❓ A WA parliament member asks the Minister for Health about actions taken to prevent neural tube defects. The Minister details past efforts, current statistics, and future plans for mandatory folic acid fortification of flour.
AnsweredQoN 276Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
My question is to the excellent Minister for Health - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr N.R. MARLBOROUGH: I think it is absolutely moral that he be called the excellent Minister for Health because of what he has done in my electorate alone. Can the minister provide information on what action he has taken to support the prevention of neural tube defects such as spina bifida and anencephaly? Mr J.A. McGINTY
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Peel for his interest in neural tube defects. Neural tube defects such as spina bifida and anencephaly affect over 500 births throughout Australia each year; that is, between 16 and 20 of every 10 000 live births. They are also twice as common in indigenous Australians. Epidemiological evidence has been available for more than a decade that shows the projected effect of folate for the prevention of neural tube defects. It is also over a decade since health promotion activities were instigated, initially here in Western Australia and then in several other Australian States, to promote an increase in folate intake by pregnant women. These were met with some successes but have faced inevitable limitations because of the need that women have adequate folate intake from three months before conception. It is especially noteworthy that much of the important research in this area was carried out by Professors Carol Bower and Fiona Stanley from the TVW Telethon Institute for Child Health Research. There is now good evidence that up to 70 per cent of neural tube defects are preventable by daily consumption of folic acid. As I have indicated, Aboriginal infants are at twice the risk of neural tube defects compared with non-Aboriginal infants. Internationally as well as here, low socioeconomic status and low folic acid intake are associated with a high incidence of neural tube defects. There are broader health benefits associated with folic acid consumption. There is an association between folic acid supplementation and a reduction in cardiovascular disease and certain forms of cancer. Professors Bower and Stanley estimate that in 2003 245 babies could have been born without the serious and lifelong disabilities had mandatory fortification with folic acid been instituted, but instead there were 195 terminations of pregnancy because the foetus had a neural tube defect, and 50 infants were born with spina bifida. I am pleased to advise that I have instructed the Department of Health to commence an application to Food Standards Australia New Zealand to amend the food standards code to require mandatory fortification of flour with folic acid. I have also placed this item on the agenda of the 28 May meeting of the Australia New Zealand Food Regulation Ministerial Council and will seek support from all jurisdictions for this important public health initiative. It is within our capacity as a State and nation to ensure that some 250 babies are born free of serious and life-long disabilities around Australia each year. I pay special tribute to the work of Professors Carol Bower and Fiona Stanley in providing the scientific basis for this important public health measure and in promoting effective measures to translate science into action.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr N.R. MARLBOROUGH: I think it is absolutely moral that he be called the excellent Minister for Health because of what he has done in my electorate alone. Can the minister provide information on what action he has taken to support the prevention of neural tube defects such as spina bifida and anencephaly? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: I thank the member for Peel for his interest in neural tube defects. Neural tube defects such as spina bifida and anencephaly affect over 500 births throughout Australia each year; that is, between 16 and 20 of every 10 000 live births. They are also twice as common in indigenous Australians. Epidemiological evidence has been available for more than a decade that shows the projected effect of folate for the prevention of neural tube defects. It is also over a decade since health promotion activities were instigated, initially here in Western Australia and then in several other Australian States, to promote an increase in folate intake by pregnant women. These were met with some successes but have faced inevitable limitations because of the need that women have adequate folate intake from three months before conception. It is especially noteworthy that much of the important research in this area was carried out by Professors Carol Bower and Fiona Stanley from the TVW Telethon Institute for Child Health Research. There is now good evidence that up to 70 per cent of neural tube defects are preventable by daily consumption of folic acid. As I have indicated, Aboriginal infants are at twice the risk of neural tube defects compared with non-Aboriginal infants. Internationally as well as here, low socioeconomic status and low folic acid intake are associated with a high incidence of neural tube defects. There are broader health benefits associated with folic acid consumption. There is an association between folic acid supplementation and a reduction in cardiovascular disease and certain forms of cancer. Professors Bower and Stanley estimate that in 2003 245 babies could have been born without the serious and lifelong disabilities had mandatory fortification with folic acid been instituted, but instead there were 195 terminations of pregnancy because the foetus had a neural tube defect, and 50 infants were born with spina bifida. I am pleased to advise that I have instructed the Department of Health to commence an application to Food Standards Australia New Zealand to amend the food standards code to require mandatory fortification of flour with folic acid. I have also placed this item on the agenda of the 28 May meeting of the Australia New Zealand Food Regulation Ministerial Council and will seek support from all jurisdictions for this important public health initiative. It is within our capacity as a State and nation to ensure that some 250 babies are born free of serious and life-long disabilities around Australia each year. I pay special tribute to the work of Professors Carol Bower and Fiona Stanley in providing the scientific basis for this important public health measure and in promoting effective measures to translate science into action.
The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr N.R. MARLBOROUGH: I think it is absolutely moral that he be called the excellent Minister for Health because of what he has done in my electorate alone. Can the minister provide information on what action he has taken to support the prevention of neural tube defects such as spina bifida and anencephaly? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: I thank the member for Peel for his interest in neural tube defects. Neural tube defects such as spina bifida and anencephaly affect over 500 births throughout Australia each year; that is, between 16 and 20 of every 10 000 live births. They are also twice as common in indigenous Australians. Epidemiological evidence has been available for more than a decade that shows the projected effect of folate for the prevention of neural tube defects. It is also over a decade since health promotion activities were instigated, initially here in Western Australia and then in several other Australian States, to promote an increase in folate intake by pregnant women. These were met with some successes but have faced inevitable limitations because of the need that women have adequate folate intake from three months before conception. It is especially noteworthy that much of the important research in this area was carried out by Professors Carol Bower and Fiona Stanley from the TVW Telethon Institute for Child Health Research. There is now good evidence that up to 70 per cent of neural tube defects are preventable by daily consumption of folic acid. As I have indicated, Aboriginal infants are at twice the risk of neural tube defects compared with non-Aboriginal infants. Internationally as well as here, low socioeconomic status and low folic acid intake are associated with a high incidence of neural tube defects. There are broader health benefits associated with folic acid consumption. There is an association between folic acid supplementation and a reduction in cardiovascular disease and certain forms of cancer. Professors Bower and Stanley estimate that in 2003 245 babies could have been born without the serious and lifelong disabilities had mandatory fortification with folic acid been instituted, but instead there were 195 terminations of pregnancy because the foetus had a neural tube defect, and 50 infants were born with spina bifida. I am pleased to advise that I have instructed the Department of Health to commence an application to Food Standards Australia New Zealand to amend the food standards code to require mandatory fortification of flour with folic acid. I have also placed this item on the agenda of the 28 May meeting of the Australia New Zealand Food Regulation Ministerial Council and will seek support from all jurisdictions for this important public health initiative. It is within our capacity as a State and nation to ensure that some 250 babies are born free of serious and life-long disabilities around Australia each year. I pay special tribute to the work of Professors Carol Bower and Fiona Stanley in providing the scientific basis for this important public health measure and in promoting effective measures to translate science into action.
Mr N.R. MARLBOROUGH: I think it is absolutely moral that he be called the excellent Minister for Health because of what he has done in my electorate alone. Can the minister provide information on what action he has taken to support the prevention of neural tube defects such as spina bifida and anencephaly? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: I thank the member for Peel for his interest in neural tube defects. Neural tube defects such as spina bifida and anencephaly affect over 500 births throughout Australia each year; that is, between 16 and 20 of every 10 000 live births. They are also twice as common in indigenous Australians. Epidemiological evidence has been available for more than a decade that shows the projected effect of folate for the prevention of neural tube defects. It is also over a decade since health promotion activities were instigated, initially here in Western Australia and then in several other Australian States, to promote an increase in folate intake by pregnant women. These were met with some successes but have faced inevitable limitations because of the need that women have adequate folate intake from three months before conception. It is especially noteworthy that much of the important research in this area was carried out by Professors Carol Bower and Fiona Stanley from the TVW Telethon Institute for Child Health Research. There is now good evidence that up to 70 per cent of neural tube defects are preventable by daily consumption of folic acid. As I have indicated, Aboriginal infants are at twice the risk of neural tube defects compared with non-Aboriginal infants. Internationally as well as here, low socioeconomic status and low folic acid intake are associated with a high incidence of neural tube defects. There are broader health benefits associated with folic acid consumption. There is an association between folic acid supplementation and a reduction in cardiovascular disease and certain forms of cancer. Professors Bower and Stanley estimate that in 2003 245 babies could have been born without the serious and lifelong disabilities had mandatory fortification with folic acid been instituted, but instead there were 195 terminations of pregnancy because the foetus had a neural tube defect, and 50 infants were born with spina bifida. I am pleased to advise that I have instructed the Department of Health to commence an application to Food Standards Australia New Zealand to amend the food standards code to require mandatory fortification of flour with folic acid. I have also placed this item on the agenda of the 28 May meeting of the Australia New Zealand Food Regulation Ministerial Council and will seek support from all jurisdictions for this important public health initiative. It is within our capacity as a State and nation to ensure that some 250 babies are born free of serious and life-long disabilities around Australia each year. I pay special tribute to the work of Professors Carol Bower and Fiona Stanley in providing the scientific basis for this important public health measure and in promoting effective measures to translate science into action.
Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: I thank the member for Peel for his interest in neural tube defects. Neural tube defects such as spina bifida and anencephaly affect over 500 births throughout Australia each year; that is, between 16 and 20 of every 10 000 live births. They are also twice as common in indigenous Australians. Epidemiological evidence has been available for more than a decade that shows the projected effect of folate for the prevention of neural tube defects. It is also over a decade since health promotion activities were instigated, initially here in Western Australia and then in several other Australian States, to promote an increase in folate intake by pregnant women. These were met with some successes but have faced inevitable limitations because of the need that women have adequate folate intake from three months before conception. It is especially noteworthy that much of the important research in this area was carried out by Professors Carol Bower and Fiona Stanley from the TVW Telethon Institute for Child Health Research. There is now good evidence that up to 70 per cent of neural tube defects are preventable by daily consumption of folic acid. As I have indicated, Aboriginal infants are at twice the risk of neural tube defects compared with non-Aboriginal infants. Internationally as well as here, low socioeconomic status and low folic acid intake are associated with a high incidence of neural tube defects. There are broader health benefits associated with folic acid consumption. There is an association between folic acid supplementation and a reduction in cardiovascular disease and certain forms of cancer. Professors Bower and Stanley estimate that in 2003 245 babies could have been born without the serious and lifelong disabilities had mandatory fortification with folic acid been instituted, but instead there were 195 terminations of pregnancy because the foetus had a neural tube defect, and 50 infants were born with spina bifida. I am pleased to advise that I have instructed the Department of Health to commence an application to Food Standards Australia New Zealand to amend the food standards code to require mandatory fortification of flour with folic acid. I have also placed this item on the agenda of the 28 May meeting of the Australia New Zealand Food Regulation Ministerial Council and will seek support from all jurisdictions for this important public health initiative. It is within our capacity as a State and nation to ensure that some 250 babies are born free of serious and life-long disabilities around Australia each year. I pay special tribute to the work of Professors Carol Bower and Fiona Stanley in providing the scientific basis for this important public health measure and in promoting effective measures to translate science into action.
I thank the member for Peel for his interest in neural tube defects. Neural tube defects such as spina bifida and anencephaly affect over 500 births throughout Australia each year; that is, between 16 and 20 of every 10 000 live births. They are also twice as common in indigenous Australians. Epidemiological evidence has been available for more than a decade that shows the projected effect of folate for the prevention of neural tube defects. It is also over a decade since health promotion activities were instigated, initially here in Western Australia and then in several other Australian States, to promote an increase in folate intake by pregnant women. These were met with some successes but have faced inevitable limitations because of the need that women have adequate folate intake from three months before conception. It is especially noteworthy that much of the important research in this area was carried out by Professors Carol Bower and Fiona Stanley from the TVW Telethon Institute for Child Health Research. There is now good evidence that up to 70 per cent of neural tube defects are preventable by daily consumption of folic acid. As I have indicated, Aboriginal infants are at twice the risk of neural tube defects compared with non-Aboriginal infants. Internationally as well as here, low socioeconomic status and low folic acid intake are associated with a high incidence of neural tube defects. There are broader health benefits associated with folic acid consumption. There is an association between folic acid supplementation and a reduction in cardiovascular disease and certain forms of cancer. Professors Bower and Stanley estimate that in 2003 245 babies could have been born without the serious and lifelong disabilities had mandatory fortification with folic acid been instituted, but instead there were 195 terminations of pregnancy because the foetus had a neural tube defect, and 50 infants were born with spina bifida. I am pleased to advise that I have instructed the Department of Health to commence an application to Food Standards Australia New Zealand to amend the food standards code to require mandatory fortification of flour with folic acid. I have also placed this item on the agenda of the 28 May meeting of the Australia New Zealand Food Regulation Ministerial Council and will seek support from all jurisdictions for this important public health initiative. It is within our capacity as a State and nation to ensure that some 250 babies are born free of serious and life-long disabilities around Australia each year. I pay special tribute to the work of Professors Carol Bower and Fiona Stanley in providing the scientific basis for this important public health measure and in promoting effective measures to translate science into action.
It is especially noteworthy that much of the important research in this area was carried out by Professors Carol Bower and Fiona Stanley from the TVW Telethon Institute for Child Health Research. There is now good evidence that up to 70 per cent of neural tube defects are preventable by daily consumption of folic acid. As I have indicated, Aboriginal infants are at twice the risk of neural tube defects compared with non-Aboriginal infants. Internationally as well as here, low socioeconomic status and low folic acid intake are associated with a high incidence of neural tube defects. There are broader health benefits associated with folic acid consumption. There is an association between folic acid supplementation and a reduction in cardiovascular disease and certain forms of cancer. Professors Bower and Stanley estimate that in 2003 245 babies could have been born without the serious and lifelong disabilities had mandatory fortification with folic acid been instituted, but instead there were 195 terminations of pregnancy because the foetus had a neural tube defect, and 50 infants were born with spina bifida. I am pleased to advise that I have instructed the Department of Health to commence an application to Food Standards Australia New Zealand to amend the food standards code to require mandatory fortification of flour with folic acid. I have also placed this item on the agenda of the 28 May meeting of the Australia New Zealand Food Regulation Ministerial Council and will seek support from all jurisdictions for this important public health initiative. It is within our capacity as a State and nation to ensure that some 250 babies are born free of serious and life-long disabilities around Australia each year. I pay special tribute to the work of Professors Carol Bower and Fiona Stanley in providing the scientific basis for this important public health measure and in promoting effective measures to translate science into action.
I am pleased to advise that I have instructed the Department of Health to commence an application to Food Standards Australia New Zealand to amend the food standards code to require mandatory fortification of flour with folic acid. I have also placed this item on the agenda of the 28 May meeting of the Australia New Zealand Food Regulation Ministerial Council and will seek support from all jurisdictions for this important public health initiative. It is within our capacity as a State and nation to ensure that some 250 babies are born free of serious and life-long disabilities around Australia each year. I pay special tribute to the work of Professors Carol Bower and Fiona Stanley in providing the scientific basis for this important public health measure and in promoting effective measures to translate science into action.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr N.R. MARLBOROUGH: I think it is absolutely moral that he be called the excellent Minister for Health because of what he has done in my electorate alone. Can the minister provide information on what action he has taken to support the prevention of neural tube defects such as spina bifida and anencephaly? