Frequently asked questions

 

 
What are the Institute’s major achievements?
Researchers at the Institute have published more than 100 peer reviewed scientific papers each year. Of particular note is the work by Professors Carol Bower and Fiona Stanley in helping to identify the important role of folate in reducing neural tube defects such as spina bifida. The Institute initiated the world’s first public health folate campaign and has since lobbied for the mandatory fortification of food with folate, which has now been agreed to by state and federal food ministers.

The Institute’s advocacy also saw Western Australia become the first state to offer free vaccinations to prevent Hib meningitits. The Institute’s asthma and allergy researchers have made important discoveries about the development of the immune system and have just begun trials of the world’s first asthma vaccine.
The Institute has pioneered the development of powerful data-bases of de-identified information that tracks births and later health outcomes. It also has a disability database, a twins register, a cerebral palsy register and is home to the international Rett Syndrome database. These sources of information allow epidemiologists to track patterns and trends.
The Institute is tracking the health and development of more than 2500 young people, who were recruited for the Raine Study before they were born. Data was gathered during their mother’s pregnancy, and those same children are now around 16 years of age and still coming in for regular assessments.
 
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Last updated 30 January 2007