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