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: I thank the member for Peel for his interest in neural tube defects. Neural tube defects such as spina bifida and anencephaly affect over 500 births throughout Australia each year; that is, between 16 and 20 of every 10 000 live births. They are also twice as common in indigenous Australians. Epidemiological evidence has been available for more than a decade that shows the projected effect of folate for the prevention of neural tube defects. It is also over a decade since health promotion activities were instigated, initially here in Western Australia and then in several other Australian States, to promote an increase in folate intake by pregnant women. These were met with some successes but have faced inevitable limitations because of the need that women have adequate folate intake from three months before conception. It is especially noteworthy that much of the important research in this area was carried out by Professors Carol Bower and Fiona Stanley from the TVW Telethon Institute for Child Health Research. There is now good evidence that up to 70 per cent of neural tube defects are preventable by daily consumption of folic acid. As I have indicated, Aboriginal infants are at twice the risk of neural tube defects compared with non-Aboriginal infants. Internationally as well as here, low socioeconomic status and low folic acid intake are associated with a high incidence of neural tube defects. There are broader health benefits associated with folic acid consumption. There is an association between folic acid supplementation and a reduction in cardiovascular disease and certain forms of cancer. Professors Bower and Stanley estimate that in 2003 245 babies could have been born without the serious and lifelong disabilities had mandatory fortification with folic acid been instituted, but instead there were 195 terminations of pregnancy because the foetus had a neural tube defect, and 50 infants were born with spina bifida. I am pleased to advise that I have instructed the Department of Health to commence an application to Food Standards Australia New Zealand to amend the food standards code to require mandatory fortification of flour with folic acid. I have also placed this item on the agenda of the 28 May meeting of the Australia New Zealand Food Regulation Ministerial Council and will seek support from all jurisdictions for this important public health initiative. It is within our capacity as a State and nation to ensure that some 250 babies are born free of serious and life-long disabilities around Australia each year. I pay special tribute to the work of Professors Carol Bower and Fiona Stanley in providing the scientific basis for this important public health measure and in promoting effective measures to translate science into action.
The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr N.R. MARLBOROUGH: I think it is absolutely moral that he be called the excellent Minister for Health because of what he has done in my electorate alone. Can the minister provide information on what action he has taken to support the prevention of neural tube defects such as spina bifida and anencephaly? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: I thank the member for Peel for his interest in neural tube defects. Neural tube defects such as spina bifida and anencephaly affect over 500 births throughout Australia each year; that is, between 16 and 20 of every 10 000 live births. They are also twice as common in indigenous Australians. Epidemiological evidence has been available for more than a decade that shows the projected effect of folate for the prevention of neural tube defects. It is also over a decade since health promotion activities were instigated, initially here in Western Australia and then in several other Australian States, to promote an increase in folate intake by pregnant women. These were met with some successes but have faced inevitable limitations because of the need that women have adequate folate intake from three months before conception. It is especially noteworthy that much of the important research in this area was carried out by Professors Carol Bower and Fiona Stanley from the TVW Telethon Institute for Child Health Research. There is now good evidence that up to 70 per cent of neural tube defects are preventable by daily consumption of folic acid. As I have indicated, Aboriginal infants are at twice the risk of neural tube defects compared with non-Aboriginal infants. Internationally as well as here, low socioeconomic status and low folic acid intake are associated with a high incidence of neural tube defects. There are broader health benefits associated with folic acid consumption. There is an association between folic acid supplementation and a reduction in cardiovascular disease and certain forms of cancer. Professors Bower and Stanley estimate that in 2003 245 babies could have been born without the serious and lifelong disabilities had mandatory fortification with folic acid been instituted, but instead there were 195 terminations of pregnancy because the foetus had a neural tube defect, and 50 infants were born with spina bifida. I am pleased to advise that I have instructed the Department of Health to commence an application to Food Standards Australia New Zealand to amend the food standards code to require mandatory fortification of flour with folic acid. I have also placed this item on the agenda of the 28 May meeting of the Australia New Zealand Food Regulation Ministerial Council and will seek support from all jurisdictions for this important public health initiative. It is within our capacity as a State and nation to ensure that some 250 babies are born free of serious and life-long disabilities around Australia each year. I pay special tribute to the work of Professors Carol Bower and Fiona Stanley in providing the scientific basis for this important public health measure and in promoting effective measures to translate science into action.
