World Medical Association

What World Medical Association does

The World Medical Association (WMA), legally World Medical Association, Inc., is an independent, non-governmental international membership organization founded in 1947 and incorporated in France in 1974, with a Secretariat headquartered in Ferney-Voltaire, France, near Geneva. It serves as the recognized global umbrella body for national medical associations, currently representing approximately 120 such associations worldwide as constituent members, alongside an associate-membership program for individual licensed physicians. WMA's core mission is to establish universally recognized ethical standards for medical practice and research and to coordinate physician policy positions internationally, most notably through its foundational declarations (Helsinki 1964, Geneva, Tokyo, Taipei).

Name

World Medical Association

Legal name

World Medical Association, Inc.

Website

https://wma.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The World Medical Association (WMA) is an independent global umbrella organization for national medical associations, representing ~120 constituent NMAs and tens of thousands of associate individual physicians across 120+ countries. It produces universally recognized medical-ethics declarations (Helsinki, Geneva, Tokyo, Taipei) and educational resources, and holds official relations with the WHO.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Medical Professional Association Services

NAICS

Professional Organizations (81392)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Technical Committees, Working Groups & Expert Panels (BPADANAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Data Governance, Standards & Interoperability (ICD, HL7/FHIR, LOINC, SNOMED) (HLAJAJAM), Interoperability Standards, Profiles & Implementation (HL7/FHIR/IHE) (HLACABAA)

Keywords

• Medical ethics policy
• Physician advocacy
• Continuing medical education
• Global health governance
• Research ethics standards

Headquarters

HQ city

Brussels

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Constituent Member Fees: National medical associations pay annual dues per member physician, classified by country income category (A–D). Fees are modest, ranging from €0.40 to €2.15 per member per year depending on country classification. This represents the primary recurring revenue stream for the organization.
2. Associate Member Fees: Individual licensed physicians may join as associate members. Membership is free for the first five years post-graduation. After that, fees range from €16 to €80 per year depending on country income category, or €64 to €320 for a 5-year term. This is a secondary revenue stream from individual physicians.
3. Publication Sales and Shipping: The WMA offers publications including the Medical Ethics Manual, Policy Handbook, and other documents. While the content is free, shipping and delivery charges are applied for physical copies of publications.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The World Medical Association (WMA) is an international membership organization that develops and maintains globally recognized medical ethics declarations (Declaration of Helsinki, Geneva, Tokyo, and Taipei), provides continuing medical education courses and ethical guidance resources, and serves as the policy coordination body for national medical associations from approximately 120 countries. It offers associate membership to individual physicians and publishes the World Medical Journal and Policy Handbook as core reference materials.

Product overview

The World Medical Association is a global medical ethics and policy organization that serves as an umbrella body for national medical associations. Its product portfolio centers on ethical guidance through foundational declarations (Declaration of Geneva, Helsinki, Tokyo, Taipei), comprehensive educational resources including ethics manuals, online courses via WCEA partnership (medical ethics, leadership, prison medicine, research ethics, tobacco, environmental sustainability, workplace wellness), and member services including the Members' Area portal, publications (World Medical Journal, Policy Handbook), and campaign programs. The organization functions primarily as a policy-setting and educational body rather than a technology product company.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Declaration of Helsinki
• Declaration of Geneva
• Declaration of Tokyo
• Declaration of Taipei
• WMA Medical Ethics Manual
• Medical Ethics Course
• CPW Leadership Course
• Prison Medicine Course
• TRREE (Training and Resources in Research Ethics Evaluation)
• Health Care in Danger Training
• Antimicrobial Resistance Course
• Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis Course
• Tuberculosis Refresher Course
• Tobacco Education Course
• My Green Doctor
• Anti-Counterfeit Medical Products Education
• Workplace Wellness Program
• Social Determinants of Health Course
• World Medical Journal
• WMA Policy Handbook
• WMA CME Courses via WCEA Platform
• Associate Membership Program
• Constituent Membership Program
• Members' Area Portal
• Speaking Books

