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Powers of Attorney Act 2006
41ADefinitions—pt 4.3A
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41A Definitions—pt 4.3A
(1) In this part:
approved, for medical research or low-risk research, means medical
research or low-risk research approved by a human research ethics
committee constituted in accordance with, and acting in compliance
with, the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research
(2007), published by the NHMRC, as in force from time to time.
Note The National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research (2007)
is accessible at www.nhmrc.gov.au.
low-risk research, in relation to a person—
(a) means research carried out for medical or health purposes that—
(i) poses no foreseeable risk of harm to the person, other than
any harm usually associated with the person’s condition;
and
(ii) does not change the treatment appropriate for the person’s
condition; but
(b) does not include research that is part of a clinical trial, unless the
trial is evaluating only the following:
(i) a therapeutic good that is included in the Australian
Register of Therapeutic Goods (other than the part of the
Register for goods known as provisionally registered
goods);
(ii) a health care procedure, process or technique supported by
a substantial number of practitioners in the relevant field of
health care.
1 a comparative assessment of the effects of different methods of drug
administration proven to be beneficial in the treatment of a condition (such as
a continuous infusion as opposed to a once-a-day administration)
2 a comparative assessment of the angle at which to set a tilt bed to best assist a
person’s breathing
3 research comparing the effectiveness of paracetamol and ibuprofen during
routine health care
medical research, in relation to a person—
(a) means research in relation to the diagnosis, maintenance or
treatment of a medical condition that the person has or has had
or to which the person has a significant risk of being exposed;
and
(b) includes—
(i) experimental health care; and
(ii) the administration of medication or the use of equipment
or a device as part of a clinical trial; and
(iii) research prescribed by regulation as medical research; but
(c) does not include—
(i) low-risk research; or
(ii) research prescribed by regulation not to be medical
research.
Example—par (b) (ii)
a clinical trial involving a drug usually used for a particular medical condition but
trialled as a treatment for a different medical condition
medical research power of attorney, for a principal, means—
(a) an enduring power of attorney under which the principal
authorises an attorney to exercise power in relation to a medical
research matter; or
(b) an enduring power of attorney—
(i) under which the principal authorises an attorney to exercise
power in relation to a health care matter; and
(ii) that was made before the commencement of the Powers of
Attorney Amendment Act 2016.
Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods means the register
maintained under the Therapeutic Goods Act 1989 (Cwlth),
section 9A.
Note The Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods can be accessed at
www.tga.gov.au/resources/artg.
experimental health care means research—
(a) into health care that—
(i) has not yet gained the support of a substantial number of
practitioners in that field of health care; and
(ii) may, but need not, be medical in nature; and
(b) delivered as part of a test or trial.
1 trialling increased physical therapy for patients on ventilation apparatus
2 trialling a new absorbent material after bathing to treat dermatological
conditions
NHMRC means the National Health and Medical Research Council
established under the National Health and Medical Research Council
Act 1992 (Cwlth), section 5B.
personal health information—see the Health Records (Privacy and
Access) Act 1997, dictionary.
personal information—see the Information Privacy Act 2014,
section 8.
therapeutic goods—see the Therapeutic Goods Act 1989 (Cwlth),
section 3.