Therapeutic Products Interim Ministerial Council

Meeting Outcomes Statement

10th May 2005

Australia And New Zealand Agree On A Joint Committee To Oversee Standards For Therapeutic Products

As part of preparations for a new joint Australian and New Zealand therapeutic products regulator, New Zealand Health Minister, Annette King and Australian Parliamentary Secretary for Health, Christopher Pyne, met in Adelaide recently and appointed an expert advisory committee to oversee the establishment of standards for therapeutic products under the new agency.

The joint regulatory agency will replace Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) and the New Zealand Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Authority (Medsafe).

Ms King and Mr Pyne agreed that Professor Stella O’Donnell from Australia would chair the new committee with Professor Ian Tucker from New Zealand as Deputy Chair.

Membership of the Joint Interim Advisory Committee on Standards has been drawn from both Australia and New Zealand and includes experts in chemistry, pharmaceutical sciences, biomedical engineering, blood, tissues and cellular therapies, microbiology and virology, and good manufacturing practices and quality systems. Sixteen associate members are also required to provide the particular expertise required in the development of some specific standards for therapeutic products An expert in consumer issues from New Zealand will also serve on the interim committee.

Ms King and Mr Pyne said peak industry bodies in both countries had been consulted about the proposed membership of the expert committee.

“This is an important step forward in establishing the joint regulatory agency,” they said.

“Setting harmonised standards that apply to therapeutic products in both Australia and New Zealand is crucial to the success of the joint agency.”

(Membership list attached)

More information about the proposed trans Tasman regulatory agency can be found on www.jtaproject.com

ENDS

© Scoop Media