Annual Report 2015–2016

The ERLC assesses applications for licences to conduct research involving human embryos. Licences can
only be issued if the proposed research complies with the legislation. The Committee is also responsible
for monitoring compliance with the legislation and licence conditions. If necessary, the Committee can take
enforcement action, including cancelling or suspending licences.
During 2015–16, the committee met three times. It considered 48 applications to vary existing licences.
Of these 43 variations were approved and five variations are under consideration. Three licences expired
during the reporting period. Seven licences were current at 30 June 2016.
Every six months ERLC is required by section 19 of the RIHE Act to table a report in Parliament describing
its activities. The report includes information about licences issued under the RIHE Act. The report for
1 March 2015 to 31 August 2015 was tabled on 30 March 2016. The report for 1 September 2015 to
29 February 2016 will be tabled after the end of the caretaker period. All reports are available from the
NHMRC website.
Monitoring and enforcing compliance with the PHCR Act and the RIHE Act
NHMRC is committed to ensuring that individuals and licence-holder organisations comply with the RIHE
and PHCR Acts. Under the legislation, the Chair of the ERLC appoints inspectors who conduct a range
of monitoring and compliance activities. During 2015–16 these inspectors conducted nine inspections to
ensure compliance with licence conditions and provided information to prospective licence holders and other
stakeholders about compliance with the legislation.
PART 3 operating environment
Table 18 Inspections undertaken by the ERLC under the RIHE Act and PHCR Act 2015–16:
Licence holder Licence Number Inspection type Inspection date
Monash IVF 309722 Monitoring 19 November 2015
Genea Ltd 309712 Final 3 December 2015
Genea Ltd 309713 Final 3 December 2015
Genea Ltd 309714 Final 3 December 2015
Genea Ltd 309703 Monitoring 19 May 2016
Genea Ltd 309710 Monitoring 19 May 2016
Genea Ltd 309718 Monitoring 19 May 2016
Genea Ltd Site 19 May 2016
Melbourne IVF Pty Ltd 309723 Monitoring 26 May 2016
A full list of ERLC members is available at Appendix 5.
Health Translation Advisory Committee
The Health Translation Advisory Committee (HTAC) advises the CEO and Council of NHMRC 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. These include:
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