combination with NPU terminology (NPU), which is owned by IFCC-IUPAC; and some Member countries who expect SNOMED CT to include the level of laboratory test terminology required to meet their needs.
The IHTSDO would like SNOMED CT to work effectively in combination with either LOINC or NPU in computer systems that support electronic patient records in a way that minimises patient risk and optimises effective communication, decision support, and secondary uses. Likewise the IFCC-IUPAC and RI would like their respective terminologies to work effectively in combination with SNOMED CT.
With these ends in mind, the IHTSDO, in cooperation with LOINC and NPU experts, developed an Observables Model, based upon the models of LOINC and NPU, to represent explicit relationships between SNOMED CT and both LOINC and NPU. IHTSDO, IFCC-IUPAC, and the LOINC Committee would like to decrease duplication of effort in the development of laboratory test terminology. As an initial data gathering step, the three parties have agreed to conduct an operational trial (“Trial”) of prospective divisions of labor in the generation of laboratory test terminology content.
Purposes of the Trial
The principal purpose of this joint Trial is to test a division of labor in which:
Secondary purposes are:
Trial Period
From April 1, 2009 to the earlier of: October 1, 2009 - OR - until RI has processed 400 laboratory test content requests and IFCC-IUPAC has processed 200 laboratory test content requests.
Resources for the Trial
Each party will furnish the resources needed for their participation in the Trial.
Trial Description
Early termination of participation in the Trial
Either RI or IFCC-IUPAC may withdraw from the Trial at any time for any reason, upon written notice to the other parties. If either RI or IFCC-IUPAC withdraws from the Trial, for any reason, the Trial will continue between the remaining parties.
The IHTSDO may stop the Trial with a party (RI or IFCC-IUPAC) upon thirty (30) days written notice to that party.
Report and assessment of the Trial results
Rights to content generated during the Trial
“LOINC Content” means any terminological content of LOINC, consisting of the more than 53,000 observations terms and codes and the Parts used to construct them.
“NPU Content” means any terminological content of NPU, consisting of a set of about 15,000 coded elements. Each of these elements is made of a series of information, ordered according to a definite syntax: System--Component; kind-of-property = ? unit. Each element also includes a definition with a reference source, spaces for specifications, indication of scale and speciality classification and management data.
“SNOMED CT Content” means terminological content of SNOMED CT, consisting of concepts, descriptions and Relationships (as defined in the IHTSDO Articles of Association), each of which is identified using a SNOMED CT Identifier (as defined in the IHTSDO Articles of Association).
“Trial LOINC Content” means any LOINC Content created, and any modifications to any existing LOINC Content made, under this Trial to process the specified laboratory term requests, including any such LOINC Content that incorporates, or is a derivative work of, any SNOMED CT Content.
“Trial NPU Content” means any NPU Content created, and any modifications to any existing NPU Content made, under this Trial, including any such NPU Content that incorporates, or is a derivative work of, any SNOMED CT Content.
“Trial SNOMED CT Content” means any SNOMED CT Content created, and any modifications to any existing SNOMED CT Content made, under this Trial, including any such SNOMED CT Content that incorporates, or is a derivative work of, any NPU or LOINC Content. This includes the SNOMED CT Observables Model and Style Guide.
Ownership
1.1.1. RI owns the Intellectual Property Rights in, and maintains, LOINC. RI will continue to retain ownership of all Trial LOINC Content.
1.1.2. IFCC-IUPAC jointly own the Intellectual Property Rights in, and jointly maintain, NPU. IFCC-IUPAC will continue to retain ownership of all Trial NPU Content.
1.1.3. IHTSDO owns the Intellectual Property Rights in, and maintains, SNOMED CT. IHTSDO will continue to retain ownership of all Trial SNOMED CT Content.
1.1.4.To the extent that any party acquires any right, title or interest in any Intellectual Property Rights in the course of this Trial that is inconsistent with paragraphs 1.1.1 to 1.1.3 above, that party assigns all such right, title and interest to the party in who, in accordance with paragraphs 1.1.1 to 1.1.3, that right, title and interest should vest.
Licenses
1.1.5. To the extent that using, loading, executing, storing, transmitting, displaying copying, modifying, amending, decompiling, creating derivative works of, distributing, or publishing Trial LOINC Content or Trial SNOMED CT Content would otherwise infringe any right, title, or interest of the IHTSDO or RI, respectively, in any intellectual property rights, that party grants the other a perpetual, irrevocable, transferable, sub-licensable, worldwide, royalty-free license to perform those acts.
1.1.6. To the extent that using, loading, executing, storing, transmitting, displaying copying, modifying, amending, decompiling, creating derivative works of, distributing, or publishing Trial NPU Content or Trial SNOMED CT Content would otherwise infringe any right, title, or interest of the IFCC-IUPAC or the IHTSDO, respectively, in any intellectual property rights, that party grants the other a perpetual, irrevocable, transferable, sub-licensable, worldwide, royalty-free license to perform those acts.
This Agreement may be signed in counterparts.
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Signatures:
For: International Health Terminology Standards Development Organisation
/s/ | /s/ |
____________________________ | ________________________ |
Martin Severs Date | Jennifer Zelmer Date |
Chair, Management Board | Chief, Executive Officer |
For: International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine
/s/ |
__________________________________________________________________ |
Graham Beastall IFCC President Date |
For: International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry
/s/ |
__________________________________________________________________ |
Françoise Pontet C-SC-NPU Chair Date |
For: Regenstrief Institute
/s/ | /s/ |
____________________________ | ________________________ |
Mary Gray Date | Daniel Vreeman Date |
Director of Administration | Associate Director of Terminology Services |
Last reviewed: 05 April 2009
Last updated: 05 April 2009
First published: 05 April 2009
Metadata| Permanence level: Permanence Not Guaranteed