What is the Medical Services Advisory Committee (MSAC)?

The Medical Services Advisory Committee (MSAC) is an independent non-statutory committee established by the Australian Government Minister for Health in 1998.

MSAC appraises new medical services proposed for public funding, and provides advice to Government on whether a new medical service should be publicly funded (and if so, its circumstances) on an assessment of its comparative safety, clinical effectiveness, cost-effectiveness and total cost, using the best available evidence. Amendments and reviews of existing services funded on the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) or other programmes (for example, blood products or screening programmes) are also considered by MSAC.

For further information, please refer to What is MSAC?

What is the purpose of MSAC?

The MSAC process helps to ensure:

• That the Australian Government supports cost-effective, evidence-based, best practice health care;
• All Australians have access to subsidised medical services that have been shown to be safe and clinically effective; and
• The sustainability of the Australian health care system.

When is the MSAC process needed?

If a medical service is not covered under the MBS, applications can be made to the Department of Health and Aged Care ( the department) to consider whether the service warrants public funding. The department uses MSAC as a mechanism to gain independent scientific advice.

What is Health Technology Assessment (HTA) and how is it demonstrated?

Health Technology Assessment (HTA) is a range of processes and mechanisms that use scientific evidence to assess the quality, safety, efficacy, effectiveness, and cost effectiveness of health services. HTA is commonly applied to pharmaceuticals (including vaccines), diagnostic tests, medical devices, surgically implanted prostheses, medical procedures, and public health interventions.

HTA is essential to MSAC in its deliberations and appraisal of whether new medical technologies and procedures (in comparison to alternative/existing interventions) are safe, effective and cost-effective for the Australian people. Overall HTA helps ensure taxpayers’ money supports health care that achieves the maximum health improvement at the lowest cost.

Applications for public funding that require assessment via a HTA framework are those where the net clinical impact can be measured. This enables a comparative assessment of the clinical consequences of the application to be conducted as well as a comparison of cost.

Applications for public funding which may warrant consideration through an alternate (non-HTA) pathway include those which are non-material in nature (either financially or administratively) or when the use of a HTA approach is simply not feasible due to the difficulty of measuring (directly or indirectly) the net impact of the clinical health outcomes of the proposal.

MSAC generally only considers applications that can be assessed via a HTA framework, and the department may utilise a panel of providers for this purpose (the HTA panel).

For further information, please refer to What is a HTA? and MSAC Process Framework.

How does HTA link to medicines or devices in Australia?

Therapeutic goods used in the provision of medical services must be assessed by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) and included on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG) before they can be marketed in Australia. This ensures the quality, safety and efficacy of medicines and also ensures the quality, safety and performance of medical devices.

MSAC accepts that devices or technologies listed on the ARTG have established safety and efficacy and, in general, MSAC does not support public funding for a service that uses a therapeutic good for indications beyond those for which it was included on the ARTG.

An application to MSAC can be lodged before relevant therapeutic goods are listed on the ARTG provided that the applicant has evidence that the relevant sponsor has commenced the TGA process, but confirmation of ARTG listing is required before any funding advice provided by MSAC for the medical service can be implemented.

For further information, please refer to Australian Government HTA Processes and What is a HTA?

Who can make an application for public funding?

Applications can be made to the department by the medical profession, medical industry, and others with an interest in seeking Australian Government funding for a new medical service or change to an existing service.

What are the key steps for the MSAC process?

There are four key steps in the MSAC process:

Suitability: ensures the applicant is aware of the MSAC process, likely pathway, and evidence expectations. It also involves the department verifying the availability of evidence for assessment, funding mechanism, and determination of whether the application is suitable for consideration by MSAC and discussion of what would be the most efficient pathway through which the application will be progressed.

Population Intervention Comparator Outcome (PICO) Confirmation: the PICO Confirmation is developed by an HTA Group and the relevant clinical algorithms to progress an assessment are determined. At the end of this step, the applicant, department, and the PICO Advisory Sub-committee (PASC) aim to have an agreed PICO to undertake a systematic review of the evidence and generate an economic evaluation/model.

Application Assessment: Evidence outlined in the PICO confirmation is presented in an assessment report. The assessment report is then reviewed by the Evaluation Sub-committee (ESC) to identify the gaps and level of uncertainty in the evidence, in formulating advice on public funding. ESC will also provide advice on the quality, validity, and relevance of internal and external assessments for applications being considered by MSAC.

