Role and Committees of the CHC

What is the role of the Complementary Healthcare Council?

The Complementary Healthcare Council provides responsible, reliable and quality advice and information on complementary healthcare to members, government, key stakeholders, the media and consumers. We build effective relationships between industry and government to ensure best possible outcomes for industry and the consumer. In order to achieve this, we foster close cooperation and collaboration between retailers, wholesalers, professional, manufacturers and other operators in the complementary healthcare industry.

The Complementary Healthcare Council advocates appropriate government regulation on complementary healthcare products which recognises their low risk nature but provides the safety, quality and efficacy standards necessary to ensure consumer confidence.

We represent the rights of the industry and complementary healthcare consumers in our dealings with government and the media to encourage the promotion of balanced and accurate information. In addition, the Complementary Healthcare Council educates members, non members and consumers on the safe, effective and responsible use of complementary healthcare products in order to sustain and develop the industry and to encourage community adoption of a proactive approach to maintaining good health and preventing chronic disease.

The Complementary Healthcare Council encourages investment in research to demonstrate the benefits of complementary healthcare products in improving the health of the consumer and in reducing existing and future healthcare costs in the community.

We promote awareness of and compliance with industry laws, regulations and ethical standards and Codes to our members and seek to gain recognition for Australia’s world leading standards for complementary healthcare products at home and overseas.

CHC Committees, Working Groups and External Representation

In order for the Complementary Healthcare Council to reach its strategic goals of Shaping the Industry and being The Voice of Industry, Committees and working groups have been established. The CHC also has external representation on key committees and/or groups. If members would like to discuss these meetings in more detail, please contact Hannah Richmond, CHC Membership Engagement Office on members@chc.org.au. The list of members for each group can be found in the CHC Committees table (members access only).

CHC Board Committees:

• Regulatory and Policy Committee - Recommends to the CHC Board policies and position statements relating to issues affecting the complementary medicine industry under the regulatory and standards framework;
• Marketing and Membership Committee - Provides strategic recommendations on CHC membership retention, growth and service offerings;
• Communications Committee - Recommends to the CHC Board internal and external communication protocols and initiatives;
• Finance and Audit Committee - Assists the CHC Board in fulfilling its obligations and oversight responsibilities relating to the CHC's financial matters;
• Retail Advisory Committee - Ensures retailer's interests are well represented in legislative and regulatory issues.
• Innovation Committee - Advises the CHC Board in the development of CHC policies and procedures for influencing research, development and innovation opportunities for the industry in Australia as well as to leverage policy and financial support from relevant Government Departments.
• Trade Committee - Advises the CHC Board in the development of CHC policies and procedures for influencing the trade environment in Australia; including policy, legislative and regulatory issues affecting or likely to affect CHC members’ ability to manufacture competitively, import and export and trade locally. It also promotes the Import Replacement and the economic contribution of the industry across jobs, investment, innovation, exports and health system cost abatement.
  

CHC Technical Committees/Working Groups

• Homoeopathic Working Group - Currently consulting and developing, in conjunction with the TGA, an appropriate regulatory framework for homoeopathic and anthroposophic medicines;
• Raw Material Suppliers Technical Committee -  Recently reviewed the CHC's Guideline for the Quality and Safety of Raw Material. The Committee also identifies issues related to suppliers of complementary medicine ingredients;
• Manufacturing & GMP Technical Committee - Identifies and works on issues related to manufacturers of complementary medicine products and GMP issues;
• Sports Supplement Industry Group - Currently engaging with FSANZ on the anticipated review of Standard 2.9.4 in the Food Code (Formulated Sports Foods). The group is also reviewing the CHC's Code of Practice for sports foods/supplements;
• Regulatory Technical Committee - Provides advice and resources to the CHC on scientific, technical and regulatory issues facing the complementary medicine industry. Current Focus –reviewing the levels and kinds of evidence to support indications and claims and improving the registration pathway for complementary medicines;
• Practitioner Medicine Technical Committee - Provides advice and resources to the CHC where issues arise with Practitioner Only complementary medicines. Recently contributed to the CHC’s Guideline for the Sale and Supply of Practitioner Only products;
• Food Medicine Working Group - Provides advice and resources to the CHC on issues at the food medicine interface. In particular the group is responding to the FSANZ consultation on Nutrition, Health and Related Claims;
• AQIS Working Group - Provides advice and resources to the CHC on AQIS related  issues with a focus on the AQIS Biologicals Consultative Group (BCG) and the redevelopment of AQIS's Import Conditions Database (BICON).
  

CHC External Representation

• Therapeutic Goods Advertising Code Council (TGACC) - Ensures that the Therapeutic Goods Advertising Code is current, relevant and reflects community values and standards; ensures a level playing field for all advertisers; and makes advertising recommendations to the Minister for Health;
• Therapeutic Goods Committee (TGC) -  Advises the Minister for Health on the adoption of standards for therapeutic goods and the principles to be observed in the manufacture of therapeutic goods for human use. The CHC represents the complementary medicine sector;
• TGA Industry Consultative Committee (TICC) - A high level consultative committee focused on issues involving the TGA and therapeutic goods industry. The CHC represents the complementary medicine sector;
• Complementary Medicines Technical Working Group (CMTWG) -  Established by the TGA's Office of Manufacturing Quality (OMQ) to bring together manufacturing technical expertise from industry and the regulator to address the grey areas or vagaries of the cGMP as it relates to manufacturing. This group is dedicated to the complementary medicine sector.
• AQIS Biological Consultative Group (BCG) - Is an industry group composed of organisations involved in the importation of biological products. The BCG acts as a consulting mechanism between AQIS, industry groups and individual firms that import biological materials. Issues addressed include anything topical for either the AQIS Biologicals Unit or the relevant industry groups. Examples include permit application fees, import conditions placed on various products and AQIS clearance procedures for biological commodities.