Mr N.R. MARLBOROUGH: I think it is absolutely moral that he be called the excellent Minister for Health because of what he has done in my electorate alone. Can the minister provide information on what action he has taken to support the prevention of neural tube defects such as spina bifida and anencephaly? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: I thank the member for Peel for his interest in neural tube defects. Neural tube defects such as spina bifida and anencephaly affect over 500 births throughout Australia each year; that is, between 16 and 20 of every 10 000 live births. They are also twice as common in indigenous Australians. Epidemiological evidence has been available for more than a decade that shows the projected effect of folate for the prevention of neural tube defects. It is also over a decade since health promotion activities were instigated, initially here in Western Australia and then in several other Australian States, to promote an increase in folate intake by pregnant women. These were met with some successes but have faced inevitable limitations because of the need that women have adequate folate intake from three months before conception. It is especially noteworthy that much of the important research in this area was carried out by Professors Carol Bower and Fiona Stanley from the TVW Telethon Institute for Child Health Research. There is now good evidence that up to 70 per cent of neural tube defects are preventable by daily consumption of folic acid. As I have indicated, Aboriginal infants are at twice the risk of neural tube defects compared with non-Aboriginal infants. Internationally as well as here, low socioeconomic status and low folic acid intake are associated with a high incidence of neural tube defects. There are broader health benefits associated with folic acid consumption. There is an association between folic acid supplementation and a reduction in cardiovascular disease and certain forms of cancer. Professors Bower and Stanley estimate that in 2003 245 babies could have been born without the serious and lifelong disabilities had mandatory fortification with folic acid been instituted, but instead there were 195 terminations of pregnancy because the foetus had a neural tube defect, and 50 infants were born with spina bifida. I am pleased to advise that I have instructed the Department of Health to commence an application to Food Standards Australia New Zealand to amend the food standards code to require mandatory fortification of flour with folic acid. I have also placed this item on the agenda of the 28 May meeting of the Australia New Zealand Food Regulation Ministerial Council and will seek support from all jurisdictions for this important public health initiative. It is within our capacity as a State and nation to ensure that some 250 babies are born free of serious and life-long disabilities around Australia each year. I pay special tribute to the work of Professors Carol Bower and Fiona Stanley in providing the scientific basis for this important public health measure and in promoting effective measures to translate science into action.
Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: I thank the member for Peel for his interest in neural tube defects. Neural tube defects such as spina bifida and anencephaly affect over 500 births throughout Australia each year; that is, between 16 and 20 of every 10 000 live births. They are also twice as common in indigenous Australians. Epidemiological evidence has been available for more than a decade that shows the projected effect of folate for the prevention of neural tube defects. It is also over a decade since health promotion activities were instigated, initially here in Western Australia and then in several other Australian States, to promote an increase in folate intake by pregnant women. These were met with some successes but have faced inevitable limitations because of the need that women have adequate folate intake from three months before conception. It is especially noteworthy that much of the important research in this area was carried out by Professors Carol Bower and Fiona Stanley from the TVW Telethon Institute for Child Health Research. There is now good evidence that up to 70 per cent of neural tube defects are preventable by daily consumption of folic acid. As I have indicated, Aboriginal infants are at twice the risk of neural tube defects compared with non-Aboriginal infants. Internationally as well as here, low socioeconomic status and low folic acid intake are associated with a high incidence of neural tube defects. There are broader health benefits associated with folic acid consumption. There is an association between folic acid supplementation and a reduction in cardiovascular disease and certain forms of cancer. Professors Bower and Stanley estimate that in 2003 245 babies could have been born without the serious and lifelong disabilities had mandatory fortification with folic acid been instituted, but instead there were 195 terminations of pregnancy because the foetus had a neural tube defect, and 50 infants were born with spina bifida. I am pleased to advise that I have instructed the Department of Health to commence an application to Food Standards Australia New Zealand to amend the food standards code to require mandatory fortification of flour with folic acid. I have also placed this item on the agenda of the 28 May meeting of the Australia New Zealand Food Regulation Ministerial Council and will seek support from all jurisdictions for this important public health initiative. It is within our capacity as a State and nation to ensure that some 250 babies are born free of serious and life-long disabilities around Australia each year. I pay special tribute to the work of Professors Carol Bower and Fiona Stanley in providing the scientific basis for this important public health measure and in promoting effective measures to translate science into action.