Appraisal: This step is where MSAC undertakes a rigorous and transparent appraisal of the evidence presented to it by ESC before advice is provided to Government for consideration. MSAC will consider a wide range of information, including the assessment report assessing the evidence; the independent critique of the report, feedback from the applicant, the ESC report on the evidence; any feedback on the ESC Report provided by the Applicant and/or other relevant parties; and the individual expertise of MSAC members.

MSAC’s advice to the Minister is made public on the MSAC website via a Public Summary Document (PSD), which explains the rationale for MSAC’s advice.

For further information, please refer to MSAC Application Process and MSAC Process Framework.

The application form looks long - must I complete all of it?

The application form has been enhanced to ensure sufficient information is provided by the applicant upfront, which is required for the MSAC process to work effectively and efficiently. The information collected in the application form will, for example, inform suitability and the PICO Confirmation development. Without this information suitability cannot be determined, and the application will not be able to progress through the MSAC process.

How long does the MSAC process take?

The length of time of the MSAC process is particular to each application and will depend on a number of factors including the time it takes to determine suitability and the MSAC pathway that the application follows. For example, a pathway that involves more than one PASC consideration will take longer than just one or no PASC consideration. It is in an applicant’s interest to put forward an application with a solid evidence base, to ensure the most appropriate pathway can be identified.

There are three main MSAC pathway options:

• Standard Pathway - default pathway that includes consideration by PASC, ESC and MSAC.
• Expedited Pathway - an application can bypass PASC and progress straight to the development of an Assessment Report for ESC and MSAC consideration.
• Direct Pathway – an application can progress straight to the development of an Assessment Report and consideration by MSAC.

The assessment phase of the MSAC process does not vary as greatly as the pre-assessment phase. Once the department receives an assessment report (either submission based or contracted), the assessment phase of the MSAC process takes approximately 4 months and then approximately 6 weeks between ESC and MSAC consideration. The department advertises clear assessment deadlines for applicants on its website. These deadlines can be found at PASC, ESC, MSAC Key Dates.

When does the clock start?

The department considers the time taken by an application in the process to be in two stages, these being the ‘pre assessment’ and ‘assessment’ stages.

The ‘pre assessment’ stage is measured from when the completed application form is submitted to when the PICO confirmation for the application is considered at PASC and should take approximately 20 weeks. During this period the following occurs:

• The suitability process
• Targeted and public consultation
• PICO confirmation development by an HTA Group
• Applicant comments on the PICO confirmation
• PASC Meeting (PICO confirmation ratification).

Following the PASC meeting a ratified PICO is provided to the applicant and subsequently published on the MSAC website. The department aims to provide the ratified PICO Confirmation to the applicant within 6 weeks following the PASC meeting. This is the end of the ‘pre-assessment’ stage, and it is at the applicant’s discretion when the completed assessment report is submitted to the department for consideration at an MSAC meeting.

The ‘assessment’ stage is measured from when the completed assessment report is submitted to the department, through to the application’s consideration at an MSAC meeting and should take approximately 22 weeks. During this period the following occurs:

• Targeted and public consultation
• Quality check of the assessment report
• Development of a commentary on the assessment report (if applicant developed)
• Applicant comments on the commentary or Department Contracted Assessment Report
• ESC Meeting
• ESC report development
• Applicant comments on ESC report and consultation input
• MSAC Meeting

Following the MSAC meeting a Public Summary Document is developed that captures the MSAC outcome for the application and provides the evidentiary basis and the rationale for the MSAC’s advice to the Minister for Health. The department aims to provide the ratified PSD to the applicant within 8-10 weeks post the MSAC meeting.

It should also be noted that the department offers an optional two stage assessment report pathway. Some Applicants may advise their preference for the submission of the clinical component of their submission-based assessment before commencing the economic component. This would provide the benefit of the ESC and MSAC’s feedback on both the clinical evidence and the proposed structure of the economic model.

Some applicants have noted that in the past lengthy delays have been caused by having to resubmit applications as there has been uncertainty about the correct economic model to use. Confirming the clinical component and seeking advice regarding the appropriate economic model to use in the economic component would be very beneficial in these cases.

Stakeholders should note that this is an option only and that expected timeframes may be longer with this option, however it may be more effective and efficient in the long run in the application’s overall consideration.

