Report of the Director-General of Health / Commonwealth of Australia.

  • Australia. Department of Health
Date:
[1973]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report of the Director-General of Health / Commonwealth of Australia. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    31/276 (page 29)
    medical organisations are being held to build up a basis on which to institute a suitable system, and to increase awareness within the medical community for the need to contribute information on malformations detected at birth. The Adverse Drug Reactions Advisory Committee was similarly active during 1973-74. Significant developments included the adaptation of the Department’s computer facilities for preparation of the publication Report of Suspected Adverse Drug Reactions, previously a laborious and time- consuming task, and for the preparation of summaries for use by medical practitioners who contribute to the Committee’s surveillance system. Further use of the A.D.P. system is planned to facilitate the work of the Committee. Investigations into the neurotoxicity of bismuth subgallate were finalised, culminating in a recommendation for removal of this agent from use. The results of the investigation were published in the Medical Journal of Australia. An investigation of the safety of local anaesthetics containing more than 20/xg/ml of catecholamine was also completed, resulting in a recommenda¬ tion that these formulations should be removed from the market because of possible severe cardiovascular reactions following their use. Following recent moves to limit the use of adult-strength antibiotic pre¬ parations containing erythromycin estolate because of hepatotoxicity, the Committee has been investigating the incidence of liver dysfunction in children being treated with paediatric strengths of the antibiotic. This study is almost complete and a recommendation will be made in the near future. The Committee’s investigations into the feasibility of monitoring drug intake and morbidity due to suspected adverse reactions within a representa¬ tive Australian community are nearing the final stages, and it is expected that the program will be implemented in the coming year. The number of reports received by the Australian Registry of Suspected Adverse Reactions to Drugs is expected to treble as a result. At present, the Committee operates an Australia-wide surveillance scheme based on spontaneous reporting of reactions. Analysis of data from the planned scheme, in conjunction with the present scheme, should provide invaluable information on drug prescribing and the incidence of reactions within the community. Feedback to the local medical profession is to be intensified by preparation of an annual report of suspected adverse reactions received by the Committee, and by upgrading the Adverse Drug Reactions Bulletin to a monthly publica¬ tion for distribution to all medical practitioners. This Bulletin was previously distributed at irregular intervals as a pilot trial to practitioners based in hospitals. Increased computer capability has allowed the Committee to expand feedback to the medical profession, and further services will become available as the Department’s A.D.P. facility is developed. National Therapeutic Goods Committee The National Therapeutic Goods Committee, which comprises representa¬ tives of the State and Australian Flealth Departments, met regularly during the year. Its functions are to make recommendations to those Departments on action necessary to bring about co-ordination of legislation and administra¬ tion of controls on therapeutic goods. As reported last year, the Committee has formulated draft proposals covering all aspects of advertising of prescription and non-prescription drugs and therapeutic appliances. The Australian Health Ministers approved the