The CMA Annual Conference and Awards Industry Dinner on December 2023, was a dynamic event centered around "Strong Sustainable Growth." Participants delved into conversations surrounding economic and business sustainability, with a commitment to environmental stewardship.

Participants immersed themselves in conversations about economic and business sustainability and a commitment to environmental stewardship. The event encouraged innovative approaches aligned with forward-thinking business practices dedicated to shaping a brighter future for our sector. 

Sessions Highlights

Master of Ceremonies Gary Scattergood, Regional Head and Editor-in-Chief of APAC at William Reed, welcomed a diverse and engaged audience. The Welcome to Country was given by Uncle Allan Murray, which set the tone of respect and inclusivity for the proceedings. 

Welcome from CMA and Gold Sponsor TSI Pharmaceuticals

John O'Doherty, Chief Executive Officer of Complementary Medicines Australia, and Matt Gowen, Country Sales Manager at TSI Pharmaceuticals, jointly extended a warm welcome, emphasising the significance of industry collaboration.

Regulatory Update

Professor Anthony Lawler, Deputy Secretary of the Australian Department of Health, provided a comprehensive regulatory update, offering valuable insights into the evolving regulatory landscape, including new guidance and educational materials to assist sponsors, the 2024 update to Permissible Ingredients Determination and prioritisation of compliance activities for Listed medicines to target specific types of non-compliance and focus resources.

Keynote Address

Len Monheit, Executive Director of the Global Prebiotic Association, delivered an inspiring keynote on Global Supplement Insights; key takeaways include what's happening in the prebiotic category, where Australian consumers are when it comes to the microbiome, and how that compares and who are supplement consumers globally, why do they buy and what will they pay more for?

Securing the Future of Complementary Medicines Manufacturing in Australia

Emeritus Professor Alan Bensoussan and Professor Dennis Chang from NICM Health Research Institute presented a strategic business case to help ensure the future of complementary medicines manufacturing in Australia. They shared that the CM industry is at a crossroads and that strategic action is needed to avoid losing what we have as we grasp new opportunities to future-proof our strong sector.

Evolution of Human Nutraceutical Clinical Studies

Dr Bharahti Bethapudi from Natural Remedies Private Ltd illuminated the evolving landscape of human nutraceutical clinical studies and their benefits. She shared the importance of nutraceutical human efficacy studies to the Aust L market and the evolution and recent advancement in study design and outcomes. 

Supporting Sustainable Growth – A Case Study

Deshanie Rai, Vice President of Global and Regulatory Affairs, presented a captivating case study on the clinical and regulatory aspects of Alpinia Galanga Extract, sponsored by OmniActives Health Technologies. She discussed applying sustainable practices during the NPD process, building a research agenda to support consumer health benefits through plant bio-actives and supporting the go-to-market strategy through registrations and versatile delivery formats.

The Health of the Supplements Industry

Tanya Kamesh, Research Analyst at Euromonitor International, provided profound insights into the current state and prospects of the supplement industry and its growth and development. She discussed evolving demographics transforming the consumer base and that more sophisticated wellness consumers seek efficacy.

The Eight Truths of Wellbeing in the Workplace

Michelle Fernandez, Rise Program Manager at Blackmores, shared inspiring insights into fostering wellbeing in the Workplace. The 8 Truths of Wellbeing in the Workplace with the key takeaways is a case for why we should invest in wellbeing in our organisations, how to evolve your program to boost both performance and engagement in your organisation, and how to measure something intangible like wellbeing in your Workplace. 

Shaping the Future of Complementary Medicines in Australia

Rachel Di Leva, Director at Allure Wellness Consulting, discussed opportunities, challenges, and strategies shaping the future of complementary medicines in Australia. Rachel discussed the current state and future outlook of the complementary medicines sector in Australia, opportunities and challenges in the global market, the regulatory framework and standards for complementary medicines in Australia and innovation and collaboration initiatives that are driving the sector forward.

Sourcing4Good: Transforming Food & Ingredient Systems

Jessica Ho, Regional Product Manager at Nutra Wellness, presented a visionary talk on transforming food and ingredient systems for the mind, body, and planet, sponsored by Givaudan, enabling the shift to more mindful and planet-friendly health solutions, enabling consumers to achieve their wellbeing goals and driving responsible supply chains.

Naturopathy and Herbalism in Disaster Management

Isabel Halse from the National Centre for Naturopathic Medicine explored the crucial role of naturopathy and herbalism in disaster management. Due to climate change, she said, disasters are expected to become more frequent and extreme, creating profound short-term and long-term health impacts. Relaying a descriptive qualitative study examined the experience of 13 Naturopaths and herbalists who responded to the 2022 Northern NSW and SEQ flood events, Isabel stated that this innovative qualitative study established the role and contribution of Naturopaths and Herbalists in disaster response and recovery and detailed the enablers and barriers, preparedness, and adaptability of the professions. 

The Power of "AND" – System Intervention for Growth, Profit, and Sustainability

Shane Quinn, CEO of NAQED Pty Ltd, delivered a powerful presentation on deliberate system interventions, underlining that profitability, sustainability and technology must go hand in hand.

He stated that Innovation is about creating new value from existing resources, and sustainability is creating new value without compromising future resources. Shane described how sustainable Innovation can deliver immediate and inter-generational success for your business if you respond to signals about future resources and implement efficient actions to generate an impact that creates new value now.

Panel Discussion: Charting a Sustainable Future

Sally Townsend (Blackmores), Jo Cooper (Sustainability Advantage), and Nick Palousis (2XE) engaged in a thought-provoking panel discussion, expertly hosted by MC Gary Scattergood, on accelerating the adoption of sustainable practices.

Australian Packaging Covenant Update

Chris Foley, CEO of the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO), provided an illuminating update on national packaging targets and reforms. The 2025 National Packaging Targets apply to all packaging made, used, and sold in Australia. The Australian government charges APCO to facilitate the delivery of the 2025 targets.

Gary Scattergood brought the conference to a close, expressing gratitude for the contributions and announcing prize winners.