The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) has established the Iodine Expert Working Group to support the review and update of the iodine Nutrient Reference Values for Australia and New Zealand (NRVs).

This work forms part of an ongoing review of priority NRVs, overseen by the Steering Group comprising representatives from the NHMRC, Australian Government Department of Health, and New Zealand Ministry of Health.

Members of the Iodine Expert Working Group were selected to ensure appropriate expertise in the specific nutrient, general nutrition and dietetics, nutrient deficiency and toxicity, statistics and modelling, systematic reviews, monitoring nutritional status and setting and implementing NRVs.

For further information see Committees advising on the review of Nutrient Reference Values.

Terms of reference

NHMRC has established the Iodine Expert Working Group to support the review and update of the iodine Nutrient Reference Values for Australia and New Zealand (NRVs). This work forms part of an ongoing review of priority NRVs, overseen by a Steering Group comprising representatives from the NHMRC, Australian Government Department of Health, and New Zealand Ministry of Health.

The Iodine Expert Working Group will:

  1. Advise on the scope of the review of iodine NRVs, with consideration given to:
    • the currency, accuracy and relevance of the existing iodine NRVs
    • relevant international NRVs developed since the existing NRVs
    • members' expertise and knowledge of current evidence
    • any other information deemed relevant by NHMRC.
  2. Advise on the application of the Methodological framework for the Review of Nutrient Reference Values1 to the review.
  3. Advise on the evaluation of evidence to inform revisions to the iodine NRVs, ensuring compliance with the 2016 NHMRC Standards for Guidelines and International best-practice.
  4. Advising on updates to the iodine NRV recommendations, including:
    • developing proposed iodine NRV recommendations
    • advising on the implications of revised recommendations
    • advising on key stakeholders to be included in consultation activities
    • addressing feedback received during consultation and expert review.

1 Australian Government Department of Health. Methodological Framework for the Review of Nutrient Reference Values. Canberra. Commonwealth of Australia; 2020, or as varied by the Steering Group to reflect emerging best-practice.

The Iodine Expert Working Group will report to the Steering Group.

Appointments to the Iodine Expert Working Group will conclude on 31 December 2024.

Members

Member information and disclosure of interests (declarations)

NHMRC asks all committee members to document their interests for consideration by a CEO delegate prior to being appointed to the committee. Members are asked to update their interests during the term of their appointment or as soon as practicable after becoming aware of the interest or that there has been a change in the nature or extent of the interest. Members are asked to consider perceived interests as well as actual interests. A summary of the interests declared by each member is provided within the declarations (below).

Chair,
Associate Professor
Karen
Charlton

School of Medicine, University of Wollongong

Relevant experience

  • Nutrition
  • Iodine
  • Diet and lifestyle interventions across the lifespan
  • Nutrient deficiency/ toxicity
  • Monitoring nutritional status in population groups and group/ project management

Associate Professor
Sheila
Skeaff

Department of Human Nutrition, University of Otago

Relevant experience

  • Nutrition
  • Setting NRVs
  • Iodine
  • Children and pregnancy and research

Dr
Emma
Beckett

School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle

Relevant experience

  • Nutrition
  • End user and nutrient deficiency/ toxicity

Dr
Shao (Jo)
Zhou

School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, University of Adelaide

Relevant experience

  • Nutrition
  • Iodine
  • Pregnancy and early childhood and end user needs

Dr
Mu
Li

(Commenced 23 February 2020)
Sydney School of Public Health, University of Sydney

Relevant experience

  • Clinical science research
  • Public health research
  • Nutrition
  • Iodine
  • Monitoring nutritional status in population groups
  • Public health program evaluation
  • Policy translation

Dr
Rosalind
Dalefield

(Commenced August 2022)
Senior Toxicologist, Food Standards Australia New Zealand

Relevant experience

  • Toxicology, including human health risk assessment for food safety

Professor
Duncan
Topliss

(Commenced August 2022)
Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes, Alfred Hospital

Relevant experience

  • Senior endocrinologist
  • Clinical practice guideline development and implementation expertise

Dr
Elizabeth
Neale

(Commenced August 2022)
School of Medical, Indigenous and Health Sciences, University of Wollongong

Relevant experience

  • Nutrition
  • Research expertise including systematic reviews and meta-analyses in nutrition for the purposes of developing NRVs

Ms
Judy
Seal

(2018 to August 2023)
Public Health Nutrition, Tasmanian Department of Health and Human Services

Relevant experience

  • Nutrition
  • Iodine
  • End user needs
  • Nutrient deficiency/ toxicity
  • Monitoring nutritional status in population groups and implementation of NRVs into relevant public health policy

Dr
Nick
Fletcher

(2018 to 2022)
Principal Toxicologist and Risk Assessor, WSP New Zealand

Relevant experience

  • Nutrient deficiency/ toxicity

Professor
Helena
Teede

(2020 to 2022)
Monash Centre for Health Research and Implementation, Monash University

Relevant experience

  • Senior clinical endocrinologist
  • Epidemiology and healthcare improvement
  • Guideline and evidence translation expertise