CATAG Vision, Strategic Direction, Governance and Organisational Relations

Terms of Reference
Thank you to all who commented on our Mission, Goals, Objectives and Strategies. These have now been finalised and are attached. Please circulate theses to your membership and they may be posted on your websites. Please note issues around CATAG governance and structure have been deleted from this document as they have not been finalised pending decisions around becoming an incorporated body.
Download: CATAG Terms of Reference (PDF)

Legal Advice
I have received legal advice regarding the issues around incorporation of CATAG
either as an incorporated association in NSW or as a public company limited by
guarantee. The advice also covers managing potential conflicts of interest that
may arise. I am preparing an options paper to accompany this advice and will
circulate all relevant information via a separate communication in the coming
weeks.

CATAG Activities

NMP Partnerships Forum Submission
As you will recall this was submitted in early May. I have now heard back from Andrew McLachlan that all the issues we raised were endorsed by the NMP committee and referred to the NMP executive. Andrew McLachlan also mentioned it was greatly appreciated that we had provided potential solutions alongside the issues we raised. Paul Seale will be attending the NMP partnerships Forum on behalf of CATAG on the 30th June.

Oxycodone Patch
The letter re mindful naming of a future oxycodone patch has been sent to Phosphagenics.

Samples
Letters advising Medicines Australia, SHPA and NPS of our renewal of our position on samples has been sent.

Generic medicines issues
I have discussed CATAG concerns re labelling/packaging of generic medicines and standardisation of CMI with Andrew McLachlan in his capacity as Chair of the NMP Committee. He advised writing to the following individuals/organisations: Dr Rohan Hammett (TGA), Therapeutic Goods Committee, Medicines Partnership of Australia, Medicines Australia and Generic Medicines Industry Association. To strengthen our case he also suggesting we collect anecdotal data of safety issues from public hospitals to highlight the risk of dose and drug duplication especially around the labelling/packaging issues. Please notify me of any anecdotes you are aware of regarding these issues and I will incorporate it into our communication.

Member Activities

• NSW TAG is advertising for a new executive officer. Job advertisment attached.
• QHMAC Annual Report 2009 has been released.
• VicTAG Bulletin May 2010 has been released. This includes information on the progress with premixed heparin infusions and new heparin chart. The bulletin and heparin chart are both attached.
  Download: VicTAG Bulletin - May 2010 (PDF)
  Download: Heparin Infusion Chart (PDF)

Conference Attendance

NHMRC/NICS/ACSQHC VTE Prevention Policy Summit, 17 May 2010
Delegates included representatives from each jurisdiction, TGA, private hospitals, VTE Prevention Guideline Committee,the National Prescribing Service, the Clinical Excellence Commission in NSW, and CATAG. It was good to catch up with Amber and PK who both attended the summit. Attached is a draft summary guideline and consumer pamphlet provided for comment on the day. If you have any comments on these documents please email Agnes Wilson directly by 10th June agnes.wilson@nhmrc.gov.au

UNSW New and Emerging Cancer Therapies: From Hype to Reality, 26 May 2010
Dr Euan Walpole from QHMAC and myself represented CATAG at this symposium. Discussed on the day were current problems with funding targetted cancer therapies including issues around testing required to determine eligibility for treatment. Three different models of funding/health care provision were discussed. This discussion was useful for informing further work around funding other high-cost medicines.

NPS National Medicines Symposium 26-28 May 2010
For those CATAG colleagues who also attended NMS it was great to catch up with you. The symposium presented an excellent opportunity for networking and promoting the role of CATAG to the wider QUM community.

Other News

• ACSQHC is advertising for a senior project officer in the Medication Safety Program. See attached information for details.
• TGA Medicines Safety Update No 3, 2010 discusses the AUST L number on the label of complementary medicines. This complements the CATAG positions statement on complementary medicines. See http://www.tga.gov.au/adr/msu/msu1006.htm

Feedback Requested

• Anecdotal evidence on problems with generic medicines. Please provide feedback
  to me by 25th June 2010.
• Feedback on draft VTE documents to Agnes Wilson at NHMRC by 10th June agnes.wilson@nhmrc.gov.au
• Reminder: Please provide feedback on any issues you'd like to comment on regarding the draft RACGP standards for general practice http://www.racgp.org.au/standards. To date I have not received any feedback. We are not obligated to make a submission and if I have no feedback by 25th June I will not make a submission on behalf of CATAG.