ELF system explained to DIA annual meeting in Florida

Barry O'Shannassy, Director of the TGA's Business and Services Branch, was an invited speaker at the Drug Information Association (DIA) Meeting in Orlando, Florida. The meeting, held on 25-29 June, attracted over 2,000 people.

Barry's presentation was within the Project Management track and provided an outline of the development of the Electronic Lodgement Facility (ELF). Other speakers within the stream were drawn from industry and government, in particular the US Food and Drug Administration.

Fourth Annual 'Working in Partnership' Conference

Monday, 28th and Tuesday, 29th August 1995 were set aside for the Fourth Annual ARCS/TGA "Working in Partnership" Conference, conducted as in the past in Canberra.

As in previous years, the Conference comprised a mixture of hard work - covering presentations, panel discussions, information workshops and hands-on sessions - with some fun thrown in. For the first time there was a Trade Exhibition associated with the Conference. One of the exhibits featured details of the Postgraduate Awards in Pharmaceutical Sciences being offered by the University of New South Wales.

Dr Sandra Webb, ARCS President, described the Conference as "a great success, with over 300 participants, more than 70 of whom were from the TGA".

TMEC's tenth meeting held in Melbourne

The Traditional Medicines Evaluation Committee (TMEC) held its tenth meeting in Melbourne on 9 August. The committee advises the TGA on matters relating to the regulation of traditionally based medicines, particularly those requiring registration in the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG).

Topics considered at the meeting included: proposed stability guidelines for herbal products, guidelines on the safety of herbs in pregnancy, and matters relating to the regulation of products containing propolis.