Reduced Dues & Guest Subscription Program

Reduced Rates
for International Colleagues in countries designated
Lower-Income and/or High-Burdened with Tuberculosis

Based on data acquired from the World Bank, on the economic prosperity and viability of all countries, and from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), on the incidence and manageability of tuberculosis in all countries, the American Thoracic Society instituted the Reduced Dues Program (RDP) and the Guest Subscription Program (GSP) to provide reduced cost options for medical professionals to join the Society.

The immediate goal of the RDP and GSP to globally disseminate state-of-the-art developments in the diagnosis and treatment of respiratory diseases to health professionals who cannot afford the standard rates for membership in ATS or subscription to current issues of the three ATS journals.

The longer term goal of these programs is to further the process of relationship-building among respiratory medicine professionals around the world, despite economic constraints and excessive lung health burdens presented by the public. As economic climates improve and lung health burdens decline, from country to country, it is hoped that all will have the opportunity to equally contribute as responsible partners in fulfillment of the mission of the American Thoracic Society.

REDUCED DUES PROGRAM (RDP)

This program is designed for physicians, researchers and other professionals, in countries with annual gross national income (GNI) per capita of US $7,500 and below, to become Full Members at the following two levels:

• Level A (US $75) - Country's annual GNI per capita is between US $0 and US $3,000.
• Level B (US $188) - Country's annual GNI per capita is between US $3,001 and US $7,500.

Participants in the RDP have all the benefits of membership of standard dues-paying members, except that they do not receive print issues, but have online access to the current issues of the three ATS journals. Full Members who wish to receive print issues must pay the standard dues of US $375, regardless of their country of residence.

To find out if you qualify for the ATS Reduced Dues Program, please see the list of RDP-eligible countries. If your country of residence is not listed, you are not currently eligible for this program, and may apply to become a Full Member of the American Thoracic Society at the standard dues rate, which includes access to the current issues of the three ATS journals, in print and online.

GUEST SUBSCRIPTION PROGRAM (GSP)

When neither standard nor reduced dues membership is an option, individuals may wish to consider the American Thoracic Society's Guest Subscription Program (GSP). The program is designed for physicians, researchers and other professionals in countries with annual GNI between US $0 and US $3,000 and in countries designated as high-burdened with tuberculosis. This program is also open to medical and research institutions in qualifying countries.

Participants in the GSP have online access to the current issues of the three ATS journals at no charge, but do not receive print issues. Further, GSP participants do not enjoy the benefits of membership because they are not members.

Anyone who cannot afford to become a member of the ATS at the standard rate, or in the RDP, may see the list of GSP-eligible countries to find out if they qualify for this program. From the GSP home page, they may click on the Apply for this Program to locate the appropriate Individual or Institutional application form, available for online completion or download.

Please direct questions and comments to:

Allan P. Gordon
Associate Director
Member Services & Chapter Relations
American Thoracic Society
61 Broadway FL 4
New York, NY 10006-2755, USA
Tel: +1 (212) 315-8697
Fax: +1 (212) 315-8651
E-mail: agordon@thoracic.org