How is the MSAC pathway of an application determined?

The MSAC pathway of each application is informed by the Process Framework and the quality of the application and will depend on an application’s complexity and novelty.

What is the most commonly expected MSAC pathway for an application?

The ‘standard’ application pathway is seen as the primary pathway through which the majority of applications will progress. This will involve the development of the PICO Confirmation, consideration of the PICO Confirmation at one PASC meeting, and development of an assessment report (including independent critique) for consideration by ESC and MSAC.

What is the Process Framework?

The Process Framework governs how applications are categorised for MSAC. It is based on specific criteria, such as clinical novelty and complexity, and assists in determining how HTA will be applied. Complexity relates to the intricacy of the proposed service or technology, the societal implications, and the comprehensiveness of the evidence base for the application. The novelty of the application relates to the newness and originality of the service or technology. Both the complexity and novelty of an application will determine whether, and how many times, it needs to be considered by PASC before consideration by ESC and the MSAC.

Note: The Process Framework is currently under review and will require amendments, as there have been numerous changes to MSAC processes since it was first introduced, including the recent introduction of the Health Products Portal. As such, while the approach to health technology assessment and assessment pathways described in the Framework is broadly accurate, reference to specific processes, such as the Application Progression Record, are no longer valid. It is therefore recommended that the Framework be read in conjunction with other information available on the MSAC website.

For further information, please refer to MSAC Process Framework.

What if I have insufficient evidence for MSAC consideration?

The applicant is responsible for providing a list of relevant evidence (intended as a snapshot) in the application form. If the view of the medical profession is that there is a high probability from the outset that there is little to no evidence to support the clinical claim of the applicant, or the applicant has presented their proposal too early in the evidentiary cycle, then it would not be appropriate for the application to commence the MSAC process. This decision can be revisited at a later date depending on how the evidence evolves.

If an applicant needs MSAC assurance that the clinical claim is correct before investing extensively in an economic evaluation, an optional two stage assessment report is available.

For further information, please refer to MSAC Process Framework.

What is a Public Summary Document (PSD)?

The MSAC Public Summary Document (PSD) captures MSAC deliberations and key advice to the Minister. Once the MSAC has considered an application at an MSAC meeting, its advice will inform a decision by the Minister for Health in relation to public funding.

For further information, please refer to Post MSAC process.

Are MSAC’s recommendations guaranteed?

The discretion to list a new MBS service or amend an existing MBS service sits entirely with the Government.

For further information, please refer to Post MSAC process.

Is MSAC advice appealable?

MSAC advice is not subject to ‘appeal’ by the applicant. If a recommendation not to support public funding is made, applicants can resubmit a new application, which addresses the issues outlined in the PSD. The department will consider a resubmission in the same way as a new application to ensure that it has addressed these issues prior to the application commencing the MSAC process again.

For further information, please refer to Post MSAC process.

How long does implementation of an MSAC application take after MSAC consideration?

The Minister will decide whether public funding should be granted based on MSAC advice and advice from the department. Once approved by the Minister, the department will implement the decision of Government. In respect of the Medicare Benefits Schedule, this is generally through amendment to regulations and/or other instruments for the listing of the recommended service on the MBS, and usually occurs in accordance with the most appropriate budget cycle.

For further information, please refer to Post MSAC process.

Can I produce a submission-based application?

Submission based assessments (SBA) are available at the assessment stage of the process and are referred to as Applicant Developed Assessment Reports (ADARs). Although an applicant may indicate they would like to submit an ADAR, the department will procure external expertise to validate the evidence, therefore, the department will make the final decision, aligning the decision with the Public Governance Performance and Accountability Act 2013 on whether the applicant has the expertise or the ability to engage a consultant to conduct the clinical evaluation and economic evaluation.

For further information, please refer to MSAC Process Framework.

Can I ask for a particular Health Technology Assessment (HTA) Group?

Neither an applicant, nor the department can request a particular HTA Group to prepare an Assessment report.

When an HTA Group is chosen from the HTA Panel, the following is taken into account:

• value for money (noting that this is not always price);
• previous exposure to an application;
• clinical experience; and
• price.

Can I note any conflict with a HTA Group?

Yes, you may. All HTA Group staff who work on a specific application are required to declare any conflict of interest and the department will make the final decision on which HTA Group will prepare an assessment report for a specific application.

