Membership
Join a Global Movement Driving Interoperability in Clinical Research
Be part of a trusted, global network of pharma, academia, regulators, and innovators accelerating the digital transformation of research-to-care.
Why Join Vulcan?
Joining HL7 Vulcan connects you to a global community driving interoperability in clinical research. As an HL7 FHIR® Accelerator, Vulcan gives your organization a seat at the table where industry, academia, and regulators shape the future of research-to-care.
Influence
Shape global standards by proposing and leading projects, working directly with regulators like FDA and EMA, and gaining access to exclusive policy forums.
Visibility
Position your organization as a thought leader at international events and campaigns, and showcase your brand as part of a trusted global community.
Collaboration
Engage with peers across pharma, academia, regulators, and health tech to co-create solutions that no single sector could achieve alone.
Impact
Accelerate adoption of HL7 FHIR®, reduce duplication, and deliver real-world solutions that improve trials and transform patient outcomes.
Our Community
Member Leadership & Benefits
HL7 Vulcan is a member-driven HL7 FHIR accelerator where the future of research-to-care interoperability is shaped by those who lead it. Every member organization appoints a Voting Member—a point of contact who represents the organization on the Operations Committee and contributes your organisations voice to our leadership.
Your organisations voice
As a Vulcan Member, your voting member embeds your organisation within the Vulcan leadership where they can:
- Influence Vulcan’s direction at both strategic and operational levels by participating in monthly Operating Committee meetings.
- Propose and prioritise projects that develop HL7 FHIR® Implementation Guides, ensuring they reflect the real-world priorities of your sector.
- Work alongside representatives from the FDA, EMA, and ICH to support global harmonization and regulatory adoption of digital standards.
- Guide the collaborative efforts of over 50 global organizations to reduce duplication and maximize the impact of FHIR®
The benefits of membership extend beyond this and across your entire organization. From gaining visibility and credibility alongside Vulcan at global events like DIA, HIMSS, and DPharm to invite-only policy forums with regulators, standards bodies, and government leaders. Joining Vulcan gives you a seat at the table where the future of interoperability is being shaped.
To find out more about what it means to be a Vulcan member, download our one page summary below and share it within your organisation:
Making your voice heard
Are you part of a Vulcan Member organization? Your Voting Member is your internal champion and your direct link to the global FHIR community and voting processes that shape the future of Vulcan. We encourage you to lobby your representative to make sure your voice is heard and ensure your specific use cases are brought to the table.
Membership Tiers
Our membership model is designed to make sure every type of organization has a place in Vulcan. All members contribute hours in-kind through active participation, whether by participating in the Operations Committee, lending staff expertise to projects, or supporting community initiatives. For-profit organizations also contribute financially, with membership fees scaled by size.
Whether you’re a global pharma leader, a regulator, a health tech innovator, or an academic institution, there’s a place for your organization in our community
Become a Member
When your organization joins Vulcan, you join a global community working together to transform clinical research. Every member has a voice, a role, and an opportunity to shape the standards and solutions that move research-to-care forward. Becoming a Vulcan member is simple:
Explore the membership tiers
Find the tier that fits your organization’s size and sector.
Register your interest online
Submit your details and Vulcan will arrange an initial introduction and guide you through the process.
Appoint your voting member
Join the Operations Committee, contribute your expertise, and start shaping the future of clinical research.
Membership FAQ
What is the process for joining Vulcan?
Membership is open to all interested organisations with no strict eligibility criteria. To start, simply reach out via our contact form or by email. A member of our Program Management Office (PMO) will arrange a meeting to discuss how Vulcan membership works and what contributions are expected.
Our model is designed to be inclusive. All members contribute in-kind support (such as staff time or expertise), and certain for-profit organisations are also asked to pay an annual membership fee, based on their size and other criteria.
Once the terms are agreed, you’ll sign a Statement of Understanding (SoU) with HL7, and onboarding begins. The whole process typically takes a few months.
What is the Statement of Understanding (SoU)?
The SoU is a formal agreement between your organisation and HL7 (Vulcan is an HL7 Accelerator, not a separate legal entity). It outlines:
- The shared goals of Vulcan and HL7
- Your organisation’s commitment to contribute (in-kind and/or financially)
- The governance structure and your role within it
- Intellectual property and licensing principles (ensuring outputs remain publicly available)
How will my organisation be represented within Vulcan?
Every member organisation appoints one Voting Member. This person:
- Represents the organisation on Vulcan’s Operating Committee (alongside other Voting Members)
- Receives an annual update from Vulcan
- Is invited to monthly Operating Committee meetings
- Acts as the main liaison for information flow between Vulcan and their organisation
Voting Members also influence the Vulcan Steering Committee, which prioritises projects and guides Vulcan from a strategic level on behalf of the membership. In addition to your Voting member, your organisation will have the opportunity to include resources to actively participate in our projects, events and other activities.
