Therapeutic Goods Administration

The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) is the health regulatory agency of the Australian Government.[4] As part of the Department of Health, the TGA regulates the quality, supply and advertising of medicines, pathology devices, medical devices, blood products and most other therapeutics. Any items that claim to have a therapeutic effect, are involved in the administration of medication, or are otherwise covered by the Therapeutic Goods Act 1989, the Therapeutic Goods Regulations 1990, or a ministerial order, must be approved by the TGA and registered in the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods.[5]

Therapeutic Goods Administration
Agency overview
Formed1989 (1989)
JurisdictionAustralian Government
Employees750 (2016)[1]
Annual budgetA$170 million (2020–21)[2]
Agency executive
  • John Skerritt, Deputy Secretary, Health Products Regulation Group[3]
Parent departmentDepartment of Health
Websitetga.gov.au

Structure of the TGA and medical regulation in Australia

In Australia, medical products are regulated by the TGA and, for controlled drugs such as cannabis, the Office of Drug Control (ODC). Together the TGA and ODC form the Health Products Regulation Group within the Department of Health. The Health Products Regulation Group comprises 11 regulatory branches and one legal branch, organised into three divisions. The Regulatory Services and Drug Control branch is the only one to not be part of the TGA.[3]

Structure of the Health Products Regulation Group[3]
Division name Branch name Head
Not in a division Regulatory Legal Services Jenny Francis
Medicines Regulation Prescription Medicines Authorisation Grant Pegg
Complementary and Over-the-counter Medicines Cheryl McRae
Scientific Evaluation Michael Wiseman
Pharmacovigilance and Special Access Elspeth Kay
Medical Devices and Product Quality Medical Devices Authorisation Meryl Clarke
Medical Devices Surveillance Kate McCauley
Laboratories Lisa Ker
Manufacturing Quality Ben Noyen
Regulatory Practice and Support Regulatory Services and Drug Control[lower-alpha 1] George Masri
Regulatory Compliance Nicole McLay
Regulatory Engagement, Education and Planning Avi Rebera

The TGA also includes seven specialised statutory committees, which the agency can call upon for assistance on technical or scientific issues.[6] Four other committees also exist to give guidance on annual influenza vaccines, industry consultation matters, and the Therapeutic Goods Advertising Code.[7]

Proposed regulation agency with New Zealand

In September 2003, the Australian and New Zealand Government signed a treaty to establish a common therapeutic regulatory agency for the two countries. Australia New Zealand Therapeutic Products Agency, as it was to be called, would replace the TGA and Medsafe, the national regulator in New Zealand. In June 2011, eight years after the original treaty, Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard and New Zealand Prime Minister John Key signed a letter of intent, reaffirming plans to create such an agency.[8]

In November 2014, both Australia and New Zealand agreed to cease plans to create a shared regulator, citing "a comprehensive review of progress and assessment of the costs and benefits to each country". The joint statement announcing the cessation outlines that both the TGA and Medsafe would continue to cooperate on medicine regulation, and that the New Zealand Government would still participate in the, now defunct, Council of Australian Governments Health Council.[9]

COVID-19 vaccine approval and distribution
"COVID-19 vaccination in Australia" redirects here. For broader global vaccination efforts, see COVID-19 vaccine.
Wordmark of the Australian Government's COVID-19 vaccination program.

On 25 January 2021, the TGA provisionally approved the two-dose Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, named COMIRNATY, for use within Australia. The provisional approval only recommends the vaccine for patients over the age of 16, pending ongoing submission of clinical data from the vaccine sponsors (the manufacturers, Pfizer and BioNTech).[10] Additionally, every batch of vaccines will have their composition and documentation verified by TGA laboratories before being distributed to medical providers.[11]

The Department of Health has planned the administration of COVID-19 vaccinations in five phases, organised by risk of exposure. Border, quarantine, and front-line health and aged care workers will be first vaccinated, followed by over 70year olds, other health care workers, and essential emergency service members. Following the provisional approval of COMIRNATY, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has said that it is planned for the first group to begin vaccinations by February 2021, six weeks earlier than originally planned.[12]

See also

Notes
  1. The ODC is entirely under the Regulatory Services and Drug Control branch.

References
  1. "Working for the TGA". Therapeutic Goods Administration. 15 April 2016. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  2. "Therapeutic Goods Administration Business Plan 2020–21" (PDF). Therapeutic Goods Administration. 2020. p. 10. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  3. "Structure". Therapeutics Goods Administration. 16 October 2020. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  4. "TGA basics". Therapeutic Goods Administration. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  5. "What the TGA regulates". Therapeutic Goods Administration. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  6. "Committees". Therapeutic Goods Administration. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  7. "Other committees". Therapeutic Goods Administration. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  8. "Australia New Zealand Therapeutic Products Agency (ANZTPA)". Therapeutic Goods Administration. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  9. Dutton, Peter; Coleman, Jonathan (21 November 2014). "Joint statement by Hon Peter Dutton MP, Minister for Health for Australia, and Hon Dr Jonathan Coleman, Minister of Health for New Zealand, regarding ANZTPA". New Zealand Government Beehive. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  10. "TGA provisionally approves Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for use in Australia". Department of Health. 25 January 2021. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
  11. "COVID-19 vaccine: Pfizer Australia - COMIRNATY BNT162b2 (mRNA)". Therapeutic Goods Administration. 25 January 2021. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
  12. Hitch, Georgia (7 January 2021). "When will I get the coronavirus vaccine? Who gets the vaccine first?". ABC News. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
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