All AWPs are chaired by an ATAGI member, and depending on the issue, may be co-chaired by the senior representative from another statutory group such as CDNA or NIC, depending on the issue. Membership is always expertise-based, and may involve other ATAGI members, NIC members, and experts in a specific area who are not members of ATAGI provided they are free of high-level conflicts of interest. In this last case, where unique Paclitaxel outside expertise is required, an invitation to submit technical material or other advice may be sought, but they cannot be an active member of the AWP. AWPs are supported by one or more scientific officers from the NCIRS who are responsible for assembling

the written report, obtaining resource materials and conducting further analysis if required. Crucial to the quality and timely delivery of high quality

advice to Government and to providers is learn more the policy branch of the NCIRS. (http://www.ncirs.usyd.edu.au/). Since 2005, the vaccine funding advisory framework in Australia was changed to bring vaccines into the overall policy framework that has been used for drugs for some years. The PBAC was established to consider submissions, usually from manufacturers, based on cost-effectiveness applications for pharmaceuticals or new vaccines. The Chair of the PBAC is appointed full-time, but the Committee’s membership is otherwise made up in a similar way to that of the ATAGI, with clinicians, academics and others with particular expertise. PBAC meets three times annually to consider submissions, and then provides a recommendation to Government on whether or not to fund and on what basis. In the case of vaccines, the sponsor may submit for either NIP listing (free to eligible people and listed on the NIP), or PBS listing (requires a co-payment, and is not listed on the NIP). In Australia, the general criteria for suitability for listing on the NIP are defined in the Vaccine Appendix of the PBAC submission framework (Table A.1). Medicines Australia is the umbrella group representing pharmaceutical ADP ribosylation factor Libraries manufacturers in Australia, and its sub-committee the Medicines Australia

Vaccine Industry Group (MAVIG), is a consortium of vaccine manufacturers. MAVIG has played an important role in coordinating the industry view of national policy matters in industry’s representation to Government. It played a key role in the consultation and development phase of the vaccine appendix to the PBAC guidelines (Table A.1). ATAGI conducts formal ‘in camera’ consultations with vaccine manufacturers annually (ATAGI Industry Days) at which companies separately present their latest developments and plans for vaccines. This has proved to be an important two-way communication process to permit ATAGI to plan its working party activities and to coordinate with PBAC for pre-submission advice for upcoming submissions.