Quantifiable outcome

• Medical Ethics Manual translated into over 20 languages and distributed to medical schools and journals worldwide
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Pontifical Academy for LifecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2026The WMA collaborated with the Pontifical Academy for Life and the Israeli Medical Association to convene the Third Open Expert Meeting on the Revision of the Declaration of Taipei (June 2026, Vatican City). The meeting focused on equity in health data collection, storage, access, and use, and governance mechanisms promoting justice and global solidarity in biomedical research.
• Israeli Medical AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2026Co-convened the Third Open Expert Meeting on the Revision of the Declaration of Taipei with the WMA and Pontifical Academy for Life, examining ethical challenges related to health databases, biobanks, and digital health.
• Institute of Global Health, University of GenevamajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017In June 2017, the Institute of Global Health at the University of Geneva, in collaboration with the ICRC's Health Care in Danger project, developed a massive open online course (MOOC) titled 'Violence Against Healthcare,' available for free on Coursera. The course addresses rights and responsibilities of healthcare workers, legal protections, emergency hospital services, and civil society roles.
• George Mason University – School of Policy, Government and International AffairsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015George Mason University (Virginia, USA) served as the WMA Cooperating Center to produce a self-study course and reading material on the Health Effects of Tobacco Secondhand Smoke, published in November 2015, focusing on children's health.
• BAYER PharmaceuticalsminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2013BAYER Pharmaceuticals has supported the CPW Leadership Course since 2013, contributing to the ongoing development of physician leadership and advocacy capabilities.
• INSEADmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2006In 2006–2007, the WMA partnered with INSEAD (one of the world's leading business schools) and Pfizer Inc. to offer the WMA/CPW Leadership Course. The course focused on developing physician advocacy and leadership skills. INSEAD hosted the first two courses in Fontainebleau, France (2007, 2008), followed by courses in Singapore (2010–2015) and Jacksonville, USA (2016).
• Pfizer Inc.minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2006Pfizer Inc. partnered with the WMA and INSEAD to support the WMA/CPW Leadership Course in 2006 and 2007, contributing to physician leadership and advocacy development.
• Norwegian Medical AssociationmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2004The Norwegian Medical Association, in cooperation with the WMA and the ICRC, developed an internet-based course on human rights and ethics for physicians working in prisons in 2004, with updates in 2019-2020. The course is 18 hours and 15 minutes, accredited for 18 clinical hours. The Norwegian Medical Association originally edited the course.
• World Federation for Medical Education (WFME)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1972The WMA co-founded WFME in 1972 alongside WHO, regional medical education organizations, and the International Federation of Medical Students' Associations (IFMSA). WFME serves as the common platform for global medical education standards. The WMA has ratified WFME standards for pregraduate, postgraduate, and continuing medical education, as well as standards for distributed and distance learning in medical education (2021).
• International Federation of Medical Students' Associations (IFMSA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1972IFMSA was a founding partner in the establishment of the World Federation for Medical Education (WFME) in 1972, alongside the WMA, WHO, and regional medical education organizations. IFMSA represents medical students globally and contributed to the shared platform for global medical education standards.
• World Continuing Education Alliance (WCEA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWMA entered a partnership agreement with WCEA to create a global network of continuing medical education (CME) courses. WMA constituent member organizations receive preferential access to the WCEA platform, and associations can share educational content through the network. A key focus is distributing education to developing regions, where educators are encouraged to offer courses free of charge to physicians.
• World Health Professions Alliance (WHPA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWHPA brings together global organizations representing physicians (WMA), nurses, pharmacists, physiotherapists, and dentists. It speaks for over 47 million healthcare professionals in more than 179 countries and territories. WHPA operates in official relations with WHO and advocates for strategic investment in health professionals, improved working conditions, and health system strengthening. The WMA President participates in WHPA panels and events.
• International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC/CICR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe WMA collaborates with the ICRC on the Health Care in Danger (HCiD) initiative, developing e-learning courses on health care responsibilities in conflict zones and other emergencies. The ICRC launched the HCiD e-learning module in October 2014. WMA adopted the HCiD Toolkit for Doctors Working in Situation of Violence in October 2015. The ICRC and WMA jointly updated the prison medicine course in 2019-2020.
