Published: 31 October 2011
Revised: 8 October 2019
Committees
Medicines Assessment Advisory Committee
Terms of reference
The Medicines Assessment Advisory Committee (MAAC) is a technical advisory committee established under section 8 of the Medicines Act 1981 to advise the Minister of Health on the risk-benefit profile of new medicines.
The terms of reference of the MAAC are as follows:
- To consider applications for the Minister's consent or provisional consent to the distribution of a new medicine referred to the Committee under section 22(2) of the Medicines Act 1981.
- To report to the Minister with a recommendation on the decision the Minister should make in respect of applications referred to the Committee under section 22(2) of the Medicines Act 1981.
- To annually review a sample of reports of the evaluation of applications for the Minister's consent or provisional consent to the distribution of new medicines and provide expert advice to Medsafe and the Minister on the quality of the risk-benefit assessments that have been completed.
Meetings
The Medicines Assessment Advisory Committee (MAAC) is scheduled to meet three times a year (usually in March, June and September). Secretarial support is provided by Medsafe.
Membership
The Medicines Assessment Advisory Committee (MAAC) comprises up to 12 members with any of the following:
- substantial clinical experience and national credibility in one or more of the following: clinical pharmacology, general practice, infectious diseases, oncology, paediatrics, and from fields such as dermatology, geriatrics, neurology, psychiatry, women's health and internal medicine (eg, cardiology)
- a tertiary qualification and extensive experience in biostatistics
- a tertiary qualification and extensive experience in pharmaceutical chemistry and the manufacture of pharmaceuticals
- experience in representing consumer interests.
Members are appointed for a three year term, which may only be renewed once.
Medsafe is always willing to hear from suitably experienced candidates who are willing to be considered for appointment by the Minister of Health, even during a period when specific appointments are not being sought:
