SA Health Cancer Drug Committee

The SA Health Cancer Drug Committee (SAHCDC) is responsible to the South Australian Medicines Advisory Committee (SAMAC) for overseeing the development, approval and review of adult cancer therapy protocols within SA Health Hospitals.

Terms of Reference (PDF 257KB)

Cancer therapy protocol review

Adult

The scope of the SAHCDC includes adult cancer therapy protocols used in malignant haematology (for example leukaemia and myeloma) and oncology (solid tumours).

The SAHCDC provides final review and endorsement of new and updated adult cancer therapy protocols following submission by cancer services. Adult protocols are reviewed and assessed for effectiveness and suitability for endorsement using the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Evidence levels guide (PDF 195KB).

The SAHCDC also enables urgent review of ‘non-standard’ cancer therapy protocols for individual patient treatment when an endorsed protocol is not available.

Paediatric

Paediatric cancer therapy protocols are reviewed and approved under the Women's and Children's Health Network (WCHN) Chemotherapy Governance Committee process for use in SA Health hospitals and health services. The SAHCDC hosts the paediatric cancer therapy registers.

Approved cancer therapy protocols and SAHCDC forms

The SAHCDC has created standard forms and templates to support the cancer therapy protocol development and approval process. The forms can be downloaded here:

• New or revised cancer chemotherapy protocol registration — application form (PDF 589KB)
• Cancer chemotherapy protocol registration form and template (DOCX 292KB)
• Cancer Chemotherapy Protocol Build Request Form (Streamlined) (DOCX 339KB)
  
• Use of a non-registered cancer chemotherapy protocol request form (single patient use) (DOCX 542KB)
  • Northern Adelaide Local Health Network (NALHN) pilot - NALHN Single Patient Use (SPU) - Protocol Request Form
    
• The Interim Systemic Cancer Therapy Protocol Form (DOCX 627KB)

NALHN SPU form and user guides

NALHN are trialling an online form for SPU. Relevant user guides to assist users completing the Single Patient Use (SPU) - Protocol Request Form are available below:

• Applicant (not treating consultant) iApply user guide (PDF 125KB)
• Pharmacist iApply user guide (PDF 124KB)
• Treating consultant iApply user guide (PDF 125KB)

Membership

Membership includes doctors, pharmacists, nurses and consumer representatives:

• Chair — Dr Ganessan Kichenadasse, Consultant Medical Oncology Flinders Medical Centre, Clinical Pharmacologist, Lecturer Flinders University
• Deputy Chair – Dr David Yeung, Consultant — Haematologist Royal Adelaide Hospital and SA Pathology, Clinical Senior Lecturer Adelaide University
• Executive Sponsor - Ms Naomi Burgess, Chief Pharmacist, Clinical Systems Support and Improvement, SA Health
• Senior Project Pharmacist - Ms Bel Morris, Principal Pharmacist, Cancer Chemotherapy, SA Health
• Consumer Representative, Ms Karen van Gorp
• Central Adelaide Local Health Network representatives
  • Haematologist - Dr Uwe Hahn
  • Oncologist (QEH) - Dr Rachel Roberts-Thomson
  • Oncologist (RAH) - Dr Harminder Takhar
  • Pharmacist - Ms Marianne Burrow
  • Nurse - Ms Kristy Howell
• Southern Adelaide Local Health Network representatives
  • Haematologist - Dr Jir Ping Boey
  • Oncologist - A/Prof Chris Karapetis
  • Pharmacist - Ms Helen Martin
  • Nurse - Michael Fitzgerald
• Northern Adelaide Local Health Network representatives
  • Oncologist - Dr Chris Hocking
  • Haematologist - Dr Ka Chun (Stanley) Cheung
  • Pharmacist - Mr Chen-Yao (Marcus) Hung
  • Nurse - Vacant
• Regional LHNs representatives
  • Oncologist - Dr Kate Wislang
  • Pharmacist - Ms Davina Gillard
  • Nurse - Vacant
  • Haematologist  - Dr Danielle Blunt
• Women’s and Children’s Health Network representatives
  • Oncologist - Dr Ben Saxon
  • Pharmacist - Ms Cassandra Mosel
  • Nurse - Vacant
• eCPS / SA Pharmacy - Ms Arabelle Pedersen (non-voting)