Jack Jumper Immunotherapy Progamme

The Petition of the undersigned Residents of Tasmania draws attention to the House: Currently, around 12,000 Tasmanians are known to suffer a serious allergy to Jack Jumper Ant stings. Of these, around 4,000 are highly allergic, having experienced the condition known as anaphylaxis, which puts them at significant risk of death. An internationally renowned clinical trial conducted at the Royal Hobart Hospital, has developed the only known effective vaccine that can prevent life-threatening reactions in these people. Research funding that has provided this treatment to 60 trial participants for the last 4 years runs out in December 2005. If the programme is discontinued, access to this life-altering treatment will be denied and preventable deaths may occur. The cost to maintain and extend the treatment to other Tasmanians who are at the greatest risk amounts to around $200,000 per year. Your petitioners therefore request that: With the knowledge that there is now an effective vaccine for Jack Jumper Ant Allergy, your petitioners call upon the Tasmanian Government to immediately allocate the funding necessary to provide life saving treatment to those Tasmanians at the greatest risk of death. In addition, the Tasmanian Government is called on to actively pursue collaborative arrangements with other State and Commonwealth Governments, to make this treatment available throughout Australia.