Mr John Lumby

Complementary Medicines Evaluation Committee (CMEC) Expert Advisory Panel - membership profile

BPharm (Sydney University)

Mr John Lumby graduated as Bachelor of Pharmacy from the University of Sydney in 1968 and became registered as a pharmacist with the Pharmacy Board the following year. He practised in community pharmacy until he joined the NSW Department of Health as a Pharmaceutical Adviser in 1972.

Mr Lumby was appointed Deputy Chief Pharmacist of the NSW Department of Health in 1980 and Chief Pharmacist and Director of the Pharmaceutical Services Branch in 1997. A principle objective of the Branch is to minimise harm from the use of medicines through the development and implementation of policy, regulatory and educational initiatives.

Also in 1997, Mr Lumby was appointed Chair (and Ministerial Nominee) of the Poisons Advisory Committee which is responsible for advising the Minister of Health on regulatory aspects concerning medicines, including restrictions on availability. Prior to that, he became the NSW Member of the National Co-ordinating Committee on Therapeutic Goods <http://www.tga.gov.au/docs/html/ncctg.htm>, responsible for facilitating the harmonisation of policy, legislation and administrative controls on medicines throughout Australia.

Mr Lumby played an extensive role in development of legislation to complement the Commonwealth Therapeutic Goods Act resulting in the repeal of the NSW Therapeutic Goods and Cosmetics Act and introduction of the amended NSW Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Act and associated Regulation. He played a major role in the review of the Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Regulation under Subordinate legislation requirements resulting in new Poisons Regulation 2002.

Mr Lumby was first appointed Expert Panel member to the Complementary Medicines Evaluation Committee in 1998.