• University College London – Institute of Health EquitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe WMA references and supports the Social Determinants of Health MOOC developed by the Institute of Health Equity at University College London, written by Sir Michael Marmot and colleagues, available free on the FutureLearn platform in partnership with the BMJ.
• International Council of Nurses (ICN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerICN is a founding member of the World Health Professions Alliance (WHPA) alongside the WMA. Howard Catton, CEO of ICN, serves as WHPA Chair. WMA and ICN collaborate on global health workforce investment advocacy, health professional working conditions, and health system strengthening.
• FDI World Dental FederationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFDI World Dental Federation is a member of the World Health Professions Alliance (WHPA). Through WHPA, FDI collaborates with WMA on global health professional advocacy, health workforce investment, and health system strengthening. FDI President Jenny Gallagher participates in WHPA panels.
• International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFIP is a member of the World Health Professions Alliance (WHPA). FIP Vice President Virginia Olmos participates in WHPA events. FIP collaborates with WMA on global health professional advocacy through WHPA's unified representation of health professions.
• World PhysiotherapycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorld Physiotherapy is a member of the World Health Professions Alliance (WHPA). WMA and World Physiotherapy collaborate on global health professional advocacy through WHPA, with World Physiotherapy President Mike Landry serving as a panel speaker at WHPA events.
• International Association for Dental, Oral and Craniofacial Research (IADR)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIADR President Jenny Gallagher represented FDI at a WHPA event during the 79th World Health Assembly, demonstrating collaborative engagement in global health professional advocacy.
• World Health Organization (WHO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWMA holds official relations status with WHO and participates in the World Health Assembly and WHO governance processes. WHPA members are all in official relations with WHO. WMA contributes to WHO policy development on health professional investment, health systems, medical ethics, and global health priorities.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Canadian Medical Association: Canadian national medical association and WMA constituent member that similarly operates on physician membership, advocacy, ethics policy, and CME delivery comparable to WMA's structure.
• British Medical Association: UK national medical association and WMA constituent member, performing the same fundamental function of representing physicians, setting ethical standards, and providing educational resources, with similar professional-association business model.
• American Medical Association: The largest national medical association in the US, comparable as a professional membership body for physicians that develops ethical guidelines, advocacy positions, and CME resources. A constituent member of WMA.
• World Federation for Medical Education: Co-founded by WMA in 1972 alongside WHO to set global standards for medical education. Comparable as a close institutional peer that operates in the same physician-standards space with overlapping international-membership mission.
• Norwegian Medical Association: WMA constituent member and co-developer of the Prison Medicine course. Comparable as a national medical association that collaborates with WMA on joint educational products and policy work.

Emerging players

• International Council of Nurses: Founding partner of WHPA alongside WMA, representing nurses globally with comparable international professional-association structure. Comparable as a peer profession-level international association in the same health-workforce advocacy coalition.
• World Continuing Education Alliance: WMA's CME distribution partner that operates a global network for continuing professional education. Comparable as an emerging platform for medical education delivery that WMA channels content through.
• International Committee of the Red Cross: WMA's Health Care in Danger initiative partner, working on healthcare protection in conflict zones. Comparable as an international humanitarian actor operating in overlapping domains of medical ethics, healthcare worker safety, and detention health.

Broad incumbents

• World Health Organization: Intergovernmental global health authority with which WMA holds official relations. While WHO operates as a multilateral state-led body and WMA as an NGO physician association, they are directly comparable as the principal non-state / intergovernmental voices shaping global health policy and ethics.

Regional players

• Standing Committee of European Doctors (CPME): European-level umbrella for national medical associations, performing a similar role to WMA but at regional level. Comparable as a constituent/parallel physician-representation body operating in overlapping membership and policy domains.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/medwma
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/world-medical-association

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about World Medical Association