SA Health Cancer Drug Committee (SAHCDC)

The SA Health Cancer Drug Committee (SAHCDC) was established in 2017 as an expert committee responsible for overseeing the development, approval and review of adult systemic cancer therapy protocols within SA Health hospitals. The SAHCDC maintains the SA Health Approved Systemic Cancer Therapy Protocol.

The SAHCDC also enables urgent review and approval for use of ‘single-patient use’ systemic cancer protocols for individual patients where standard therapy is not suitable.

Since 2025, the SAHCDC has become responsible for the clinical governance of the Enterprise Chemotherapy Prescribing System (iQemo®) within SA Health.

Paediatric systemic cancer therapy

Paediatric cancer therapy protocols are reviewed and approved under the Women's and Children's Health Network (WCHN) Chemotherapy Governance Committee process for use in SA Health hospitals and health services. The SAHCDC provides oversight of WCHN processes for paediatric systemic cancer therapy protocols proposed for use in SA Health hospitals and health services.

The SAHCDC is accountable to the South Australian Medicines Advisory Committee (SAMAC).

Approved SAHCDC forms

The SAHCDC has created standard forms and templates to support the cancer therapy protocol development and approval process. The forms can be downloaded here:

• New or revised cancer chemotherapy protocol registration - application form (DOCX 1.1MB)
• Cancer chemotherapy protocol registration form and template (DOCX 292KB)
• Cancer Chemotherapy Protocol Build Request Form (Streamlined) (DOCX 339KB)
• Use of a non-registered cancer chemotherapy protocol request form (single patient use) (DOCX 542KB)
• Use of a non-registered cancer chemotherapy protocol request form (single patient use) on iApply
• The Interim Systemic Cancer Therapy Protocol Form (PDF 195KB)

User guides

Relevant user guides to assist users completing the Single Patient Use (SPU) - Protocol Request Form are available below:

• Applicant (not treating consultant) iApply user guide (PDF 125KB)
• Pharmacist iApply user guide (DOCX 40KB)
• Treating consultant iApply user guide (PDF 125KB)

Membership

Membership includes doctors, pharmacists, nurses and consumer representatives:

• Chair — Dr Ganessan Kichenadasse, Consultant Medical Oncology Flinders Medical Centre, Clinical Pharmacologist, Lecturer Flinders University
• Deputy Chair – Dr David Yeung, Consultant — Haematologist Royal Adelaide Hospital and SA Pathology, Clinical Senior Lecturer Adelaide University
• Executive Sponsor - Naomi Burgess, Chief Pharmacist, Clinical Systems Support and Improvement, SA Health
• Principal Pharmacist (Executive Officer) - Bel Morris, Principal Pharmacist, Cancer Chemotherapy, SA Health
• Senior Pharmacist – Lana Rinchen, Senior Pharmacist, Cancer Chemotherapy, SA Health.
• Consumer Representative, Karen van Gorp
• Central Adelaide Local Health Network representatives
  • Haematologist - Dr Angie Yong
  • Oncologist (QEH) - Dr Rachel Roberts-Thomson
  • Oncologist (RAH) - Dr Harminder Takhar
  • Pharmacist - Marianne Burrow
  • Nurse - Kristy Howell
• Southern Adelaide Local Health Network representatives
  • Haematologist - Dr Jir Ping Boey
  • Oncologist - A/Prof Chris Karapetis
  • Pharmacist - Helen Martin
  • Nurse - Michael Fitzgerald
• Northern Adelaide Local Health Network representatives
  • Oncologist - Dr Chris Hocking
  • Haematologist - Dr Ka Chun (Stanley) Cheung
  • Pharmacist –Kimberley-Ann Kerr
  • Nurse – Trang Trieu
• Regional LHNs representatives
  • Oncologist - Dr Kate Wislang/Dr Cuong Do
  • Pharmacist - Davina Gillard
  • Nurse - Vacant
  • Haematologist  - Dr Danielle Blunt
• Women’s and Children’s Health Network representatives
  • Oncologist - Dr Dessy Dmitrov
  • Pharmacist - Cassandra Mosel
  • Nurse – Edmondo Palombo
• SA Pharmacy/Cancer Medication Management Team Lead (ex officio) – Brittany Lewis