What Do Australians Think About Privacy And Participation In Epidemiological Research?
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$443,015.00
Summary
There is very little research available, in Australia or internationally, about what the general public considers privacy to be; or how important privacy protection is in the context of high and low risk epidemiological studies. We also know little about what affects willingness to participate in epidemiological research. Our research will provide an evidence base, and develop resources for the legislature, the NHMRC, ethics committees and researchers.
Competence To Give Informed Consent For Research Participation In Schizophrenia And Related Psychoses.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$300,000.00
Summary
There is current controversy surrounding the ethics of allowing people with mental illness to participate in research. By trying to safe guard what is considered a vulnerable group, we may also be denying these people their rights to make decisions for themselves. The potential benefits of clinical research in an area where treatments are often ineffective and cause serious side effects may also be denied to these people. This study aims to measure the capacities of patients with psychoses to gi ....There is current controversy surrounding the ethics of allowing people with mental illness to participate in research. By trying to safe guard what is considered a vulnerable group, we may also be denying these people their rights to make decisions for themselves. The potential benefits of clinical research in an area where treatments are often ineffective and cause serious side effects may also be denied to these people. This study aims to measure the capacities of patients with psychoses to give informed consent to participate in clinical research. The uniqueness of this project is that subjects will be rated as either competent or incompetent according to legal definitions applicable in Australia by utilising predetermined thresholds. We will also determine whether performance of patients in tests of competence can be improved through an established educational program. Additionally we plan to re-evaluate patients after a period of 6 months in order to test the reliability of competence performance.Read moreRead less
Characterising The Changes In Regulation Of Visual Contrast Sensitivity In Glaucoma.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$337,600.00
Summary
Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness in developed nations. A recent study estimated the number of Australian's that will need regular visual examination in 2030 either because they have glaucoma or glaucomatous risk factors to be at least 800,000. As the ultimate aim of glaucoma treatment is to maintain vision, visual functional assessment is of paramount importance to glaucoma management . The current standard measure for the assessment of visual loss due to glaucoma is visual fiel ....Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness in developed nations. A recent study estimated the number of Australian's that will need regular visual examination in 2030 either because they have glaucoma or glaucomatous risk factors to be at least 800,000. As the ultimate aim of glaucoma treatment is to maintain vision, visual functional assessment is of paramount importance to glaucoma management . The current standard measure for the assessment of visual loss due to glaucoma is visual field testing. Regrettably, substantial damage to retinal ganglion cells (the primary neurons affected by glaucoma) is often present prior to the discovery of visual field loss using standard measures. Indeed studies have demonstrated that even 30-50% retinal ganglion cell loss may only manifest as a mild visual field deficit using current standard testing. This project will use novel techniques for exploring sight impairment in glaucoma, enabling a better understanding of the underlying neural damage. Our pilot work demonstrates that these methods can detect loss of sight in areas diagnosed as normal using standard visual field testing. The study will provide new technologies for the assessment of early vision loss due to glaucoma that may enable the detection of malfunction of retinal ganglion cells prior to their death. Such measures of neural malfunction are essential to establishing the efficacy of new pharmacological therapies (known as neuroprotective agents) for glaucoma aimed at keeping retinal ganglion cells alive and functioning. This project also has the potential to identify visual measures that have better capability for monitoring the progression of vision loss due to glaucoma. Early detection of glaucoma and its progression is essential so that treatment can be initiated or altered, slowing the progression of vision loss and its toll on both the individual and the community.Read moreRead less
Metrics Of Optical Quality Predictive Of Visual Performance In Eye Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$121,655.00
Summary
Highly precise measurement of the optical quality of the human eye (how well an image is formed by light passing through the eye) is now possible. While eye's optics can be measured, it is less clear how to report optical quality in a way that is related to how well the eye sees; optics and vision are complex. This project will attempt to find ways to describe the optical quality of the human eye that predicts how well the eye sees - both for the normal eye and eyes with disease.
