The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) has established the Vitamin B6 Expert Working Group to support the review and update of the vitamin B6 upper level of intake (UL) 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 NHMRC, the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Aged Care, and the New Zealand Ministry of Health.
Members of the Vitamin B6 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.
Vitamin B6 Expert Working Group
Terms of Reference
The Vitamin B6 Expert Working Group will provide expert advice on the review and update of the Upper Level (UL) for Vitamin B6. This review forms part of NHMRC’s rolling review of priority Nutrient Reference Values (NRVs) for Australia and New Zealand, overseen by a Steering Group comprising representatives from the NHMRC, Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing and New Zealand Ministry of Health.
The Vitamin B6 Expert Working Group will:
- Advise on the scope of the review of Vitamin B6 NRVs, with consideration given to:
- the currency, accuracy and relevance of the existing Vitamin B6 NRVs
- relevant international NRVs developed since the existing NRVs
- local dietary patterns, supplement use, and adverse event reports
- current evidence, and
- any other information deemed relevant by NHMRC.
- Advise on the application of the 2025 Methodological Framework for the Review of Nutrient Reference Values to the review.
- Advise on the evaluation of evidence to inform revisions to the Vitamin B6 NRVs, ensuring compliance with the 2016 NHMRC Standards for Guidelines and international best practice.
- Advise on updates to the Vitamin B6 NRV recommendations, including:
- developing proposed Vitamin B6 NRV recommendations, focusing on the Upper Level (UL)
- the implications of revised recommendations
- key stakeholders to be included in consultation activities
- addressing feedback received during consultation and expert review.
The Vitamin B6 Expert Working Group will report to the Steering Group.
Appointments to the Vitamin B6 Expert Working Group will conclude on 28 February 2027.
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).
Co-Chair, Professor
Tim
Green
(Commenced March 2026 to present)
Professor at Flinders University
Relevant experience:
- Nutrition
- Micronutrients, including B vitamins
- Maternal and child health
- Pregnancy research
- Nutrition surveys.
Declaration
- Previous Principal Research Fellow at SAHMRI
- Expert advisor to Nutricia and the Nestlé Nutrition Institute on specialised breast milk substitutes and infant iron nutrition
- Contributor to Nestlé Nutrition Institute activities on infant iron nutrition, including presentations and research publications
- Chief investigator for research grants from Australian Eggs, Nestlé, MRFF and the Women and Children’s Hospital Research Network studying various micronutrients.
Co-Chair, Dr
Timothy
Barker
(Commenced March 2026 to present)
Senior Research Fellow with Health Evidence Synthesis Recommendations and Impact (HESRI) at Adelaide University
Relevant experience:
- Evidence synthesis
- Research methodology
- Health policy
- Guideline development
- Global health.
Declaration
- Senior research leadership roles in evidence synthesis, guideline methodology, and health research translation at the University of Adelaide
- Deputy Director of the Adelaide GRADE Centre
- Conducting methodological review to inform development of other NHMRC guidelines including the Australian Dietary Guidelines.
Associate Professor
Slade
Matthews
(Commenced March 2026 to present)
Associate Professor with the Sydney Pharmacy School at University of Sydney
Relevant experience:
- Pharmacology
- Toxicology
- Computational modelling
- Regulatory science.
Declaration
- Head, Computational Pharmacology and Toxicology Laboratory, University of Sydney
- Member of NSW Poisons Advisory Committee
- Author of publication in The Conversation article on vitamin B6
- Fellow of Australasian College of Toxicology and Risk Assessment
- Director, Australasian Society for Clinical and Experimental Pharmacologists and Toxicologists.
Dr
Rosalind
Dalefield
(Commenced March 2026 to present)
Senior Toxicologist with Food Standards Australia New Zealand
Relevant experience:
- Toxicology
- In vivo studies
- Regulatory science
- NRV development.
Declaration
- Full International Member of the Society of Toxicology
- Expert for the World Health Organization (WHO) Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA)
- Receives annual royalties for a book authored on the topic of veterinary toxicology
- Member of Iodine Expert Working Group.
Dr
Gemma
Daley
(Commenced March 2026 to present)
Chemical Pathologist with Sullivan Nicolaides Pathology
Relevant experience:
- Chemical pathology, including toxicology and nutrition
- Clinical biochemistry.
