Advisory Committee on Complementary Medicines (ACCM)

Role of ACCM

The Advisory Committee on Complementary Medicines (ACCM) was formed in January 2010 to advise and make recommendations to the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) on the inclusion, variation or retention of a complementary medicine in the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods.

ACCM may also provide advice to the TGA on any other matters concerning complementary medicines, and any other matters referred to it by the TGA (whether or not related to a complementary medicine).

ACCM supersedes the Complementary Medicines Evaluation Committee (CMEC) <http://www.tga.gov.au/docs/html/cmec/cmec.htm> and has an increased focus on the advisory role within the regulatory framework of complementary medicines.

A major role for ACCM is to provide scientific and policy advice relating to controls on the supply and use of complementary medicines in Australia. The ACCM provides this advice with particular reference to the safety and quality of products and, where appropriate, efficacy relating to the claims made for products.

Advisory Committee on Complementary Medicines (ACCM) members

Chairperson

Professor Alan Bensoussan (Executive Director, National Institute of Complementary Medicine (Australia)) has been in clinical practice for over 25 years and is an active researcher, attracting funds from the US National Institutes of Health, the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council, the Department of Education Science and Technology, the Department of Trade and Industry, the UK National Health Service, Australian Government, State governments (NSW, QLD, Victoria) and industry. He has published two books including a review of acupuncture research (1990) and a major government report on the practice of traditional Chinese medicine in Australia (1996), which led to the passing of the Victorian Chinese Medicine (Practitioner) Registration Act. He has been a lead investigator on many high quality clinical trials of Chinese medicine, resulting in numerous publications in peer-reviewed journals. As such he brings methodological experience in clinical investigation of Chinese medicines, including chemical definitions of products, safety and efficacy assessments, contrasting diagnostic approaches and labelling of illness in traditional medicine.

Experts in assessing complementary medicines:

• Dr Lesley Braun (Research fellow, Department of Surgery, Monash University and lecturer, Monash University and Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology) provides expertise in the fields of nutrition and nutritional medicine, herbal medicine and complementary medicine practice.
• Dr Gary Deed (Medical Practitioner) provides expertise in the field of general medical practice.
• Ms Patricia Greenway (Strategic planning consultant) provides expertise in the field of consumer issues.
• Dr Vicki Kotsirilos (Medical Practitioner) provides expertise in the fields of general medical and complementary medical practice.
• Ms Karen Martin (Naturopathic Practitioner and Director, Australian Centre for Natural Health and Wellness) provides expertise in the field of naturopathy and complementary medical practice.
• Professor Stephen Myers (Director, NatMed-Research, the Natural and Complementary Medicine Research Unit in the Research Cluster for Health and Wellbeing in the School of Health and Human Sciences at Southern Cross University) provides expertise in the fields of naturopathy, herbal medicine and clinical pharmacology.
• Dr Richard Oppenheim (Consultant) provides expertise in the field of manufacture of medicines.
• Mr Kevin Ryan (Natural therapist and Osteopathic practitioner) provides expertise in the fields of complementary medical practice and homoeopathic medicine.
• Dr Bill Webster (Professor, Department of Anatomy and Histology, University of Sydney) provides expertise in the field of general toxicology and reproductive toxicology.
• Dr Hans Wohlmuth (Pharmacognosist, Centre for Phytochemistry and Pharmacology and senior lecturer, School of Health and Human Sciences, Southern Cross University) provides expertise in the fields of herbal medicine and pharmacognosy.

ACCM meeting dates

ACCM meetings 2010

• 5 March 2010
• 4 June 2010
• 3 September 2010
• 3 December 2010

Contacting ACCM

Secretariat services are provided by the TGA Office of Complementary Medicines. The contact details for the Secretariat are:

• Telephone: 02 6232 8634 or 1800 020 653
• Fax: 02 6232 8577
• Email: ocm@tga.gov.au (Attention: ACCM Secretariat)

Postal address:

The Secretary
Advisory Committee of Complementary Medicines
Office of Complementary Medicines
Therapeutic Goods Administration
Department of Health and Ageing
PO Box 100
Woden ACT 2606

Delivery address

Therapeutic Goods Administration
136 Narrabundah Lane
SYMONSTON ACT 2609

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