Media Releases

Government's complementary medicines reforms up and running

The Office of Complementary Medicines, which will play a central role in implementing new regulatory arrangements for the complementary healthcare industry, was launched today by the Parliamentary Secretary for Health and Aged Care, Senator the Hon. Grant Tambling.

28 April 1999

The Office of Complementary Medicines, which will play a central role in implementing new regulatory arrangements for the complementary healthcare industry, was launched today by the Parliamentary Secretary for Health and Aged Care, Senator the Hon. Grant Tambling.

The launch is the culmination of three months hard work by Government, industry and consumer interest groups.

"The regulatory arrangements for the complementary healthcare industry are now settled and there will be significant benefits for the industry and for the more than six-in-ten Australians who use at least one complementary healthcare product per year.

"New legislation is in place, revised administrative systems have been developed, enhanced consultative arrangements have been agreed, and the new Office of Complementary Medicines has been set up in the Therapeutic Goods Administration," Senator Tambling said.

"Taken together the measures strike the right balance between safety, market access and regulation.

"There is a continuing focus on safety which will give consumers confidence there are adequate safeguards from unsafe products and industry can be assured that there is now a very direct and accessible pathway through the regulatory arrangements.

"The creation of the Office of Complementary Medicines is a highpoint of the reform package agreed to after extensive consultation with the Working Party on Complementary Medicines, which I established, and other industry, consumer and Government representatives."

The exclusive responsibility of the Office will be the regulation of complementary medicines which will be staffed by senior and experienced personnel.

The Office will be responsible for seeing progress is made in implementing a number of the reform measures including: revised procedures to enable more timely access to the marketplace for new products; and the enhancement of the Electronic Lodgement Facility for applications for product approvals. It will also play a major part in the review of the Therapeutic Goods Advertising Code.

Added to this, the Office will be responsible for providing administrative and technical support to the enhanced Complementary Medicines Evaluation Committee and the soon-to-be-established Complementary Healthcare Consultative Forum.

Media Contact:
Mr Peter McMahon, Office of Senator Grant Tambling - 02 6277 3436;
Dr Fiona Cumming, Director, Office of Complementary Medicines, TGA 02 6232 8474