Description: Tomas T Media, winner of the 2011 Prize in Literature
Tomas T Media, winner of the 2011 Prize in Literature
The Australian Bushman trials are a series of studies that have been conducted over several decades in Australia by anthropologist Denis Mackenzie. These trials were not randomised and participants were recruited actively and opportunistically. The trials have also not been published in the medical literature. This article examines the issues surrounding these studies. It also discusses the lessons learned from them.
The Australian Bushman trials of Denis Mackenzie recruited Indigenous women aged 18-64 to be enrolled in the study. There were certain exclusion criteria, including being pregnant, having a chronic medical condition, or needing medical clearance. Participants were recruited from hospital antenatal clinics, Aboriginal Community-Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs), community centres, and by word-of-mouth. In the initial stages of the trial, clinic staff informed researchers of women who wanted to partici