International Federation of Otorhinolaryngological Societies (IFOS)

The International Federation of ORL Societies (IFOS), is a non-political organization representing over 50,000 Otolaryngologists belonging to about 120 member nations. There is a huge global discrepancy in available resources and manpower and this greatly modulates Their activity.

IFOS was founded in 1965 to provide continuity between World Congresses, it has evolved to deal on a global basis with the problems of people with ORL disease by means of an active secretariat and committee structure; lobbying the World Health Organization; a leader in the global program for hearing loss prevention; providing interchange between centers, especially in Europe through the Twin Cities Project; publishing a newsletter and mainting the interactive website. It has a continuing medical educational role and has developed a model undergraduate curricula; it has now initiated CME conferences between World Congresses and recently started the Worldwide Action "Hearing for All".

Mission:
To identify critical global ORL care needs and communication disorders, to propose ways to prevent and treat individuals with them and to set priorities among these needs according to their impact on society.

History:
The International Federation of Otorhinolaryngological Societies (IFOS) is the global organization which represents organized Otolaryngology. It was founded in 1965 during the Tokyo World Congress of Otolaryngology to provide continuity between World Congresses. It grew in response to the need for a single body to collate information about national ORL societies.

From the start the membership of IFOS was open to any national ORL society. This remains the case today as long as the country is recognized by the United Nations. Nations with more than 1 national society may have more than 1 member although each country has only 1 vote at the General Assembly. Membership is also open to international societies in otolaryngology and related fields.