Dr Richard Gordon has been appointed to the Gene Technology Technical Advisory Committee (GTTAC) within the Australian Government Department of Health.
The Gene Technology Technical Advisory Committee (GTTAC) provides expert scientific and technical advice to the Gene Technology Regulator (the Regulator) and the Legislative and Governance Forum on Gene Technology (LGFGT; formerly the Gene Technology Ministerial Council).
This advice covers matters including:
- gene technology, genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and genetically modified products (GM products);
- applications made under the Gene Technology Act 2000 (the Act);
- the biosafety aspects of gene technology;
- the need for policy principles, policy guidelines, codes of practice and technical and procedural guidelines in relation to GMOs and GM products, and the content of such principles, guidelines and codes.
Under the Act, the Regulator assesses licence applications with GMOs and prepares Risk Assessments and Risk Management Plans. A key responsibility is the provision of expert scientific advice to the Regulator on licence applications and RARMPs. The Regulator must seek GTTAC advice when assessing licence applications for dealings involving intentional release of GMOs into the environment (DIR).
GTTAC comprises 16 members appointed by the Assistant Minister for Rural Health, the Hon Dr David Gillespie MP, following consultation with the Regulator, State/Territory Ministers and relevant scientific, consumer, health, environmental and industry organisations.
Members include experts in relevant scientific fields including risk assessment, public health and ecology, as well as a layperson. GTTAC must also include a person who is a member of the Gene Technology Ethics and Community Consultative Committee (GTECCC).
