CONCERN OVER LASER TRIALS

Trials for a laser-acupuncture treatment being studied as a possible cure
for cannabis addiction do not require ethics committee approval, The
Deanery says.

Canterbury ethics committee spokeswoman Sue Johnson said yesterday the
committee had "some real concerns" with the treatment, performed by Swedish
acupuncturist L. B.Andersson at the private drug and alcohol treatment centre.

Protocols on any research trials on humans were normally forwarded to the
regional ethics committees for approval, Ms Johnson said.

"Our brief is to protect the individual participants," she said. "We don't
know how their privacy is being protected, (nor) how consent was obtained."

Deanery director Ewen McLeod said committee approval was not required for
alternative treatments.

"We're a full medical centre with our own doctor and under the control of
the health and disability commissioner," he said.

"We've been very much encouraged in what we are doing."

National Centre for Treatment Development (alcohol, drugs, and addiction)
director Associate Professor Doug Sellman said any trial or research should
go through an ethics committee.

"This is just awful healthcare and patients should be very aware that this
has not been submitted to an ethics committee," he said.

Ms Johnson said the committee would be writing to The Deanery about its
concerns at the ethics of the trials.

Alternative treatments in New Zealand were something of a "grey area" as
far as requiring ethics approval, she said.

"We can't force them to do it, but at the same time, it's a concern."