Australia - New Zealand Therapeutic Products Agency (ANZTPA)

The Australian Dental Industry Association (ADIA) is pleased to be working with the Australian government in the development of the proposed Australia-New Zealand Therapeutic Products Agency (ANZTPA), the proposed successor to the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). The creation of ANZTPA follows an agreement signed on 20 June 2011 between the Prime Ministers from Australia and New Zealand.

ADIA was a supporter of the ANZTPA propsoal when it was first proposed several years ago, and the Association has always believed that its establishment is in the best interests of both patients and the Australian dental industry.  ADIA's interest is to achieve the harmonisation of regulatory standards for medical devices in a way that provides appropriate levels of safety while at the same time freeing the dental industry from an unnecessary regulatory burden.

The agreement between the Australian and New Zealand governments signals the intent of both governments to progressively implement the joint agency over a period of up to five years. A staged approach focused on medicines, medical devices and biologicals will be adopted in order to establish the requisite building blocks for one regulatory system. The stages over five years are:

At a meeting convened by ADIA in Parliament House and held on 21 June 2011 - the day following the ANZTPA announcement - the Parliamentary Secretary for Health and Ageing, the Honourable Catherine King MP, provided an update on the agreement to dental industry business leaders.  ADIA welcomes the Parliamentary Secretary’s commitment to seeing this initiative through to delivery and her assurance that, through ADIA, the dental will be consulted throughout the process.

ADIA shares the view of the Australian Government that the creation of a joint regulatory scheme across both countries will safeguard public health and safety, while encouraging economic integration and benefitting industry in both countries.

It is likely that a select Ministerial Council, including Australian and New Zealand Health Ministers and other relevant ministers, will oversee the implementation. A task force will be established to inform the Ministerial Council and drive implementation, which will be achieved progressively, and ADIA will take the lead role on behalf of the dental industry of working with the Ministerial Council to ensure that the interests of dental equipment products and suppliers are represented as the need arises.

The ADIA-DRC Dental Regulation Committee provides the opportunity for members to assist in developing ADIA policy relevant to the establishment of ANZTPA.

To keep up to date with this issue follow ADIA on Twitter @AusDental or contact the ADIA national office via email at dental.regulation@adia.org.au or by telephone on 1300 943 094 (Internationally: +61 2 9319 5631).