Neural Mechanisms That Limit The Visual Sensitivity Of Primates
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$379,400.00
Summary
This project concerns the way nerve cells in the brain enable the detection and perception of objects in the visual world. It is thought that nerve cells early in the visual pathway signal the presence or absence of light in a small part of the visual field, but the nature of the neuronal code carried by these pathways remains poorly understood. The aim of our project is to address this basic question, in experimental studies of the intact primate visual system. We will conduct two sets of exper ....This project concerns the way nerve cells in the brain enable the detection and perception of objects in the visual world. It is thought that nerve cells early in the visual pathway signal the presence or absence of light in a small part of the visual field, but the nature of the neuronal code carried by these pathways remains poorly understood. The aim of our project is to address this basic question, in experimental studies of the intact primate visual system. We will conduct two sets of experiments. Firstly, we will test the hypothesis that nerve cells in the early visual system are sensitive to only a small part of the visual field. We will determine whether the signals of pre-cortical nerve cells are dependant on spatial context. Secondly we wll study the signals of several nerve cells simultaneously using multiple electrodes. We will determine if the signals of many nerve cells are required to detect small visual stimuli like those used in perimetry. These experiments address basic questions, but have application to human vision and visual dysfunction. Good acuity is essential for everyday tasks such as reading, and defects in visual sensitivity are used for early detection of neurological dysfunction in diseases such as glaucoma and macular degeneration. Understanding the properties of neurons which underlie visual perception can thus help us to understand normal visual performance, and how this changes in partial sight. This can help develop better methods for detection and treatments for such disorders.Read moreRead less
Cannabis is the most widely used illicit drug in the world. Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychoactive constituent of cannabis, is known to be preferentially taken up into fat tissue where it can be stored for weeks, months and possibly years. Boy fat has the capacity to store large quantities of THC and the slow passive release of THC from fat cells into the blood accounts for why THC remains at detectable levels in the blood or urine for weeks after exposure to cannabis. Under n ....Cannabis is the most widely used illicit drug in the world. Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychoactive constituent of cannabis, is known to be preferentially taken up into fat tissue where it can be stored for weeks, months and possibly years. Boy fat has the capacity to store large quantities of THC and the slow passive release of THC from fat cells into the blood accounts for why THC remains at detectable levels in the blood or urine for weeks after exposure to cannabis. Under normal conditions the slow passive release of THC from fat cells has negligible effects on the user as the amounts involved are so small. However, we have recent preliminary evidence to show that conditions associated with increased fat metabolism (e.g. dieting, exercise or stress) cause a greatly enhanced release of THC from fat stores into the blood supply. Further, we have demonstrated that such levels attained promote significant behavioural and physiological changes The current proposal aims to further characterise this phenomenon. We aim to: (1) determine the length of time that THC can be stored in fat before being released into blood, (2) establish that the release of THC stored in fat tissue may be promoted by fat breakdown associated with food deprivation, stress or exercise, (3) characterise the physiological and behavioural effects of THC released from fat, (4) determine the mechanisms responsible for THC release from fat, and (5) determine if THC released from fat can cross from the bloodstream into saliva. This proposal has far reaching consequences for our understanding of the long-term effects on cannabis use on physical health and behaviour. Further, it may have major implications for the correct interpretation of analytical data from road-side saliva testing and forensic and criminal cases involving cannabis use.Read moreRead less
Difficult Decisions: A Critical Analysis Of Consent To High-risk Medical Procedures
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$320,918.00
Summary
Consent is the cornerstone of ethics as applied to healthcare and is central to the relationship between healthcare and the law. Whilst no-one would deny the importance of seeking consent to high-risk medical procedures, much depends on the practical manner in which this is done. By studying consent for high-risk procedures with the participation of patients and their health care providers, we will both test the limits of consent and find practical ways to address those limits. In doing so, the ....Consent is the cornerstone of ethics as applied to healthcare and is central to the relationship between healthcare and the law. Whilst no-one would deny the importance of seeking consent to high-risk medical procedures, much depends on the practical manner in which this is done. By studying consent for high-risk procedures with the participation of patients and their health care providers, we will both test the limits of consent and find practical ways to address those limits. In doing so, the project will re-cast consent processes in a way that better accommodates the contingencies of clinical practice in high-risk settings in which patient autonomy is often compromised. Because this reformulation of consent will be grounded in the realities of high-risk clinical practice, our findings will reflect the needs and values of relevant stakeholders (patient and health professionals) and more likely to make a significant contribution to patient care and health policy. This project also addresses what the High Court of Australia has acknowledged as widespread weaknesses in the common formulation of consent in medicine. Finally this project, which operates in an important area of overlap between the law and medicine, will show how these disciplines can work jointly to serve the interests of all Australians, and Australian society.Read moreRead less
Ethical And Legal Issues Surrounding The Decision-making Process For Donating And Banking Umbilical Cord Blood
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$417,550.00
Summary
Altruistic donation of umbilical cord blood (UCB) is essential to provide a source of stem cells to treat various cancers and blood-immune disorders. However, parents can instead, bank UCB for personal use. This project will determine if parents are aware and understand differences between UCB donation and banking, as well as analysing the legal issues surrounding both processes. We aim to make recommendations to improve the decision-making process with the hope of increasing UCB donation rates.
Deconstructing DTCA: Towards A Differentiated Policy Response To Direct-to-Consumer Advertising In Australia.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$190,760.00
Summary
Spending on prescription pharmaceuticals is the fastest growing part of the health budget. In recent years attention has shifted to the impact of direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) on consumer demand and drug costs. Although DTCA is prohibited in Australia, it is clear that different types of DTCA are occurring. This study will examine the nature and range of DTCA, review the benefits and harms of DTCA, and identify the perspectives of major stakeholders regarding DTCA. The study will culmina ....Spending on prescription pharmaceuticals is the fastest growing part of the health budget. In recent years attention has shifted to the impact of direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) on consumer demand and drug costs. Although DTCA is prohibited in Australia, it is clear that different types of DTCA are occurring. This study will examine the nature and range of DTCA, review the benefits and harms of DTCA, and identify the perspectives of major stakeholders regarding DTCA. The study will culminate in a national workshop which will develop a differentiated set of recommendations for responding to different types and modes of DTCA. This is likely to lead to better health policy and to resources that may assist consumers and health professionals deal with DTCA.Read moreRead less