# Ian Town

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Chief Science Advisor to Ministry of Health, NZ

Ian Town FRACP Town in November 2020 Born George Ian Town Education University of Otago University of Southampton Employer Ministry of Health

**George Ian Town** is a New Zealand respiratory scientist and health official. He was appointed the Chief Science Advisor to the New Zealand Ministry of Health in 2019.

## Education and research

After graduating MB ChB at the [University of Otago](/source/University_of_Otago), Town completed a [Doctor of Medicine](/source/Doctor_of_Medicine) higher degree at the [University of Southampton](/source/University_of_Southampton) in 1991, with a thesis entitled *The role of inflammation in oxygen-induced lung injury in the preterm guinea pig*.[1]

Town is a physician and has published on evidence-based guidelines for respiratory medicine, particularly asthma, COPD and pneumonia. He is a Fellow of the [Royal Australasian College of Physicians](/source/Royal_Australasian_College_of_Physicians).[2]

Town has publicly stated that the research on the drug [Ivermectin](/source/Ivermectin) doesn't show that the drug is effective at treating [COVID-19](/source/COVID-19) and claimed that it has dangerous side effects. Though he has voiced support for other [protease](/source/Protease) inhibiting drugs.[3]

## Employment

Town was the Dean of the University of Otago in Christchurch from 2002 to 2005.[4] He was the Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the [University of Canterbury](/source/University_of_Canterbury) from 2005 to 2013.[5] He has been Chair of the Performance Based Research Fund Sector Reference Group and Chair of the Tertiary Education Commission PBRF Governance Group.[5] He was the Chair of Te Papa Hauora/Christchurch Health Precinct Advisory Council, advising on the post-earthquake rebuild, for five years.[5][6]

Town was appointed as Chief Science Advisor to the [Ministry of Health](/source/Ministry_of_Health_(New_Zealand)) in July 2019.[7][5] His role at the Ministry was originally part-time, and involved working with [MBIE](/source/Ministry_of_Business%2C_Innovation_and_Employment) and the [Health Research Council](/source/Health_Research_Council_of_New_Zealand) to implement the New Zealand Health Research Strategy 2017–2027.[5][7] When COVID-19 arrived in New Zealand his background in respiratory medicine led to his advising full-time on the New Zealand response to COVID-19.[7][8][9]

## Selected publications

[Scholia](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata:Scholia) has a profile for [**Ian Town (Q105047287)**](https://iw.toolforge.org/scholia/Q105047287).

- W. S. Lim; M. M. van der Eerden; R. Laing; W. G. Boersma; N. Karalus; G. I. Town; S. A. Lewis; J. T. Macfarlane (May 2003). ["Defining community acquired pneumonia severity on presentation to hospital: an international derivation and validation study"](https://thorax.bmj.com/content/thoraxjnl/58/5/377.full.pdf) (PDF). *[Thorax](/source/Thorax_(journal))*. **58** (5): 377–82. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1136/THORAX.58.5.377](https://doi.org/10.1136%2FTHORAX.58.5.377). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0040-6376](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0040-6376). [PMC](/source/PMC_(identifier)) [1746657](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1746657). [PMID](/source/PMID_(identifier)) [12728155](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12728155). [Wikidata](/source/WDQ_(identifier)) [Q24678793](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q24678793).

- Carlos A Camargo; Tristram Ingham; Kristin Wickens; et al. (27 December 2010). "Cord-blood 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels and risk of respiratory infection, wheezing, and asthma". *[Pediatrics](/source/Pediatrics_(journal))*. **127** (1): e180-7. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1542/PEDS.2010-0442](https://doi.org/10.1542%2FPEDS.2010-0442). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0031-4005](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0031-4005). [PMID](/source/PMID_(identifier)) [21187313](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21187313). [Wikidata](/source/WDQ_(identifier)) [Q83039767](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q83039767).

- Taylor DR; Drazen JM; Herbison GP; Yandava CN; Hancox RJ; Town GI (1 September 2000). ["Asthma exacerbations during long term beta agonist use: influence of beta(2) adrenoceptor polymorphism"](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1745862). *[Thorax](/source/Thorax_(journal))*. **55** (9): 762–767. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1136/THORAX.55.9.762](https://doi.org/10.1136%2FTHORAX.55.9.762). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0040-6376](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0040-6376). [PMC](/source/PMC_(identifier)) [1745862](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1745862). [PMID](/source/PMID_(identifier)) [10950895](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10950895). [Wikidata](/source/WDQ_(identifier)) [Q35534065](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q35534065).

- Neill AM; Martin IR; Weir R; et al. (1 October 1996). ["Community acquired pneumonia: aetiology and usefulness of severity criteria on admission"](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC472650). *[Thorax](/source/Thorax_(journal))*. **51** (10): 1010–1016. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1136/THX.51.10.1010](https://doi.org/10.1136%2FTHX.51.10.1010). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0040-6376](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0040-6376). [PMC](/source/PMC_(identifier)) [472650](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC472650). [PMID](/source/PMID_(identifier)) [8977602](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8977602). [Wikidata](/source/WDQ_(identifier)) [Q36501395](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q36501395).

