DownloadAustralian Sports Drug Medical Advisory Committee
Section 52 of the ASADA Act and Clause 5 of the National Anti-Doping (NAD) scheme outline the functions of the Australian Sports Drug Medical Advisory Committee (ASDMAC). These functions include:
- giving approval for athletes to use prohibited medications for legitimate therapeutic purposes
- conducting investigations and providing additional medical and scientific expertise to help determine positive test results
- providing expert medical advice to drug testing laboratories
- providing expert medical advice to anti-doping tribunals
- advising athletes, support personnel and national sporting organisations (NSOs) about anti-doping issues and the wellbeing of athletes
- giving advice to ASADA and the Australian Sports Commission (ASC) on matters relating to anti-doping and athletes’ health and wellbeing
- providing advice to ASADA and ASADA’s clients about sports medicine issues.
A full statement of ASDMAC’s functions as prescribed in the ASADA Act and NAD scheme is included in Appendix K.
ASDMAC functions are subject to compliance with relevant legislation and regulation. Regular audits highlight openness and transparency in decision-making, the highest standards of probity, integrity and a strong commitment to accountability.
ASDMAC complies with the World Anti-Doping Code and the International Standard for Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUEs).
Therapeutic approvals for prohibited substances
ASDMAC operates as the Australian Therapeutic Use Exemption Committee, providing approval for therapeutic use of prohibited substances to certain athletes if:
- their NSO’s anti-doping policy allows for, or permits, the athlete to seek approval to use a medication prohibited in sport for a legitimate therapeutic purpose
- there is no alternative and permitted therapeutic substance available that could be prescribed to treat the athlete’s medical condition
- there is no evidence that the athlete will gain a performance enhancement effect by using the substance.
ASDMAC members
ASDMAC held five meetings during 2010–11.
ASDMAC members operate in accordance with the powers and functions under the ASADA Act, the ASADA Regulations and the NAD scheme.
Prof Ken Fitch AM – Chair
MBBS, MD, DSc (Hons), FRACGP, FACRM, FACSM, FASMF, FACSP
- Adjunct Professor, School of Human Movement and Exercise Science, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Western Australia
- Member, International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) Medical Commission
- Chairman, IOC Games Group
- Chairman, IOC’s Therapeutic Use Exemption Committee
- Chairman, IOC’s Independent Asthma Panel
- Chairman, Therapeutic Use Committee, Oceania Regional Anti-Doping Organisation
- Chairman, Therapeutic Use Committee, Commonwealth Games Federation
- Member, Therapeutic Use Committee, Professional Golfers Association European Tour
- Emeritus Consultant Physician, Sports Medicine, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Royal Perth Hospital
- Member, Medical Commission, Australian Olympic Committee.
Dr Susan White – Member
MBBS (Hons), FACSP, FASMF
- Sports Physician, Olympic Park Sports Medicine Centre, Melbourne
- Member, Medical Commission, Australian Olympic Committee
- Medical Director, Australian Youth Olympic Team, Singapore 2010
- Deputy Medical Director, Australian Olympic Team, London 2012
- Chief Medical Officer, Swimming Australia
- Editorial Board, Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine
- Editorial Board, British Journal of Sports Medicine
- Member, Anti-Doping Panel, Cricket Australia
- Member, Australian Football League Tribunal (Anti-Doping)
- Team Physician, Australian Swim Team
- Team Physician, Melbourne Vixens Netball Team.
Dr Peter Harcourt OAM – Member
MBBS, FACSP, FASMF, Dip Obs
- Sports Physician
- Medical Director, Australian Commonwealth Games team, Delhi, India
- Medical Coordinator, Victorian Institute of Sport
- Clinical Convenor, Health Services Group (WorkSafe and Transport Accident Commission), Victoria
- Chief Medical Officer, Basketball Australia
- Medical Commissioner, Australian Football League
- Anti-Doping Medical Officer, Cricket Australia
- Chair, International Cricket Council Medical Committee and Therapeutic Use Exemption Committee
- Federation Internationale de Basketball Amateur Medical Council and Therapeutic Use Exemption Committee
- Team Physician, Melbourne Victory Football Club
- Senior Fellow, Faculty of Law, University of Melbourne.
Dr Hugh Hazard – Member
MBBS, Grad Dip Sports Science, FACSP
- Sports Physician
- Team Medical Officer, Country Rugby League team
- Medical Consultant, Bulldogs Rugby League Club.
Dr Grace Bryant OAM – Member
MBBS, Grad Dip Sports Science, FASMF, FACSP, FFESM (UK)
- Sports Physician
- Chief Medical Officer, Australian Women’s Water Polo
- Team Physician, National Netball Competition
- Member, Medical Commission, Australian Commonwealth Games Association
- Member, Education Committee, Sports Medicine Australia (NSW Branch)
- Member, International Netball Medical Panel.
Dr Terry Farquharson – Member
B Pharm, MBBS, M App Sci, FASMF, FACSP
- Sports Physician
- SA Sports Medicine Centre Clinical Lecturer
- University of Adelaide Senior Visiting Medical Specialist
- Queen Elizabeth Hospital Medical Officer with Norwood Football Club and South Australian National Football League
- Medical Officer with South Australian Cricket Association and Cricket Australia.
Achievements
During the financial year ending 30 June 2011:
- ASDMAC processed 299 applications for TUEs
- ASDMAC was consulted during the preparation of the Australian Government’s submission to WADA’s 2011 list of prohibited substances and prohibited methods
- ASDMAC provided information and advice to ASADA in establishing a new National Level Review Body to hear TUE appeals
- ASDMAC reviewed and updated the application and other forms integral to the TUE process with the assistance of its legal adviser
- Dr Susan White was appointed Chief Medical Officer to the Australian team at the 2010 Singapore Youth Olympic Games and Deputy CMO for the Australian Olympic team London 2012
- Members provided the Australasian College of Sports Physicians (ACSP) with regular comments and updates on relevant subjects for publication in the ACSP newsletter.
Resources
ASDMAC is funded from the ASADA appropriation. A breakdown of the 2010–11 budget is provided in table 17.
| ($) 000’s | |
|---|---|
| Members’ and professional fees | 241.3 |
| Meetings and conferences | 28.1 |
| Administration and communication | 8.4 |
| Total | 277.8 |
Freedom of information procedures and ASDMAC contact details
To enable a prompt response, and to help us meet our obligations under the FOI Act, applicants need to provide as much information as possible about the documents they are seeking. A phone number or an email address should also be included in case ASDMAC officers need any clarification.
Enquiries about submitting a formal request under the FOI Act should be directed to the ASDMAC Freedom of Information Coordinator on (02) 6222 4283.
FOI requests should be sent to:
Attention: ASDMAC Secretariat
Australian Sports Drug Medical Advisory Committee
PO Box 1744
Fyshwick ACT 2609
From 1 May 2011 agencies subject to the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act) are required to publish information to the public as part of the Information Publication Scheme (IPS). This requirement is in Part II of the FOI Act and has replaced the former requirement to publish a section 8 statement in an annual report. An agency plan showing what information is published in accordance with the IPS will be accessible from ASDMAC’s website.
| Matters on hand (start 2010–11) |
Requests received (2010–11) |
Requests finalised (2010–11) |
Requests outstanding (end 2010–11) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | n/a | 0 |
ASDMAC did not receive any applications for internal review or Administrative Appeals Tribunal matters in 2010–11.