1996 —

Therapeutic Guidelines Limited company created

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Dr Geoff Dreher, previously the executive director of The Royal Melbourne Hospital, was commissioned in 1995 by VMPF to write the report about the future of the Therapeutics Committee

Mary Hemming, first CEO of Therapeutic Guidelines Limited

Professor Rob Moulds, first chair of the TGL board, and then Dean of The Royal Melbourne and Western Hospitals Clinical School of The University of Melbourne

Dr Laurie Mashford, clinical pharmacologist and one of the first nine TGL board members

Professor Felix Bochner, professor of clinical pharmacology at The University of Adelaide and one of the first nine TGL board members

Professor Tony Smith, founder in 1978 of the clinical pharmacology department at The University of Newcastle’s new medical school and one of the first nine TGL board members

Neil Naismith, chief pharmacist at The Royal Melbourne Hospital, chair of VDUAC, and one of the first nine TGL board members

Associate Professor Ken Harvey, microbiologist and one of the first nine TGL board members

Professor John Murtagh, who established general practice as a recognised academic discipline at Monash University and wrote the textbook of general practice, and one of the first nine TGL board members

Professor John Tiller, professor of psychiatry at The University of Melbourne and a member of the editorial committee of Australian Prescriber, and one of the first nine TGL board members.  He is the second longest serving director in the company’s history

Dr John Dowden, general practitioner, editor-in-chief of Australian Prescriber and the Commonwealth Department of Health’s nominee to the board, and one of the first nine TGL board members. He is the longest serving board member

Peter Francis, legal advisor to TGL

Alan Mitchell, financial advisor to TGL

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The notion of an autonomous and independent company had been proposed as early as 1987 to replace the Therapeutics Committee. A straightforward business structure was needed to manage employment of staff, financial transactions, an increased workload and expanding book sales.

In September 1995 the VMPF, led by Rob Moulds since 1994, formally commissioned Dr Geoff Dreher to write a report to advise on the best overall management structure for the future of the guidelines’ activities. His key recommendation was that the committee should become ‘a legal entity in its own right with a Board membership reflecting the Guidelines Program’s national character’ and that a chief executive officer should be appointed.

A company limited by guarantee was recommended as the best structure so that the non-commercial, professionally based, not-for-profit aspects of the program could be written into the memorandum and articles of association.

Nominees to a board of nine were sought from the federal Department of Health and the RACGP to complement three nominees each from VDUAC and VMPF, and the VMPF chair would be the company board chair. No payments to board members would be made.

Writing was transferred from VDUAC to the new company. The writing committees reported directly to writing support staff and the new CEO. Mary Hemming was appointed as CEO because of her expertise and dedication, and because she could provide stability and continuity for the new company.


Mary Hemming on the commissioning of Geoff Dreher to recommend a future structure

Rob Moulds on selection of the first TGL board members

The company was formed in July 1996. At first named Australian Therapeutic Guidelines Program Limited, this quickly changed to Therapeutic Guidelines Limited (TGL) in October 1996. Solicitor Peter Francis, a partner at Purves Clarke Richards, established the company structure and provided legal advice. He continued to do this after he moved to Maddocks lawyers in 2002. Alan Mitchell was retained for financial advice and corporate accounting. The board of nine, which met for first time on 5 September 1996, included:

  • Professor Rob Moulds, chair
  • Dr Laurie Mashford
  • Professor Felix Bochner
  • Professor Tony Smith
  • Neil Naismith
  • Associate Professor Ken Harvey
  • Professor John Murtagh
  • Professor John Tiller
  • Dr John Dowden

Related Events

1989 —

Therapeutics Committee replaced Antibiotic Committee to promote a national approach

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Antibiotic writing group members at work in 1991, chaired by Laurie Mashford

Mary Hemming on the commissioning of Geoff Dreher to recommend a future structure

Rob Moulds on selection of the first TGL board members