- D R Murdoch; R T Laing; G D Mills; N C Karalus; G I Town; S Mirrett; L B Reller (1 October 2001). ["Evaluation of a rapid immunochromatographic test for detection of Streptococcus pneumoniae antigen in urine samples from adults with community-acquired pneumonia"](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC88378). *[Journal of Clinical Microbiology](/source/Journal_of_Clinical_Microbiology)*. **39** (10): 3495–3498. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1128/JCM.39.10.3495-3498.2001](https://doi.org/10.1128%2FJCM.39.10.3495-3498.2001). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0095-1137](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0095-1137). [PMC](/source/PMC_(identifier)) [88378](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC88378). [PMID](/source/PMID_(identifier)) [11574562](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11574562). [Wikidata](/source/WDQ_(identifier)) [Q33973580](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q33973580).

- Ian Town; Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand; Asthma and Respiratory Foundation of New Zealand (2003), *The burden of COPD in New Zealand*, [OCLC](/source/OCLC_(identifier)) [1135022891](https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/1135022891), [Wikidata](/source/WDQ_(identifier)) [Q109329560](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q109329560)

- Ian Town; New Zealand Guidelines Group; Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners (2002), *The diagnosis and treatment of adult asthma.* (in undetermined language), [OCLC](/source/OCLC_(identifier)) [946799390](https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/946799390), [Wikidata](/source/WDQ_(identifier)) [Q109329561](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q109329561)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Town, George Ian (1991). ["The role of inflammation in oxygen-induced lung injury in the preterm guinea pig (Thesis (D.M.) - University of Southampton, Dept. of Medicine I"](https://www-lib.soton.ac.uk/uhtbin/cgisirsi/?ps=cYLcKavqiM/HARTLEY/X/9). *www-lib.soton.ac.uk*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20211030045440/https://www-lib.soton.ac.uk/uhtbin/cgisirsi/?ps=cYLcKavqiM%2FHARTLEY%2FX%2F9) from the original on 30 October 2021. Retrieved 30 October 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Our Chief Science Advisor Forum"](https://www.pmcsa.ac.nz/who-we-are/chief-science-advisor-forum/). *Prime Minister's Chief Science Advisor*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20211029031316/https://www.pmcsa.ac.nz/who-we-are/chief-science-advisor-forum/) from the original on 29 October 2021. Retrieved 30 October 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** [*COVID-19 (novel coronavirus) update – 10 December, 2021 12:30pm | Ministry of Health NZ*](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiBa6v_VLI4), retrieved 13 December 2021

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** University of Otago, Christchurch. ["History of the University of Otago, Christchurch"](https://www.otago.ac.nz/christchurch/about/history/). *www.otago.ac.nz*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20210609183024/https://www.otago.ac.nz/christchurch/about/history/) from the original on 9 June 2021. Retrieved 30 October 2021.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:0_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:0_5-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:0_5-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-:0_5-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-:0_5-4) ["Chief Science Advisor"](https://www.health.govt.nz/about-ministry/leadership-ministry/chief-science-advisor). *Ministry of Health NZ*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20211022114114/https://www.health.govt.nz/about-ministry/leadership-ministry/chief-science-advisor) from the original on 22 October 2021. Retrieved 30 October 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["New approach brings different health professions together to learn"](https://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/opinion/107577517/new-approach-brings-different-health-professions-together-to-learn). *[Stuff](/source/Stuff_(website))*. 3 October 2018. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20181208101204/https://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/opinion/107577517/new-approach-brings-different-health-professions-together-to-learn) from the original on 8 December 2018. Retrieved 30 October 2021.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:1_7-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:1_7-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:1_7-2) ["Christ's College: Health Matters"](https://christscollege.com/college-life/archived-news/health-matters). *Christ's College*. 20 May 2020. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20211030045437/https://christscollege.com/college-life/archived-news/health-matters) from the original on 30 October 2021. Retrieved 30 October 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["Independent experts to advise Government on post-vaccination future"](https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/independent-experts-advise-government-post-vaccination-future). *The Beehive*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20211012070925/https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/independent-experts-advise-government-post-vaccination-future) from the original on 12 October 2021. Retrieved 30 October 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["Ire over anti-lockdown letter"](https://www.odt.co.nz/star-news/star-national/ire-over-anti-lockdown-letter). *[Otago Daily Times](/source/Otago_Daily_Times)*. 26 December 2020. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20211030045438/https://www.odt.co.nz/star-news/star-national/ire-over-anti-lockdown-letter) from the original on 30 October 2021. Retrieved 30 October 2021.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Ian Town](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ian_Town) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ian_Town?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.