Pressure on universities

More than 400 doctors, medical researchers and scientists have formed a powerful lobby group, Friends of Science in Medicine, to pressure universities, such as the University of Western Sydney, to close down alternative medical degrees for “what in many cases would be better described as ‘quackery’ and by ‘failing to champion evidence-based science and medicine’.

Region. UWS seeks dean

The University of Western Sydney has advertised for a Dean of Medicine, in its School of Medicine. UWS Clinical Schools and teaching hospitals are established at Blacktown, Mt Druitt, Bankstown-Lidcombe, Campbelltown and Camden, as well as Bathurst and Lismore. The school’s first cohort of students graduates in 2011.

Campbelltown. $70,000 for expert advice

Centre for Complementary Medicine Research (CompleMED at the University of Western Sydney, Campbelltown campus, will receive $75,000 from the NSW Government to provide expert advice to Australian and Chinese herbal medicine companies commercialising their products and negotiating regulation in world markets. The Australian market for complementary medicine, including traditional Chinese medicine, has an estimated value of $3.1 billion per annum and is expected to grow six per cent annually over the next five years. UWS has been chosen to bring together a team of NSW researchers, regulatory and intellectual property experts to partner with Chinese and Australian herbal medicine companies, research centres and hospitals.

Campbelltown. $47.5m medical school opened

The Federal Minister for Education, Julia Gillard, officially opened the University of Western Sydney's $47.5 million School of medicine, at its Campbelltown campus. The state-of-the-art medical and research facility is the home base for the university's 200 medical students, as well as the school's 60 academics, research and support staff. The Federal Government contributed $25 million towards the project.

Funds to develop industry

The largest recipient of the National Health and Medical Research Council’s funds to develop the NSW complementary medicine industry was Professor Alan Bensoussan from the UWS Centre for Complementary Medicine Research, who received $590,200 towards a clinical and physiological evaluation of Chinese herbal medicine for irritable bowel syndrome. Professor Bensoussan said two-thirds of Australians were embracing complementary medicine to the tune of up to $2.5 billion annually. A Joint Chair in Traditional Chinese Medicine has been established at the University of Sydney and UWS.