This article first appeared in Natural Products Global, part of Diversified’s global natural & organic network. Written by Jim Manson.

Recent changes to the regulation of complementary medicines in Australia will strengthen the country’s status as a world leader in product innovation in the category.

That’s the view of the trade body Complementary Medicines Australia (CMA), which recently welcomed guests to the 2018 Innovation Seminar & Supplier Expo in Sydney, where the event’s theme this year was ‘Tomorrow’s Ideas…Today.’

Carl Gibson, ceo of Complementary Medicines Australia (CMA) said: “Well-informed consumers want to access innovative new products. The industry has seen increasing interest and demand from consumers keen to take an active role in managing their own health, with individuals tailoring their supplementation regime to their specific needs and goals.

“Recent amendments to the regulation of Australian complementary medicines are expected to help to drive investment in complementary medicines research and development, and support the Australian industry to seize opportunities presented by new markets and emerging trends.”

“The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has approved the inclusion of many new ingredients to the List of Permissible Ingredients. Over the last three years, greater than 150 new active and excipient ingredients have been added to the approved list, allowing the industry to innovate further and formulate new products to meet consumer demand.”

“We are proud that Australia is a global leader in complementary medicine research. This evening will see the launch of Friends of Complementary Medicines, which is an initiative to build collaborative networks between researchers in the field and industry members, and to showcase the best of our industry – safety, quality, responsibility, and research in traditional and complementary medicines.”

Gibson added : “With whole-of-industry support, the innovation expo has secured its place as an important event on the Australian complementary medicines industry calendar. It highlights the importance of consistently delivering on innovation to meet the growing demand for high-quality, evidence-based complementary medicines and natural health products.”

About the author: Jim Mason

Jim Manson is editor-in-chief of Diversified Communications UK‘s natural and organic publishing portfolio. He’s written widely on environment and development issues for specialist magazines and national media, including the Financial Times, The Guardian, The Times, and World Bank Urban Age.

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