Panel to review the transparency of the Therapeutic Goods Administration

Have your say about the TGA

An independent Review Panel has been commissioned by the Australian Government to provide recommendations on improving public access and understanding about the work of Australia's medicines regulator, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). The Panel is seeking input from the public, industry and the medical profession for the purposes of its inquiry.

On 16 November 2010 the Parliamentary Secretary for Health and Ageing, Catherine King, announced the establishment of a Panel to Review the Transparency of the Therapeutic Goods Administration, chaired by Professor Dennis Pearce AO.

"The TGA is acknowledged as an internationally respected medicines regulator. Our Review will focus on the ways in which the TGA communicates its regulatory processes and decisions," Professor Pearce, said today.

"The Panel would like to hear from the general public about instances where people would have benefited from better access to information about their medicines or devices and about the type of information that would have helped them. We would also like to know how they would prefer to obtain information, for example on the internet, through the media or from a doctor or pharmacist."

"The Panel is also seeking feedback from health professionals, particularly about access to information provided by the TGA on the safety, quality and efficacy of medicines and medical devices."

"The Panel would like to hear from industry organizations which either manufacture or market therapeutic goods, about how the TGA could provide greater assistance to them in the evaluation and registration of their products."

"We would also welcome media comment on the quality and utility of information provided, including under Freedom of Information," Professor Pearce said.

The call for written submissions has been sent to a range of interest groups and advertisements will be placed in daily newspapers.

The Panel will hold a limited number of public meetings in late February and March and details about these will be provided on the TGA website on Thursday, 3 February 2011.

The TGA Transparency Review Panel includes consumer, health professional and therapeutic goods industry representatives and will report to the government by the end of April 2011.

Written submissions close on Friday, 11 February 2011 and suggestions and comments will be posted on the TGA website. For more information go to: Transparency review of the TGA.

Media contact: Media Unit, 0412 132 585

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