I thank the member for Peel for his interest in neural tube defects. Neural tube defects such as spina bifida and anencephaly affect over 500 births throughout Australia each year; that is, between 16 and 20 of every 10 000 live births. They are also twice as common in indigenous Australians. Epidemiological evidence has been available for more than a decade that shows the projected effect of folate for the prevention of neural tube defects. It is also over a decade since health promotion activities were instigated, initially here in Western Australia and then in several other Australian States, to promote an increase in folate intake by pregnant women. These were met with some successes but have faced inevitable limitations because of the need that women have adequate folate intake from three months before conception. It is especially noteworthy that much of the important research in this area was carried out by Professors Carol Bower and Fiona Stanley from the TVW Telethon Institute for Child Health Research. There is now good evidence that up to 70 per cent of neural tube defects are preventable by daily consumption of folic acid. As I have indicated, Aboriginal infants are at twice the risk of neural tube defects compared with non-Aboriginal infants. Internationally as well as here, low socioeconomic status and low folic acid intake are associated with a high incidence of neural tube defects. There are broader health benefits associated with folic acid consumption. There is an association between folic acid supplementation and a reduction in cardiovascular disease and certain forms of cancer. Professors Bower and Stanley estimate that in 2003 245 babies could have been born without the serious and lifelong disabilities had mandatory fortification with folic acid been instituted, but instead there were 195 terminations of pregnancy because the foetus had a neural tube defect, and 50 infants were born with spina bifida. I am pleased to advise that I have instructed the Department of Health to commence an application to Food Standards Australia New Zealand to amend the food standards code to require mandatory fortification of flour with folic acid. I have also placed this item on the agenda of the 28 May meeting of the Australia New Zealand Food Regulation Ministerial Council and will seek support from all jurisdictions for this important public health initiative. It is within our capacity as a State and nation to ensure that some 250 babies are born free of serious and life-long disabilities around Australia each year. I pay special tribute to the work of Professors Carol Bower and Fiona Stanley in providing the scientific basis for this important public health measure and in promoting effective measures to translate science into action.
It is especially noteworthy that much of the important research in this area was carried out by Professors Carol Bower and Fiona Stanley from the TVW Telethon Institute for Child Health Research. There is now good evidence that up to 70 per cent of neural tube defects are preventable by daily consumption of folic acid. As I have indicated, Aboriginal infants are at twice the risk of neural tube defects compared with non-Aboriginal infants. Internationally as well as here, low socioeconomic status and low folic acid intake are associated with a high incidence of neural tube defects. There are broader health benefits associated with folic acid consumption. There is an association between folic acid supplementation and a reduction in cardiovascular disease and certain forms of cancer. Professors Bower and Stanley estimate that in 2003 245 babies could have been born without the serious and lifelong disabilities had mandatory fortification with folic acid been instituted, but instead there were 195 terminations of pregnancy because the foetus had a neural tube defect, and 50 infants were born with spina bifida. I am pleased to advise that I have instructed the Department of Health to commence an application to Food Standards Australia New Zealand to amend the food standards code to require mandatory fortification of flour with folic acid. I have also placed this item on the agenda of the 28 May meeting of the Australia New Zealand Food Regulation Ministerial Council and will seek support from all jurisdictions for this important public health initiative. It is within our capacity as a State and nation to ensure that some 250 babies are born free of serious and life-long disabilities around Australia each year. I pay special tribute to the work of Professors Carol Bower and Fiona Stanley in providing the scientific basis for this important public health measure and in promoting effective measures to translate science into action.
I am pleased to advise that I have instructed the Department of Health to commence an application to Food Standards Australia New Zealand to amend the food standards code to require mandatory fortification of flour with folic acid. I have also placed this item on the agenda of the 28 May meeting of the Australia New Zealand Food Regulation Ministerial Council and will seek support from all jurisdictions for this important public health initiative. It is within our capacity as a State and nation to ensure that some 250 babies are born free of serious and life-long disabilities around Australia each year. I pay special tribute to the work of Professors Carol Bower and Fiona Stanley in providing the scientific basis for this important public health measure and in promoting effective measures to translate science into action.
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