Australia’s leading evidence-based health and medical organisations stand beside Australia’s key medicines regulator, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).
We express full support for the vital work the TGA does to assess and regulate new medicines and vaccines. The TGA has a strong reputation for being expert, independent and rigorous in its assessments of new products, and is similarly rigorous in its assessment of the safety of vaccines, so as to improve and protect the health of all Australians.
Another essential role of our medicines regulator is to challenge, and where necessary, prosecute those who seek to mislead the Australian public about important health information so as to pursue their own interests. This role is particularly important in the current global health crisis.
Now is a time when Australians must have confidence in the assessments and recommendations of the TGA, and we believe Australians’ trust in the TGA is well placed.
The TGA must continue to be an independent, diligent, evidence driven and responsible medicines regulator focused on serving the health interest of Australians. Individuals and/or organisations with vested interests must not be allowed to undermine or derail their vitally important work.
Recent report of threats, intimidation and harassment aimed at TGA leadership and staff are a reason for serious concern and is an unacceptable development.
Signed and endorsed by the following organisations or individuals
Organisations
Public Health Association of Australia
Australian Academy of Science
Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia
National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO)
Australian College of Midwives
Australian College of Nursing
Australian Epidemiological Association
Australian Virology Society
Association of Australian Medical Research Institutes (AAMRI)
The Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP)
The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP)
The Kirby Institute
The Sax Institute
The Doherty Institute
The Burnet Institute
UNSW School of Population Health
MTP Connect (MedTech and Pharma Growth Centre)
Rural Doctors Association of Australia
Vax Pol Lab
Council of Academic Public Health Institutions Australasia (CAPHIA)
Australian and New Zealand Society for Immunology Inc
The Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand
School of Population and Global Health, the University of Western Australia
School of Public Health, University of Sydney
Individuals
Adjunct Professor Terry Slevin, CEO, Public Health Association of Australia
Kellie Wilton, Principal Midwifery Officer, Australian College of Midwives
Distinguished Laureate Professor Nicholas J. Talley AC, Chief Investigator NHMRC Centre for Research Excellence in Digestive Health, University of Newcastle
Anna-Maria Arabia, CEO, Australian Academy of Science
Professor Nathan Grills, FAFPHM, University of Melbourne
Professor Jonathan Carapetis AM, President, Association of Australian Medical Research Institutes (AAMRI)
Dr Peter Thomas, Executive Director, Association of Australian Medical Research Institutes (AAMRI)
Professor John Wilson AM, President, the Royal Australian College of Physicians (RACP)
Professor Lisa Jackson Pulver, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Indigenous Strategy & Services, University of Sydney
Emeritus Professor Peter McDonald AM, Flinders University
Dr Meru Sheel, National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Australian National University
Melbourne Laureate Professor Sharon Lewin, Director, Doherty Institute, University of Melbourne
Professor Dale Godfrey, Doherty Institute
Peta Rutherford, CEO, Rural Doctors Association of Australia
Dr Karen Price, President, Royal Australian College of General Practitioners
Professor Margaret Hellard AM, Burnet Institute
Professor Mike Toole, Burnet Institute
Professor Ian Frazer, Faculty of Medicine, University of Queensland
Prof Evelyne de Leeuw, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW
Frank Quinlan and the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia
Distinguished Professor Magdalena Plebanski, RMIT
Professor Paul R Young, Head, School of Chemistry & Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland
Associate Professor Lucy Burr, Mater Health Respiratory and Sleep Medicine, Mater Hospital Brisbane
Professor Gilda Tachedjian, Head, Life Sciences Discipline, Burnet Institute
Professor Steven Turner, President, Australian and New Zealand Society for Immunology
Professor Bruce Thompson, Dean and Professor of Health Sciences, Swinburne University of Technology
Professor Tracy Smart AO, The Australian National University
Professor Russell Gruen, Dean, ANU College of Health and Medicine, The Australian National University
Professor Julie Leask, School of Nursing, University of Sydney
Professor Steve Wesselingh, Executive Director, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI)
Professor Tony Cunningham AO, Director, Centre for Virus Research, University of Sydney
Professor Helen Marshall, Director, Vaccinology and Immunology Research Trials Unit, Women’s and Children’s Hospital
Professor Rebecca Ivers, Head, School of Population Health, UNSW
Professor Anthony Kelleher, Director and Professor of Medicine, Kirby Institute
Professor Robert Booy, Child & Adolescent Health, Sydney Medical School
Professor Joel Negin, Head, School of Public Health, University of Sydney
Dr Jane Frawley, NHMRC Research Fellow, University of Technology Sydney
Faculty of Medicine & Health, UNSW
Professor Vlado Perkovic, Dean UNSW Medicine & Health
Professor Michael Farrell, Director National Drug & Alcohol Research Centre
Professor Adam Jaffe, Head of School of Women’s & Children’s Health
Professor Michael Grimm, Head of St George & Sutherland Clinic School
Professor Mark Harris, Director, Centre for Primary Care & Equity
Professor Sean Emery, Senior Vice Dean, Research and Operations
A/Professor Adrienne Torda, Education & Innovation Associate Professor Holly Seale, School of Population Health, UNSW Medicine and Health A/Professor Belinda Parmenter, Head of School Health Sciences
Professor Jerry Greenfield, Head of St Vincents Clinical School
Professor Philip Crowe, Head of Prince of Wales Clinical School
Professor Kimberlie Dean, Head of School of Psychiatry
Tracey Good, Executive Officer
Professor Rebecca Ivers, School of Population Health
Scientia Professor Mark Harris, Executive Director Centre for Primary Health Care and Equity
Associate Professor Anita Heywood, School of Population Health
Associate Professor James Wood, School of Population Health
Professor Tony Butler, School of Population Health
Daren Draganic, Manager, Kirby Institute
Zoe Terpening, Strategic Lead, UNSW Health Precincts
Professor Alta Schutte, Theme Principal, Cardiac, Vascular and Metabolic Medicine
Associate Prof David Muscatello
