The Medicines Advisory Committee (MAC) is a statutory body established under the Medicines, Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Act 2008 to provide expert advice to the ACT Chief Health Officer on complex clinical matters involving the prescribing and supply of medicines in the ACT. Specifically, the MAC provides advice to the ACT Chief Health Officer on applications for approval to prescribe controlled medicines, and applications for endorsement to treat drug dependency. The MAC may also consider applications for review of an unfavorable ACT Chief Health Officer decision on controlled medicine issues.
Under Chapters 13 and 15 of the Medicines, Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Regulation 2008, the MAC is responsible for reviewing and providing recommendations to the ACT Chief Health Officer as described by the following table.
Considered Matter
|
MAC Recommendation to ACT Chief Health Officer
|
Referred applications for Approval to Prescribe a Controlled Medicine.
|
Either:
- Approve the application in same terms applied for;
- Approve the application in terms different from those applied for; or
- Refuse the application.
|
Applications for review of an unfavourable ACT Chief Health Officer decision about a controlled medicine approval.
|
Either:
- Confirm a previous ACT Chief Health Officer decision; or
- Revoke a previous ACT Chief Health Officer decision and recommend a substitute decision.
|
Applications for review of a ACT Chief Health Officer decision to refuse an endorsement to treat drug-dependency.
|
Either:
- Confirm a previous ACT Chief Health Officer decision; or
- Revoke a previous ACT Chief Health Officer decision and approve the application as recommended by the MAC.
|
Guidelines for the ACT Chief Health Officer decisions on applications to prescribe a controlled medicine.
|
Either:
- Accept a MAC draft Guideline; or
- Modify a previous Guideline; or
- Revoke a previous Guideline.
|
Membership
In accordance with the MPTG Regulation, the MAC consists of seven members including: a psychiatrist, pharmacist, general practitioner, consumer representative, doctor with experience in pain or addiction medicine, and nominee of the ACT Branch of the Australian Medical Association (AMA). The current membership of the MAC is as follows:
Member
|
Role
|
Specialty
|
Term of Appointment
|
Dr Marianne Bookallil
|
Chair
|
General Practice and Public Health Medicine
|
DI2021-34 – 21 Feb 2021 until 20 Feb 2024
|
Dr Antonio Di Dio
|
Member
|
General Practice
|
DI2021-34 – 21 Feb 2021 until 20 Feb 2024
|
Dr Matthew Sellen
|
Member
|
Psychiatry
|
DI2021-34 – 21 Feb 2021 until 20 Feb 2024
|
Mrs Elise Apolloni
|
Member
|
Pharmacy
|
DI2021-34 – 21 Feb 2021 until 20 Feb 2024
|
Dr Vishal Arya
|
Member
|
General Practice
|
DI2021-34 – 21 Feb 2021 until 20 Feb 2024 |
Mr Mat Franklin |
Member
|
Consumer Representation
|
DI2021-35 – 3 May 2021 until 20 Feb 2024 |
Dr Anandhi Rangaswamy
|
Member
|
Pain Medicine
|
NI2021-89 – 21 Feb 2021 until 20 Feb 2024
|
Ms Kathryn Briant
|
Member
|
Consumer Representation
|
NI2018-78 – 3 May 2018 until 2 May 2021
|
Subject to agreement by the Minister for Health or Chief Health Officer, sub-committees of the MAC may be established to assist the Committee in their role in providing expert advice about controlled medicines public health impact of controlled medicines i.e. the Medicinal Cannabis Medical Advisory Panel and the Medicinal Cannabis Advisory Group.
The Health Protection Service provides all Secretariat services for the MAC and can be contacted on the details below. Prescribers wishing to apply to the MAC for a review of an unfavourable decision on a controlled medicines approval or endorsement to treat drug-dependency, or for any other matter, may do so by forwarding correspondence to the below address.
Medicines Advisory Committee
C/-Health Protection Service
Locked Bag 5005
WESTON CREEK ACT 2611
Ph: (02) 5124 9208
Email: hps@act.gov.au