Declaration
- Author of publication on elevated vitamin B6 whole blood levels in Australian patients
- Media commentator on vitamin B6 toxicity across national television and radio
- Works as a Pathologist in a laboratory that measures and reports vitamin B6.
Professor
Cliona
Ni Mhurchu
(Commenced March 2026 to present)
Professor of Population Nutrition at University of Auckland
Relevant experience:
- Nutrition
- Dietary assessment
- Nutrition policy
- Public health research.
Declaration
- Associate Dean (Research), Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland
- Public health member of Health Star Rating Advisory Committee (HSRAC)
- Investigator on a government‑funded study examining public health academic advice and food industry nutrition policy
- Author of a Cochrane systematic review on riboflavin supplementation and blood pressure
- Recipient of New Zealand Ministry of Health and university research grants.
Associate Professor
Joanna
Harnett
(Commenced March 2026 to present)
Associate Professor (Complementary Medicines) at University of Sydney
Relevant experience:
- Traditional and complementary medicines
- Natural health products
- Policy and regulation.
Declaration
- Led research assessing vitamin B6 product availability and high dose purchase trends in the Australian marketplace
- Media commentator on vitamin B6 toxicity
- Reviewer for the Australian Pharmaceutical Formulary APF24 and APF25 complementary medicines chapters
- Chair of TGA Advisory Committee on Complementary Medicines
- Author of various publications, reports, conference abstracts, and media regarding appropriate and safe use of complementary medicines.
Dr
Edrich
Rodrigues
(Commenced March 2026 to present)
Head of Clinical Neurophysiology at Alfred Health
Relevant experience:
- Clinical neurophysiology
- Neuromuscular medicine
- Neurology
- Myopathies
- Inflammatory neuropathies.
Declaration
- Director of the Neuromuscular Society of Australia and New Zealand
- Director of Clinical Neurophysiology at Alfred Health
- Consultant Neurologist and Clinical Neurophysiologist at Alfred Health
- Consultant Neurologist and Neurophysiologist at Melbourne Health
- Member of the American Academy of Neuromuscular and Electrodiagnostic Medicine
- Member of the Australia and New Zealand Association of Neurologists.
Associate Professor
Stacey
Jankelowitz
(Commenced March 2026 to present)
Senior Staff Specialist at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital
Relevant experience:
- Neurology
- Clinical neurophysiology
- Acquired neuromuscular disease
- Head injury/concussion.
Declaration
- Senior staff specialist at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital (part-time)
- Neurologist in private practice
- Recognised expert in vitamin B6 toxicity in patient‑led social media groups
- Completed preceptorship in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy for CSL Behring
- Contributor to neuroscience research reviews.
Dr
Jennifer
Stone
(Commenced March 2026 to present)
Senior Research Fellow for JBI at Adelaide University
Relevant experience:
- Clinical epidemiology
- Evidence synthesis
- Systematic reviews
- Risk of bias assessment
- Research methodology.
Declaration
- Keynote speaker at Asia‑Pacific Network for Evidence Analysis, Synthesis and Translation conference
- Chief Investigator on systematic reviews examining asbestos exposure and cancer risk
- Lead and co‑investigator on international evidence reviews relating to environmental exposures, infectious disease prevention, pregnancy, and chronic conditions
- Recipient of research funding from NHMRC and University of Adelaide.
Dr
Michael
Bonning
(Commenced March 2026 to present)
Chair of Public Health at Australian Medical Association
Relevant experience:
- General practice
- Public health
- Health policy
- Governance.
Declaration
- Previous Australian Medical Association NSW President
- Media spokesperson providing public health information on vitamin B6 toxicity
- Contributor to public health advice on vitamin B6 regulatory issues in Australia in AMA Chair of Public Health role
- General Practitioner and practice Medical Director.
Mr
Salar
Alehossein
(Commenced March 2026 to present)
APJ Region Counsel, aaS and High-Performance Compute; Senior Legal Counsel, South Pacific at Hewlett Packard Enterprise
Relevant experience:
- Lived experience with vitamin B6 toxicity.
Declaration
- APJ Region Counsel, aaS and High-Performance Compute; Senior Legal Counsel, South Pacific at Hewlett Packard Enterprise.