What support will I get from the department throughout the MSAC process?

An applicant can expect to be supported via ongoing contact with a dedicated departmental official.

What ongoing MSAC information is available?

An MSAC bulletin is released to those stakeholders who have subscribed, advising them of new information in regards to the MSAC process and meeting agendas.

To subscribe to the MSAC Bulletin please use the following link: Subscribe.

What general materials/resources are available?

The MSAC website is the first port of call for material and information related to the MSAC, including how to submit an application for public funding and the process involved. Application managers can also be contacted via the below details for further assistance.

HTA Team
Department of Health and Aged Care
MDP 960
GPO Box 9848
CANBERRA ACT 2601
Email: hta@health.gov.au

What do I do if I have feedback on an MBS item or I'm not sure something is really a 'new' service?

For information relating to MSAC, applications for public funding, MBS items, assessment reports and/or other related matters please contact the Department of Health HTA Team at:

HTA Team
Department of Health and Aged Care
MDP 960
GPO Box 9848
CANBERRA ACT 2601
Email: hta@health.gov.au

What if I have a co-dependent application?

The MSAC and Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) Secretariats work together to develop a coordinated approach to co-dependent applications. This involves scheduling MSAC meeting dates to better align with PBAC meeting dates to facilitate coordinated advice from both committees. Meeting dates have also been aligned between MSAC’s ESC and PBAC’s ESC, and in some cases joint ESC meetings are held to consider co-dependent applications.

The revised application form asks specific questions in relation to pharmaceuticals to assist the MSAC and PBAC Secretariats in determining if an application requires advice by both MSAC and PBAC.

For further information, please refer to What is a Co-dependent Technology?

MSAC Consultation FAQ

When does consultation occur?

Consultation generally commences once an application is found suitable to progress through the MSAC process.

There are two main points in the process where consultation input is important:

1. Prior to the meeting of the PICO Advisory Sub-Committee (PASC).
2. Prior to MSAC’s consideration of the application.

Pre-PASC

PASC’s main task is to confirm the PICO for an application. The PICO Confirmation is a core element of MSAC’s appraisal process as it sets out the parameters upon which the health technology assessment is based. For example, the PICO will identify the patient population(s) of interest, existing intervention(s) against which the proposed technology or service will be compared, and the outcomes to be assessed.

Consultation input that addresses elements of the PICO must be received five (5) weeks prior to the PASC meeting at which the application will be considered. The Dates for Applicants Calendar lists the date by which consultation input must be received by the Department to ensure that it is considered at the relevant PASC meeting.

Once the PICO Confirmation is agreed, it is published on the application page on the MSAC website.

Pre-MSAC

Consultation input to be considered by MSAC must be received no later than the closing date shown in the Dates for Applicants for Assessments. The ESC/MSAC Bulletin also includes the consultation closing date for applications going to MSAC. You can subscribe to the Bulletin on the MSAC website homepage.

It is important that consultation input be submitted by the closing date, as late input may not be considered by the MSAC.

What happens to consultation input?

Input from Organisations

Consultation input received from organisations is provided, in full, to the Applicant and to MSAC and its sub-committees for consideration. It may also be shared with the HTA Group(s) contracted to undertake work related to the application. Organisations should avoid including in their consultation input any identifying personal or sensitive information or other information or opinions that they would not want shared with these parties.

Input provided by organisations (and the name of the organisation) may also be cited in the PICO Confirmation and Public Summary Document (PSD) which are published on the MSAC website. Organisations should keep this in mind and not include information or opinions that they would not wish to see in the public domain.

Input from Individuals

Identifying personal and sensitive information is removed from consultation input received from individuals before the input is provided to MSAC and its sub-committees or shared with an HTA Group.

In addition, the secretariat incorporates input from individuals into a summary of consultation input. The summary does not include identifying details of individuals. The Applicant receives a copy of this summary, along with MSAC and PASC. The summary may also be included in the PICO confirmation and the PSD.

To protect privacy, identifying personal or sensitive information about third parties, such as a medical practitioner or relative, should not be included in consultation input.

As a health care consumer, how can I comment on an MSAC application?

Consumers and carers provide valuable information to MSAC. Prior to appraising an application, MSAC tries to seek the views of relevant consumer organisations about the application but also welcomes input from individuals. This may include consumers and carers with lived experience of the medical condition(s), technologies and/or services relevant to an application or any other individual with an interest in the application.

