National Immunisation Advisory Committee

The National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) is an Irish advisory body that advises the Chief Medical Officer and Department of Health in the area of immunisation procedures and related matters.[1] NIAC was established within the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland (RCPI) in 1998.[2] It comprises representatives from a broad range of medical and healthcare organisations with expertise in immunisation.[3]

National Immunisation Advisory Committee
Agency overview
Formed1998 (1998)
JurisdictionGovernment of Ireland
Agency executive
  • Professor Karina Butler, Chair
Parent departmentRoyal College of Physicians of Ireland
Websitewww.rcpi.ie/policy-and-advocacy/national-immunisation-advisory-committee/

Purpose

According to its Term of Reference, the purposes of NIAC are as follows:[3]

  • To provide advice to the Department of Health on vaccines, immunisation and related health matters in the Irish context
  • To develop and disseminate the National Immunisation Guidelines for Ireland
  • To advocate for best immunisation practices

Membership

The members of NIAC is nominated by the organisations listed and approved by the President of the RCPI. Those nominated to NIAC will serve a four-year term and may only be re-elected to serve one additional term.[3]

As of 2021, Professor Karina Butler serves as the Chair of NIAC.[4] She also sit on the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET).[5]

Voting membership

Voting membership nominating organisations:[3]

  • Faculty of Occupational Medicine, RCPI
  • Faculty of Paediatrics, RCPI
  • Faculty of Pathology, RCPI
  • Faculty of Public Health Medicine, RCPI
  • Health Protection Surveillance Centre
  • Infectious Disease Society of Ireland
  • Institute of Medicine
  • Institute of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
  • Irish College of General Practitioners
  • Lay public representatives
  • National Immunisation Office
  • Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland
  • Royal College of Physicians of Ireland
  • Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
  • Special Clinical Advisors
  • Travel Medicine Society of Ireland
  • National Virus Reference Laboratory

Additional Membership

In addition to voting membership, NIAC memberships are also nominated from the following organisation. The additional members have access to NIAC meetings, papers and may contribute to NIAC discussion, but will not have voting rights in order to maintain NIAC's independence.[3]

  • Department of Health
  • Health Service Executive
  • Health Products Regulatory Authority
  • Department of Health, Northern Ireland
  • Medical Secretaries (Specialist Registrars in Public Health Medicine, Infectious Diseases or Paediatrics)

Meetings

NIAC will meet once every two months. However, the Chair of NIAC or President of the RCPI have the power to call an extraordinary meeting if required. A record of attendance is maintained at every meeting and minutes of meeting will be included in the NIAC annual report and publicly available. NIAC meetings requires the presence of at least 50% of the voting members plus one voting member during the entire meeting and for decision making purposes.[1][3]

See also

References
  1. "College By-law in regard to NIAC". nitag-resource.org. Retrieved 6 September 2021.
  2. Shannon, June (11 August 2020). "Do we need to be concerned about taking a Covid-19 vaccine?". The Irish Times. Retrieved 27 March 2021.
  3. "Terms of Reference and Standard Operating Procedures RCPI National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC)" (PDF). 12 February 2021. Retrieved 6 September 2021.
  4. "Who we are". rcpi.ie. Royal College of Physicians of Ireland. Retrieved 7 September 2021.
  5. Horgan-Jones, Jack (5 January 2021). "NPHET gets three new members to boost infectious disease, scientific resources". The Irish Times. Retrieved 7 September 2021.
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