Drug Advisory Committee (DAC)
DAC plays a key role in evaluating new pharmaceuticals for listing on the HA Drug Formulary.
Terms of Reference
The Terms of Reference of DAC are:
a) To evaluate new pharmaceuticals and decide on the indication for use for listing on the HA Drug Formulary;
b) To decide on the category of new pharmaceuticals approved for listing on the HA Drug Formulary;
c) To advise all HA hospitals and clinics the review outcome of new pharmaceuticals put up for listing on the HA Drug Formulary; and
d) To recommend the DMC on listing of new drugs in different categories including Self-financed Item and Special Drug and prioritisation of new drugs for safety net coverage of HADF.
Composition
DAC is chaired by a senior management executive appointed by the subject corporate Director. Its composition has the representation of different clinical disciplines. The DAC membership is as follows:
a) a Vice-chairperson;
b) Chief Pharmacist;
c) Two Chairpersons of Cluster DTCs;
d) Two Cluster Clinical Stream Coordinators (Pharmacy);
e) A Senior Pharmacist from Head Office Chief Pharmacist’s Office; and
f) Two co-opted academics in healthcare-related disciplines (e.g. clinical pharmacologist) from local universities.
The Chief Pharmacist is positional appointment. The tenure of DAC Chairperson, Vice-chairperson and other members is up to two years, with flexibility of extension for two or more terms. Co-opted academics are personal appointments by invitation of the subject corporate Director and their membership would be reviewed biennially.
Members assist in considering different aspects of drug use and providing balanced views on clinical outcomes and resource impacts in accordance with the best available scientific and clinical evidence. Opinions from Advisers who are nominated by the HADF Expert Panel are consulted when necessary. They contribute to the work of DAC as independent experts and are accountable to DAC on individual basis. There is no accountability relationship between members and their respective Clusters/ Hospitals/ Units, Cluster/Hospital Drug and Therapeutics Committees (DTC), Coordinating Committees (COCs), Central Committees (CCs) on disease groups or Expert Panels.
In view of the importance and complexity of new drug evaluations for the HA Drug Formulary, the successor of DAC Chairperson would preferably be designated one year before expiration of the tenure of the current chairperson, and attend DAC meetings as a co-opted member until he / she takes up the chairpersonship. As for members, renewal of membership would preferably be staggered in order to ensure smooth operation of the committee and to maintain consistency in the decision-making process.