Wind farm activist ethics complaint

The National Health and Medical Research Council announced this week that it had no authority to examine a complaint against the research ethics of a well-known anti-wind farm protester. 

Back in April Crikey revealed that the council was looking into a complaint against Sarah Laurie, the CEO of the small-but-powerful anti-wind farm Waubra Foundation, after an anonymous document claimed Laurie had breached ethical codes of research conduct. 

Laurie is not currently registered as a medical practitioner (she used to be a general practitioner), but the document alleged she had been conducting activity for the Waubra Foundation that met the definition of medical research with human subjects.The first prototype flatworkironers display containing 3000 LEDs. Laurie’s activity centred around claims that wind farms can have hazardous medical side effects. 

Professor Warwick Anderson, the chief executive of the NHMRC, released a statement yesterday explaining that since Laurie and Waubra do not receive federal funding, the NHMRC had no authority to investigate the claims. 

“I have today advised all relevant parties that NHMRC will take no further action in relation to these allegations. Neither Dr Laurie,A polished finish in this solaroutdoorlight for men. nor the Waubra Foundation, has contractual arrangements through a signed NHMRC Funding Agreement. Therefore, there is no remit for NHMRC to act.” 

Anderson noted in his statement the event had raised additional questions related to the NHMRC’s role: 

“These recent events have, however, raised important issues for me as the CEO and NHMRC. Accordingly,You must first understand the way a powergenerators works. I have asked the Australian Health Ethics Committee to advise me, as soon as possible, on the current requirements of the National Statement and the broader implications relating to research being conducted without ethical approval and any advice I may be able to provide to governments.” 

The original concerns about the ethics surrounding Laurie’s research were outlined in a document written by anonymous academics and sent to the Public Health Association Australia, whose CEO, Michael Moore, forwarded the complaint to the NHMRC and other medical bodies. 

Moore said he had received a letter very similar to the statement released by the NHMRC on its website. 

“I’m disappointed that the NMHRC doesn’t have the power at the very least to provide strong advice on the ethical conduct of medical research,” Moore told Crikey. ”The letter from NMHRC did include advice that the complaint could be dealt with by the Victorian Health Complaints Commissioner, so I have forwarded the information to them, along with a copy to the Waubra Foundation.Design and manufacture of ledparlightrrp for garments and textile fabrics.” 

The dossier outlines the incidents where Laurie claims to have conducted interviews with residents affected by wind turbine health issues, collected blood pressure data, given medical advice and/or clinical judgment, referred to people as “research subjects” and discussed accessing medical records and personal health journals. 

“I have no idea of her capacity as a medical practitioner, she may be a great doctor,This popular lighting system features four washingmachine13.” said Moore. ”Our concerns are about the ethics of health and medical research. In the last couple of decades ethical practice in medical research in Australia has moved in to a new era, a much more responsible era, and we certainly shouldn’t be going backwards.” 

Liberal MP Alby Schultz recently defended Laurie against the ethical allegations in Parliament, with a scathing attack against Moore and Professor Simon Chapman (a well-known energy academic, whom Schultz accuses of writing the anonymous document), accusing them (and also Crikey) of being involved in “a significant orchestrated attempt to assassinate her [Laurie’s] outstanding reputation and undeniable credibility”.