Through a wide range of consulting services, Biotext contributes to the exchange of information among scientists, practitioners, government decision makers and the public. Our experience has given us a unique understanding of how scientific data is used to inform policy across a range of disciplines. We can therefore form partnerships with scientists, expert committees, consumer and community groups to take on wide range of projects, including literature research and data analysis; community and expert consultations; and collation, writing or rewriting of technical information.

• Literature reviews |
• Development of evidence-based health advice |
• Document assessment |
• Use of risk analysis in policy development |
• Information gathering and consultations |
• Data evaluation

Literature reviews

Biotext consultants have searched the scientific literature to obtain information for many writing projects; for example, on various biotechnology issues, human reproduction, passive smoking and communication between health professionals and health consumers. We are familiar with the method for carrying out a systematic review, and can apply this experience to reviewing and examining the literature in a range of research areas.

Recent literature reviews completed:

• A Systematic Literature Review and Report on the Efficacy of Intravenous Immunoglobulin Therapy and its Risks, National Blood Authority, submitted September 2004.
• Human Embryos, Stem Cells and Cloning — Developments in Research and Regulations since 2001, Report prepared for the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing, 2005.

Development of evidence-based health advice

Evidence-based medicine (EBM) has developed in the past 10–15 years in response to the large information gap between medical and health care research and clinical practice. The aim is to move decision making away from reliance on expert opinion to the integration of best research evidence, clinical expertise and patient values. The approach has been spearheaded by the Cochrane Collaboration, which is an international collaboration of epidemiologists, health care experts and medical specialists in a range of fields.

Biotext has been proud to have been involved in the development and promotion of evidence-based medicine in Australia through a number of projects:

• Series editors for the National Health and Medical Research Council’s (NHMRC) handbook series (‘toolkit’) on preparing clinical practice guidelines. For this major project, we worked closely with the consultant authors to help develop and present the information clearly and in a consistent style across the series.
• Technical writing and editing of several clinical practice guidelines published by the NHMRC.
• Membership of an NHMRC panel of EBM experts, working with multidisciplinary groups developing clinical practice guidelines, to ensure that projects meet NHMRC standards for systematic literature review and assessment of evidence to underpin the guidelines.
• Technical writing and development of educational design for an EBM teaching workbook published by BMJ Books (London).
• Attendance at Australasian and international Cochrane Collaboration conferences and presentation of training workshops on the presentation of clinical evidence and ‘the language of evidence’.

Document assessment

In addition to the NHMRC panel of EBM experts mentioned above, Biotext holds standing offer contracts for two other NHMRC expert panels for assessment of health advice publications:

• Independent review of health advice reports prepared by either working parties or external consultants before they are sent to the NHMRC Council for final approval. The reports are evaluated against criteria set by the NHMRC (for example, checking that all important evidence has been included, that comments received from stakeholders or the public during the consultation phase have been properly dealt with, and that necessary changes have been made to the document)
• Assessment of published NHMRC documents against criteria to determine if they are still useful or require updating.

Use of risk analysis in policy development

One of the most important challenges facing scientists, regulators and science communicators at all levels is the clear assessment and communication of risk. The current 'stand-off' between the media and scientists or regulators on issues such as biotechnology is often due to different perceptions and misconceptions about risk, or to the misinterpretation of scientific evidence. For example, evidence about public health issues such as possible impacts of mobile phone use or the transfer of antibiotic resistance between animals and humans is often difficult to interpret.

Risk analysis involves looking at what might happen, and how serious the consequences might be, to determine what actions to take. Unfortunately, this simple concept has become mired in terminology, with terms such as 'risk analysis', 'risk assessment' and 'risk management' being used by different agencies and individuals to mean quite different (and often very specific) things.

Biotext's experience in working on numerous projects involving risk analysis, in areas as diverse as indoor air quality in schools and antibiotic resistance has helped us to understand some of the common pitfalls in using and communicating this approach.

Information gathering and consultations

Biotext has summarised public consultation and stakeholder submissions for a number of Department of Health and Ageing/NHMRC health advisory reports. In several cases, we also attended face-to-face working party meetings where the submissions were considered and implemented working party amendments to the documents.

For other projects we have consulted key stakeholders, either through private meetings, or through workshops and public forums. An exmple of this type of work is below:

• Australia’s National Capacity to Investigate Outbreaks of Foodborne Disease — Current and Future Practices, Report prepared by Biotext for OzFoodNet, Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing, 2004.
  For this project we surveyed key personnel in each state and territory on capacity and procedures for investigation of foodborne disease outbreaks, coordinated the production of a literature review, organised a workshop of key personnel to discuss future action, and wrote and produced the report of the project including recommendations for future action. This was a joint project with personnel from the National Centre for Epidemiology and Public Health, ANU.

Data evaluation

Biotext has evaluated data packages on the toxicology of agricultural and environmental chemicals, prescription drugs (preclinical data), complementary medicines and food additives. This work involves detailed analysis and evaluation of packages of toxicology data from laboratory experiments, animal testing, preliminary human exposure data and supporting literature. The information is presented as a detailed report with recommendations for consideration by the public health committees involved. Examples include:

• Chemicals and Non-prescription Drug Branch, Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) 1988–2000: Preparation of evaluation reports on the toxicology of agricultural/environmental chemicals.
• Drug Evaluation Branch, TGA 1992–98: Preparation of seven evaluation reports on the preclinical toxicology of drugs.
• Complementary Medicines Section, TGA 1998–99: Preparation of two reviews of the scientific literature on the efficacy, toxicology and pharmacology of herbal products.
• Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) 1992–2001: Preparation of evaluation reports on the toxicology of proposed new food additives.
• FSANZ 2000–04: Preparation of evaluation reports on the safety of genetically modified foods.
• Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing 2006: Preparation of report about Indigenous counselling services.
• Various agencies: Analysis of study data for preparation of journal articles or other reports.