FAQ for the FMA™ License

The University of Washington and the FMA™ Research Project have made the FMA™ Release Version available without charge to encourage the dissemination of the work of the FMA™ Research Project. Here is some background information and responses to some common questions about access to the FMA™:

1. What do I need to use the FMA?

You need to agree to the FMA™ License Agreement and register and download the FMA at its website.

2. What do I get when I download the FMA™?

You will download the Release Version of the FMA™ which is appropriate for all research and development activities. The “Release Version" of the FMA™ Ontology is a snapshot of the FMA™ and it is current as of the date it is downloaded from the FMA™ web site.

3. Can I give, sell, assign or sub-license FMA™ material?

Under the terms of the FMA™ Licensing Agreement you are allowed and encouraged to freely distribute ONLY the “Release Version” of FMA™. The FMA™ Master Ontology is not available for distribution.

4. Can I use the name "Foundational Model of Anatomy" or FMA™?

You should be aware that your no-charge distribution right for the FMA™ Release Version does not allow you to use the FMA™ name, nor may you use the name Foundational Model of Anatomy. You are also not allowed to use the name, identifiers, or marks of the University of Washington.

5. Is FMA™ open source?

Yes, this is a type of an open source license and the FMA™ is open source material. The FMA™ Licensing Agreement keeps key material available to the public and reserves certain rights that are important to us.

6. I want to modify some part of the FMA™ , can I do that?

You are free to review and modify FMA™ Release Version as you see fit. If you intend to change any part of the FMA™ , you need to review the terms of your licensing agreement with FMA™.

7. I created improvement or enhancement to the FMA™, now what?
• First, we would like to thank you for your interest and effort in working with the FMA™.
• Second, you MUST submit your improvement to FMA™ by using a "Contribution Agreement." You will find the Contribution Agreement" at Appendix B of the FMA™ License Agreement.
• Third, you MUST include the attribution paragraph include in your Licensing Agreement under Section 5 “Attribution.” We require that you include this attribution to prevent confusion related to the use and ownership of the underlying FMA™ material.


8. I’ve created a modification and submitted it to you, but nothing has happened!

This could occur for two reasons. One, we simply have been too busy to fully integrate your improvement into FMA™. If this is the case, please be patient. Two, the FMA™ Research Project has chosen not to incorporate your work into FMA™. As part of the FMA™ License Agreement, the FMA™ Research Project is the sole arbiter of what is accepted as a Contribution. You are free to modify any part of Release Version, but FMA™ is not required to accept or incorporate your improvement(s). We also reserve the right to implement some, but not all of your suggestions or modifications. Finally, we do not need to notify you or provide a reason for incorporating or not incorporating your improvement into FMA™. The FMA™ Research Project maintains curatorial control to best preserve the purpose and intent of FMA™. It is our hope that this editorial power will create the best product for everyone.