The Medical Expert Advisory Council on Occupational Diseases is an internal advisory body that is independent of instructions and supports the Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs in its decision-making on medical and scientific issues. The task of the Advisory Board is to review and evaluate the state of scientific knowledge with regard to updating existing occupational diseases or including new ones in the Occupational Diseases Ordinance. The Advisory Board provides the Ministry with recommendations and opinions based on existing findings.
The Advisory Board consists of twelve members who are appointed by the Ministry for a period of five years. The work of the Advisory Board is carried out on an honorary basis and is not remunerated. In accordance with the committee's remit, the members are predominantly university lecturers in the field of occupational medicine; the advisory board also includes two state industrial physicians and two company physicians. The advisory board elects a chairman and a deputy chairman from among its members.