South Australian Medicines Advisory Committee (SAMAC)

The South Australian Medicines Advisory Committee (SAMAC) was established in July 2010 as an expert committee of the SA Department for Health and Wellbeing to encourage the appropriate, equitable, safe and cost-effective use of medicines in SA.

SAMAC provides a resource for SA Health, South Australian hospitals and healthcare professionals in the delivery of advice on the equitable and quality use of medicines in SA to provide all South Australians with access to quality, safe, complete and affordable health care.

SAMAC's role

The role of SAMAC includes:

  • Promoting consistency in the development of guidelines and strategies relating to the use of medicines within South Australia.
  • Providing an objective evaluation of the clinical benefits, safety and costs of medicines that are proposed for use in public health facilities to promote rational therapeutic drug use.
  • Undertaking activities relating to the monitoring of medicines use to ensure best practice.
  • Dissemination of medicines advice to the community, enabling consumers to make informed decisions on the use of medicines.

SAMAC membership

Chaired by Professor Randall Faull, SAMAC is composed of representatives covering the spectrum of health disciplines across the public and private sectors and other bodies with an interest in the use of medicines. See below for a full listing of members.

Chair SAMAC Professor Randall Faull Senior Consultant in Nephrology, Royal Adelaide Hospital

Central Adelaide Local Health Network

  • Prof Sepehr Shakib Clinical Pharmacologist, Royal Adelaide Hospital (Chair CALHN DTC)
  • Associate Professor Mary White, Senior Consultant in Intensive Care, Royal Adelaide Hospital

Regional Local Health Networks

  • Dr Matthew McConnell, Public Health Physician, Rural Support Service, Regional LHNs (Chair RLHNs DTAC)
  • Dr Viney Joshi, Executive Director Medical Services, Yorke and Northern Local Health Network
  • Karen Macolino, Director of Pharmacy, Regional LHNs and Rural Support Service, SA Pharmacy
  • Ms Jenny Pink, Regional Lead Pharmacist, Barossa Hills Fleurieu LHN, SA Pharmacy.

Northern Adelaide Local Health Network

  • Dr Sally Johns, Staff Specialist Geriatrician, Northern Adelaide Geriatrics Service (Chair NALHN DTC)
  • Mr Richard Marotti, Director of Pharmacy Services, Northern Adelaide LHN, SA Pharmacy

Southern Adelaide Local Health Network

  • Vacant (Chair SALHN DTC)

Women’s and Children’s Health Network

  • Dr Damian Clark, Paediatric Neurologist, Women’s & Children’s Hospital (Chair WCHN DTC)
  • Mr Sean Turner, Director of Pharmacy Services, Women’s & Children’s Health Network, SA Pharmacy.

Chief Medical Officer, SA Health, Dr Michael Cusack

Chief Nurse and Midwifery Officer, SA Health, Adj Assoc Prof Jennifer Hurley

Chief Pharmacist, SA Health, Ms Naomi Burgess 

Deputy Chief Pharmacist, SA Health, Vaughn Eaton

SA Pharmacy Executive Director, SA Health, Ms Anna McClure

Community Pharmacy Representative, Mr Grant Kardachi, Pharmacy/Accredited Pharmacist & Past President, Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA)

Hospital Pharmacy Representative, Ms Anita Abarno, Director of Pharmacy Services, CALHN, SA Pharmacy

General Practice / Royal Australian College of General Practitioners Representative, Professor Nigel Stocks Head of Discipline of General Practice, University of Adelaide

Private Hospitals Representatives, Ms Jacquie Wiley, Chair, Private Hospital Directors of Nursing Group, Director of Nursing & Clinical Services, St Andrew’s Hospital

Consumer Representative, Ms Lynda Whiteway

SA expert Advisory Group on Antimicrobial Resistance (SAAGAR), Chair, Dr Morgyn Warner Consultant Physician, Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, SA Pathology, CALHN (TQEH & Royal Adelaide Hospital)

SA Health Cancer Drug Committee (SAHCDC), Chair, Dr Ganessan Kichenadasse, Medical Oncologist, SALHN, Lead, Statewide Cancer Clinical Network

South Australian Formulary Committee (SAFC), Chair, Dr Nicholas Farinola, Clinical Pharmacologist, General Physician, Royal Adelaide Hospital

South Australian Medicines Evaluation Panel (SAMEP), Chair,  Dr Tilenka Thynne, Clinical Pharmacologist, Endocrinologist, Southern Adelaide Local Health Network

South Australian Medication Safety Advisory Group (SAMSAG), Chair, Ms Naomi Burgess, Chief Pharmacist, SA Health

SA Psychotropic Drugs Committee (SAPDC), Chair, Dr John Brayley, Chief Psychiatrist, SA Health

Executive Officer Rachael Cheh, Senior Pharmacist, Medicines & Technology Programs, SA Health

SAMAC sub-committees and working groups

SAMAC is supported by multidisciplinary expert standing committees and working groups to address specific medicines issues. These committees will provide stakeholders with opportunities for robust discussion, debate, and evaluation of medicines issues. Current SAMAC sub-committees include:

Contact

SAMAC welcomes communication regarding SAMAC initiatives and issues affecting medicines and medicines use across South Australia, particularly issues relevant to SA Health. For further information about SAMAC please contact the SAMAC Executive Officer by email or phone (08) 8204 1941.