National Health and Medical Research Council

FUNCTIONS OF PRINCIPAL COMMITTEES

FOR THE 2018-2021 TRIENNIUM

NHMRC RESEARCH COMMITTEE
 

Functions

Subsection 35(2) of the National Health and Medical Research Act 1992 (NHMRC Act) provides that the functions of the Research Committee are:

(a)   to advise and make recommendations to the Council on the application of the Account; and

(b)   to monitor the use of assistance provided from the Account; and

(c)   to advise the Council on matters relating to medical research and public health research, including the quality and scope of such research in Australia; and

(d)   such other functions as the Minister from time to time determines in writing after consulting the CEO; and

(e)   any other functions conferred on the Committee by this Act, the regulations or any other law.

(Note: The Account is NHMRC Medical Research Endowment Account (MREA))

NHMRC AUSTRALIAN HEALTH ETHICS COMMITTEE (AHEC)

Functions

Subsection 35(3) of the NHMRC Act provides that the functions of the Australian Health Ethics Committee are:
 

(a)   to advise the Council on ethical issues relating to health; and

(b)   to develop and give the Council human research guidelines under subsection 10(2) of the NHMRC Act 1992; and

(c)   any other functions conferred on the Committee in writing by the Minister after consulting the CEO; and

(d)   any other functions conferred on the Committee by this Act, the regulations or any other law.

NHMRC HEALTH INNOVATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE (HIAC)

Functions

The HIAC will advise Council on current and emerging issues related to the development, commercialisation and uptake of innovative technologies and practices arising from health and medical research. 

Members will have demonstrated knowledge and expertise in areas such as emerging technologies, commercialisation and intellectual property development and protection.

 
HIAC is to advise the CEO and Council of NHMRC on:
 

(a)   strategies to foster the development and uptake of innovative technologies and practices to improve human health, including the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples;

(b)   strategies to promote collaboration between the health and medical research and commercial sectors;

(c)   creating a culture of commercialisation for the translation of research into health outcomes; and

(d)   any other matter referred by the CEO.

NHMRC HEALTH TRANSLATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE (HTAC)

Functions

The HTAC will advise Council on opportunities to improve health outcomes in areas including clinical care, public, population and environmental health, communicable diseases and prevention of illness through effective translation of research into health care and clinical practice. 

Members will have clinical or research expertise and experience in areas such as clinical practice, health services, new technologies including genomics, public health, health economics, evidence evaluation and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health.

HTAC is to advise the CEO and Council of NHMRC on:
 

(a)   major challenges, current issues and trends in health and health care, including those specific to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples;

(b)   priorities and strategies to address these challenges;

(c)   strategies to promote research translation into practice and policy;

(d)   promoting dissemination and implementation of research findings and NHMRC-issued guidelines; and

(e)   any other matter referred by the CEO.