Once an application is found suitable to progress through the MSAC process, the completed application form is published on the MSAC website, along with a consultation survey form. Consumers and carers can complete and submit the consultation survey form, or email or write to the Department outlining the key points that they wish MSAC to consider. If sending consultation input via email or in writing, remember to include the application reference number.
Email: commentsMSAC@health.gov.au

Address:
MSAC Secretariat (through HTA Team)
Department of Health and Aged Care
MDP 960
GPO Box 9848
Canberra ACT 2601.

If you have questions about how best to engage with the MSAC process, you can contact the Consumer Evidence and Engagement Unit for support and guidance. The Unit can be contacted by emailing: htaconsumerengagement@health.gov.au.

As a health practitioner, how can I comment on an MSAC application?

If the application relates to an item on the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS), Applicants must provide a statement of clinical relevance from professional bodies/organisations representing the group(s) of health professionals who provide the proposed service. MSAC also conducts targeted consultation with these organisations, and with other bodies representing health professionals who may be affected by the proposed medical technology or service. As such, one way of providing input is through these professional bodies.

MSAC also welcomes input on MSAC applications from individual health practitioners, particularly those with experience of the proposed technologies/services or of comparator technologies/services.

Once an application is found suitable to progress through the MSAC process, the completed application form is published on the MSAC website, along with a consultation survey form. Health professionals and other stakeholders can complete and submit the consultation survey form, or email or write to the Department outlining the key points that they wish MSAC to consider. If sending consultation input via email or in writing, remember to include the application reference number.

Email: commentsMSAC@health.gov.au

Address:
MSAC Secretariat (through HTA Team)
Australian Government Department of Health
MDP 960
GPO Box 9848
Canberra ACT 2601.

How do I know if MSAC is considering an application on which I may wish to comment?

Stakeholders can identify MSAC applications on which they may wish to provide input by:

• Subscribing to the MSAC Email Bulletin on the MSAC homepage. As a subscriber, you will receive email notifications about meeting agendas for MSAC and its sub-committees, including which applications will be considered; opportunities to provide input on an application; and consultation closing dates.
• Reviewing applications open for consultation on the MSAC Applications webpage.
• Searching the MSAC website for key terms. For example, if you are interested in applications relating to diabetes, use the ‘Search MSAC.gov.au’ facility to search for the word diabetes. This should identify applications with diabetes in the title, both current and past.

If you believe there is an application progressing through MSAC that you wish to comment on, but you cannot locate it, you can email commentsMSAC@health.gov.au, providing as much information about the application as possible, and the department will try to assist you to identify the application.

What sort of information should I include in my consultation input?

The sort of information that might be included in consultation input will depend on who is providing the input. Organisations representing consumers and carers, or individuals with lived experience of the medical condition(s), technologies and/or services relevant to an application might address:

• How is the medical condition that the proposal applies to currently treated? What are the benefits and/or challenges of existing treatment?
• If the proposed medical technology/service is funded, who should have access to it?
• Do patients already have access to the proposed technology/service? Is access limited due, for example, to geography or out-of-pocket costs? If so, what are the implications of this?
• If you have experience of the proposed technology/service, what benefits did you experience? Were there any negative aspects to the experience?
• If the medical service or technology received public funding, how would this impact consumers and carers?
  

If you are still unsure about the type of information to include in your consultation input, or have queries about other aspects of the MSAC consultation process, support and guidance is available by emailing htaconsumerengagement@health.gov.au.

Consultation input from organisations representing health professionals or from individual practitioners or academics might address:

• Key aspects of the PICO, such as the patient population(s) of interest, existing intervention(s) against which the proposed technology or service might be compared, and the outcomes to be assessed.
• How public funding of the proposed technology or service might affect current practice, including patient access to treatment services.
• Experience with the proposed technology or service and what the perceived benefits and challenges were for both clinicians and patients.
• Research of relevance to the application.
• Views on pricing or, where the proposal relates to an item on the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS), the proposed MBS fee.
• Views on item descriptors (where the proposal relates to an MBS item).

The above are suggestions only. Stakeholders are free to provide consultation input on any aspect of the MSAC application and/or PICO Confirmation. Focus your consultation input on the core issues that you think PASC and MSAC should consider when appraising the application.

