The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) has continued its high performance in the March quarter 2020, demonstrating further improvements in the timeliness of its regulatory decisions.
Overall, 90 per cent of total applications were finalised within timeframe. This included an increase in pesticide product applications processed within timeframe, with a completion rate of 97 per cent. The number of veterinary medicines applications achieved within timeframe also increased to 87 per cent.
APVMA Chief Executive Officer, Dr Chris Parker, noted the APVMA’s continued high performance comes at a time when the agency’s ability to deliver timely decisions for the introduction of agricultural and veterinary (agvet) chemicals to the Australian market is imperative.
“I am very pleased the previous structural and business model changes we implemented have positioned the APVMA to deliver agricultural productivity for the safety of people, animals and the environment,” said Dr Parker.
Further, and in response to the World Health Organization’s declaration of the COVID-19 pandemic, the APVMA has implemented business continuity arrangements enabling the agency to maintain operations and continue to deliver safe and effective products for Australian farmers.
“Despite the interruption of the COVID-19 pandemic, this quarter the APVMA has demonstrated significant improvements in providing stakeholders with timely, science-based agvet chemical regulation.
“Our people have worked tirelessly this past quarter to ensure the rigorous assessment of applications not only meet the highest of scientific quality standards, but are achieved within timeframe, including an increased demand for emergency use approvals in response to fall armyworm.”
View the March 2020 performance statistics.
Further information: Assistant Director, Media and Communications | +61 467 726 486 | media@apvma.gov.au