2015–18 NHMRC committee members announced

Experts in health ethics, policy, patient care and innovation are among those appointed to the following five National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) committees:

• Research Committee
• Australian Health Ethics Committee (AHEC)
• Health Translation Advisory Committee (HTAC)
• Health Innovation Advisory Committee (HIAC)
• Embryo Research Licensing Committee (ERLC)

The appointments comprise a cross-section of Australian researchers, clinicians, academics and administrators, as well as people from the corporate sector. They will join the committees in providing advice and guidance to the NHMRC council and to CEO Professor Anne Kelso.

While AHEC, ERLC and Research Committee have a long history serving NHMRC, HTAC and HIAC are entirely new bodies. HTAC will advise NHMRC on how best to improve the translation of health and medical research into patient outcomes and health policy, while HIAC will foster and encourage health innovation in Australia.

Professor Kelso said she was delighted by the high calibre of the new appointees and their willingness to contribute their time and expertise.

“We are only as strong as the people we have to help us,” she said. “Our new committee members are leaders in their fields, and I believe that the range of skills, commitment and experience they bring will place us in an excellent position to meet the varied challenges facing the health and medical research sector.

“I look forward to working with our new committee members in the 2015–18 triennium and thank the previous members of our committees for their contributions to improving the health and wellbeing of all Australians.”