Is there anything I should not include in my consultation input?

Consultation input is shared with the Applicant and MSAC and its sub-committees, either in summary form or in full. It may also be shared with the HTA Group(s) contracted to undertake work related to the application. As such, you should not include any information in your input that you would not want to be shared with these parties.

To protect privacy, do not include identifying personal (e.g., name) or sensitive (e.g., medical history) information about third parties, such as medical professionals or friends/relatives.
In addition, input from organisations (and the name of the organisation) may be cited in the PICO Confirmation and Public Summary Document (PSD) which is published on the MSAC website. Organisations should keep this in mind and not include information or opinions that they would not wish to see in the public domain.

What is the timeframe for providing consultation input to MSAC?

Consultation generally commences once an application is found suitable to progress through the MSAC process.

Consultation input that addresses elements of the PICO Confirmation must be received five (5) weeks prior to the PASC meeting at which the application will be considered. The PICO Confirmation is a core element of the health technology assessment as it sets out the parameters upon which the health technology assessment is based. For example, the PICO will identify the patient population(s) of interest, existing intervention(s) against which the proposed technology or service will be compared, and the outcomes to be assessed. The pre-PASC consultation deadline for each PASC meeting is published in the Dates for Applicants on the PASC, ESC, MSAC Key Dates webpage.

Consultation input to be considered by MSAC must be received no later than the closing date shown in the Dates for Applicants for Assessments on the PASC, ESC, MSAC Key Dates webpage.
In addition to the calendars, consultation deadlines are published in the MSAC Bulletin. You can subscribe to the MSAC Email Bulletin on the MSAC homepage and receive email alerts about which applications are going to each meeting of MSAC and its sub-committees, along with related consultation deadlines.

What should I do if I cannot lodge my consultation input by the due date?

In most instances, PASC will not consider consultation input received after the pre-PASC closing date. This input will, however, be provided to MSAC for consideration when it is assessing the application.

MSAC may not consider consultation input received after the pre-MSAC closing date. It is, therefore, important to ensure consultation input is submitted before the deadline wherever possible.
It you are finding it difficult to meet the pre-PASC consultation deadline, consider submitting your input in two parts – with input addressing the PICO questions provided prior to PASC and other input provided later. Similarly, there is no need to complete the consultation survey form in its entirety—just complete the sections that are relevant to the input you wish to provide. Alternatively, an email with a few sentences addressing the key points you wish to make is sufficient and may be a more time-effective option.

If after considering these strategies you still cannot submit your input by the closing date, you can email commentsMSAC@health.gov.au to request an extension. Please note the maximum period of extension is 10 business days.

How do I find out what happened to an application that I commented on?

Once it has finalised its appraisal of an application for public funding, MSAC publishes a Public Summary Document (PSD). The PSD captures MSAC deliberations and key advice to the Minister, which is generally to either support funding; not support funding; or defer consideration. The Government will decide whether public funding should be granted, taking MSAC’s advice into consideration.

PSDs are generally published approximately three (3) months after the MSAC meeting at which the application was considered. The PSD can be located on the relevant application webpage on the MSAC website.

Is the MSAC consultation process the same for every application?

No. The consultation process described in this factsheet and elsewhere in these FAQs applies to applications on the standard MSAC pathway (i.e., applications that are considered by PASC, ESC and MSAC).

In some instances, an application may bypass PASC and go directly to ESC. Targeted and public consultation is still conducted on these applications but does not commence until it is confirmed which ESC meeting will consider the application. The ESC Bulletin lists these applications and the corresponding pre-MSAC deadline for consultation input.

Occasionally an application may bypass both PASC and ESC, progressing directly to MSAC. The MSAC Bulletin lists these applications, but limited time is available for consultation. MSAC is exploring options for enhancing consultation on these applications.

Does MSAC conduct any other type of consultation?

From time-to-time MSAC may decide to hold a stakeholder forum. This may occur either before or after the MSAC meeting. Stakeholder forums are generally held to explore key questions that MSAC may have about an application or emerging technology. MSAC invites representatives from relevant professional and consumer organisations to attend stakeholder forums. Individuals with relevant knowledge and expertise may also be invited. Following a stakeholder forum, MSAC publishes a record of the forum on the relevant application webpage on the MSAC Application Webpage