The recall process for therapeutic goods in the Australian healthcare sector is set to become streamlined with GS1 Recallnet Healthcare having gone live.
Developed over four years by GS1 Australia in association with the National E-Health Transition Authority (NEHTA), the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), state and territory health departments and a number of medical device and pharmaceutical suppliers and industry associations, GS1 Recallnet Healthcare is an electronic product recall notification management system for therapeutic goods.
The portal will allow users to create recall and non-recall notifications that follow the uniform recall procedure for therapeutic goods (URTPG) guidelines, as well as submit recall notifications directly to the TGA for review and approval.
GS1 Australia's CEO Maria Palazzolo said: "Therapeutic product recalls always present a significant challenge to the Australian healthcare industry and this portal will improve the therapeutic product recall notification process for the benefit and safety of all Australians.
"By committing to one standardised program, Australian healthcare organisations will ensure the recall of products is as efficient, consistent and immediate as possible," said NEHTA CEO Peter Fleming.
Since the official launch of GS1 Recallnet Healthcare in late 2013, Queensland Health, Health Purchasing Victoria (HPV) and SA Health have been running mock recall projects to test and update their procedure manuals and guidelines so they are familiar with the functionality of GS1 Recallnet Healthcare when it goes live.
Project manager information services at HPV Sandra Gleeson said: "We have been running a number of mock recalls and promoting GS1 Recallnet Healthcare, with a positive result of 36 health services already on board."
Health Purchasing Victoria (HPV) also shared its plans of incorporating GS1 Recallnet Healthcare into its recall management process through the HPV Update newsletter. WA Health is also promoting the use of GS1 Recallnet Healthcare and has issued a GS1 Recallnet in Healthcare letter to its sponsor community.
The TGA who contributed to the development of GS1 Recallnet Healthcare since the start of the project in 2009 has published a GS1 Recallnet Healthcare and the TGA statement on use of the portal on its website.
Key users of GS1 Recallnet Healthcare will be health product manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, health departments, hospitals, government agencies, pharmacies and pharmaceutical wholesalers.
"GS1 Recallnet Healthcare will improve patient safety by streamlining the management of product recalls for medicines, implants, medical equipment and medical consumables in the Australian market," added Ms Palazzolo.
