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Final list of members for expert committee on complementary medicines
The Federal Government has announced the final list of members who will form the expert committee to examine complementary medicines and their use in the health care system.
TW 23/2003
27 May 2003
Final list of members for expert committee on complementary medicines
The Federal Government today announced the final list of members who will form the expert committee to examine complementary medicines and their use in the health care system.
Parliamentary Secretary for Health, Trish Worth, said all invited members had now accepted a position on the committee.
The eminent group appointed to the committee covered all aspects of the complementary medicines industry - including academic, clinical and industry experts.
Ms Worth earlier this month indicated that the expert committee, to be chaired by Dr Michael Bollen AM, will focus on issues around the supply of safe, high quality complementary medicines, quality use of and timely access to these medicines, and the maintenance of a responsible and viable complementary medicines industry.
Under the terms of reference, the committee will consider the regulatory, health system and industry structures necessary to ensure that the central objectives of the National Medicines Policy are met in relation to complementary medicines.
"The Pan Pharmaceuticals recall has highlighted the importance of preventing or deterring deliberate or reckless breaches of standards and conditions applicable to the manufacture of medicines in order to protect the health and safety of the Australian public," Ms Worth said.
"The Government recently took important changes to the Therapeutic Goods Act through Parliament.
"The key changes to the Act will mean that only fit and proper people will be able to hold a manufacturing licence for therapeutic goods. There is also a new offence for falsifying or destroying any documents or records relating to the manufacture, testing or evaluation of therapeutic goods.
"Maximum penalties have been increased to include fines of $220,000 for individuals or $1.1 million for a company, and a jail term of 5 years.
"The establishment of this committee and amendments to the Therapeutic Goods Act go a long way towards giving the public and all health care practitioners confidence that the Government has taken the necessary steps to examine the role of complementary medicines in the health care system."
The committee will report back to the Commonwealth Government by mid August.
Expert committee on complementary medicines in the health system
Committee members
| Name | Affiliation | Expertise |
| Dr Michael Bollen (Chair) | Former member of the National Health and Medical Research Council Principal, BMP Healthcare Consulting Pty Ltd | Quality use of medicines, healthcare delivery, consumer medicines information and general medical practice |
| Dr John Aloizos | Chair, Australian Pharmaceutical Advisory Council | Implementation of all aspects of National Medicines Policy and general medical practice |
| Associate Professor Alan Bensoussan | Centre for Complementary Medicine Research, University of Western Sydney Member, Expert Advisory Panel on Complementary Medicines | Use and evaluation of complementary medicines and therapies in clinical practice; practitioner education and training |
| Dr Kerry Breen | Chair, NHMRC Australian Health Ethics Committee | Ethical issues associated with the promotion and use of medicines |
| Professor Terry Campbell | Head of Department Department of Medicine St Vincent's Clinical School Member, Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee | Clinical pharmacology |
| Mr Philip Daffy | Consultant to the complementary medicines industry including the Complementary Healthcare Council of Australia | Product development complementary medicines |
| Dr Paul Dugdale | Chief Health Officer, ACT Department of Health | State and Territory issues associated with practitioner regulation, regulation of dispensed and extemporaneously compounded complementary medicines |
| Associate Professor John Eden | University of New South Wales, School of Women's and Children's Health | Use of complementary medicines and therapies in medical practice, particularly in women's health |
| Mr Ross Johnston | Vice President Manufacturing Operations Asia Pacific Wyeth | Quality assurance in the manufacture of complementary, OTC and prescription medicines |
| Professor Alistair MacLennan | Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Adelaide | Complementary medicine epidemiology and safety of complementary medicines |
| Mr David McLeod | Naturopath, Fellow with the Australian acupuncture and Chinese Medicine Association | Use of complementary medicines in complementary medicine practice; practitioner education and training |
| Professor Stephen Myers | Director, Australian Centre for Complementary Medicine Education and Research, Southern Cross University/ University of Queensland Member, Complementary Medicines Evaluation Committee | Use and evaluation of complementary medicines in medical practice; practitioner education and training |
| Mr Anthony Nunan | Principal - Parade Pharmacy; Nunan's Watsonia Pharmacy; Heath's Road Medical Clinic Pharmacy Chairman - Australian Medicines Handbook | Small business issues; quality use of medicines; postgraduate pharmacist education and training; pharmacy |
| Ms Juliet Seifert | Executive Director, Australian Self-Medication Industry | Quality use of medicines and industry issues, including complementary medicines |
| Associate Professor Anne Tonkin | Department of Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology University of Adelaide Former Chair, Complementary Medicines Evaluation Committee | Evaluation of efficacy and clinical pharmacology, medical education |
| Associate Professor Heather Yeatman | Graduate School of Public Health, University of Wollongong Member, Complementary Medicines Evaluation Committee Member, Food Standards Australia New Zealand Board | Consumer issues associated with the use of complementary medicines, food and nutrition |
| Mr Darin Walters | Chief Executive Officer; Blackmores Ltd | Complementary medicines industry |
| Professor Bill Webster | Department of Anatomy and Histology, University of Sydney Member, Complementary Medicines Evaluation Committee | Toxicology and the safety of complementary medicines |
Media contact: Mark Williams ph 0401 147 558
