New version published on 3 September 2008. Please go to the Register of Emergency and Life-Saving Drugs page to download the PDF.

From the 31 August IVIG will not be available from the Red Cross Blood Bank for unapproved indications (e.g. sepsis in adults, asthma). Hospitals will be required to purchase and hold IVIG for such purposes. VicTAG would like to identify hospitals that hold purchased stock which could be released in an emergency to another hospital.

The IVIG page in the Emergency and Life Savings Drugs Register contains incomplete data on IVIG. Could advice on stock holdings of IVIG please be forwarded to judyr@barwonhealth.org.au.

At a meeting of members held at the Royal Melbourne Hospital on the 30th April 2008, the necessary steps to incorporate VicTAG were voted on, and office holders were elected.

VicTAG is now awaiting the final approval of incorporation from Corporate Affairs Victoria. The Statement of Purpose was approved along with the model rules.

The following Office bearers were elected:

Chairman
Dr Geoff Matthews, Vascular Physician Austin Health/Epworth Hospital

Vice Chairman
Kent Garrett, Director of Pharmacy Austin Health

Treasurer
David Ford, Director of Pharmacy Royal Melbourne Hospital

Secretary
Greg Weeks, Director of Pharmacy Barwon Health

Committee Members
Dr Chris O’Callaghan, Clinical Pharmacologist Austin Health
Ian Larmour, Director of Pharmacy Monash Medical Centre

Membership: Invitations will be sent shortly to each hospital explaining the membership process and inviting two nominees representing Drug and Therapeutics Committees to become members of VicTAG.

As a result of incorporation, individuals representing hospitals rather than hospitals themselves, become members of VicTAG. Subscriptions are paid on behalf of representative members by hospitals. The new Committee is yet to set membership fees.

Other newsletter items:

1. QUM/Medication Safety Group
2. Minster’s Visit

Download the newsletter: VicTAG Bulletin Issue 1 (PDF)