I am forwarding letters to the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) questioning the ethics of vaccination policy and practice in Australia.
The NHMRC is Australia’s peak body for supporting health and medical research; for developing health advice for the Australian community, health professionals and governments; and for providing advice on ethical behaviour in health care and in the conduct of health and medical research.[1]
On 15 April 2014, I forwarded a letter to Professor Warwick Anderson, CEO of the NHMRC, suggesting the ethical spotlight needs to be shone on the way vaccination policy and practice is being implemented in Australia. I provide examples of the lack of transparency and accountability in the vaccination bureaucracy, including the problem of potential conflicts of interest and lack of disclosure by people involved in vaccination policy.
Previously, I have forwarded two letters re the second dose of live Measles/Mumps/Rubella (MMR) vaccine to Professor Ian Olver, Chair of the NHMRC Australian Health Ethics Committee[2], (see hyperlinks below).
I received an interim response from the NHMRC (20 May 2014) stating:
AHEC discussed your correspondence at its recent meeting on 7 May 2014. The issues you have raised in relation to the dose requirements for the MMR vaccination raise matters of both a scientific/technical nature as well as procedural matters relating to the current process. Before providing you with a considered response, AHEC wishes to seek further information from the relevant government agencies responsible for Australia’s immunisation policy and its implementation.
Letters to the NHMRC Australian Health Ethics Committee re live Measles/Mumps/Rubella vaccination:
- Second letter re Measles/Mumps/Rubella (MMR) vaccination (12 April 2014), including reference to parents being misinformed about measles vaccination, and arguing that parents be informed about the option of titre testing after the first dose of MMR vaccine.
NHMRC Australian Health Ethics Committee – members as at April 2014: Currently there are no details of affiliations or disclosure statements provided for these members. I have raised this matter with the NHMRC and they have advised me: “The Office is in the process of rectifying this omission.” (Letter from NHMRC, 20 May 2014).
- Professor Ian Olver, Chair
- Dr Gary Allen
- Professor Vicki Anderson
- Professor Samar Aoun
- Professor Susan Dodds
- Associate Professor Ian Kerridge
- Dr Tammy Kimpton
- Rabbi Aviva Kipen
- Reverend Kevin McGovern
- Professor John McGrath AM
- Dr Eleanor Milligan
- Professor Robin Mortimer
- Ms Kay Oke
- Professor Margaret Otlowski
- Professor Debra Rickwood
- Professor Wendy Rogers
- Professor Loane Skene
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[1] Australian Government National Health and Medical Research Council: https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/about
[2] NHMRC Australian Health Ethics Committee (AHEC): https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/about/committees-nhmrc/australian-health-ethics-committee-ahec
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