What you need to know
These meetings are an opportunity to meet with departmental officers from our secretariat and the relevant policy team. You can find out more about the application process and get advice about your proposed application.
Pre-application meetings are optional. If you would like some advice but do not need a meeting, contact our secretariat.
Who can request a meeting
Anyone planning to apply to MSAC can request a meeting. You may find a meeting particularly helpful if:
- you are new to the MSAC process
- the appropriate funding source for your service or technology is not clear
- your application is for a high cost, highly specialised therapy.
When to submit your request
Submit your request at least 6 weeks before you intend to lodge your application. This ensures our secretariat has enough time to:
- consider possible meeting dates
- prepare and provide the best possible advice
- redirect your request to another part of the department, if needed.
Pre-application meetings are not available in the week before PICO Advisory Subcommittee (PASC), Evaluation Subcommittee (ESC) and MSAC meetings. To see the upcoming meeting dates, go to key dates for applicants.
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Your representatives may include:
- employees of your organisation
- health professionals or other health service providers
- external contractors
- consumer representatives.
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Your representatives must not lobby our secretariat or other departmental officers.
Lobbying means communicating with a government representative to influence government decision-making. To find out more, see the lobbying code of conduct.
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If your application is Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) codependent, you can also request a PBAC pre-submission meeting.
Which committee you request a meeting with depends on the questions you have. To find out more, see before you apply (PBAC codependent).
What you need to do
1. Request a meeting
Before you submit a request, become familiar with the application process, our application form and other resources. If you still have questions and would like a meeting, send our secretariat a completed meeting request form.
Our secretariat may contact you to discuss the application before agreeing to a meeting. If they agree a meeting is appropriate, they will:
- organise a time for the meeting
- invite relevant departmental officers to attend – this may include medical and HTA advisers from our secretariat and officers from the relevant policy team
- email you the meeting details.
If our secretariat does not believe a meeting is required, they may:
- respond to your queries in an email or phone call
- ask for more information
- refer your request to another part of the department.
2. Provide a briefing paper
You may need to provide a briefing paper if:
- you would like to provide more information about your proposed application
- our secretariat asks for more information after receiving your meeting request form.
If you would like to provide more information about your proposed application, provide the briefing paper at least 10 business days before the meeting. This will help our secretariat to prepare for the meeting and ensure they have invited the right departmental officers.
If our secretariat requests a briefing paper, they will advise you of the due date.
3. Attend the meeting
The meeting will be via videoconference and will be up to one hour long. We expect all attendees to conduct these meetings in good faith. The outcomes are non-binding on both sides.
Next steps
If our secretariat considers an application to MSAC is not appropriate, the next step may be a referral to the relevant policy team. Liaise with our secretariat and the relevant policy team as needed.
If you decide to apply after the meeting, the next step is to lodge an application form.
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