Commission on Human Medicines


The Commission on Human Medicines is a committee of the UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. It was formed in October 2005, and assumed the responsibilities of the Medicines Commission and the Committee on Safety of Medicines.
The CHM's responsibilities include advising the UK government ministers on matters relating to regulation of human medicinal products, giving advice in relation to the safety, quality and efficacy of human medicinal products, and promoting the collection and investigation of information relating to adverse reactions for human medicines.

Background to the establishment

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency undertook a public consultation on proposals to amend the advisory body structure laid down in the Medicines Act 1968 in February 2005. Ministers agreed to a new structure with the establishment of the Commission that amalgamated the responsibilities of the Medicines Commission and the Committee on Safety of Medicines. The Commission was established under Section 2 of the Medicines Act 1968.

Terms of reference

The duties of the Commission which came into being on 30 October 2005 are set out in Section 3 of the Medicines Act 1968, as amended by the Medicines Regulations 2005 and include the following:
The first Chairman of the Committee on Safety of Medicines was Sir Derrick Dunlop. Other Chairmen are listed at Committee on Safety of Medicines.
The chairs of the Commission on Human Medicines have been