J. Alasdair Millar Curriculum Vitae

JOHN ALASDAIR MILLAR BSc (Hons) PhD FRACP FRCP
Physician and Clinical Pharmacologist
Adjunct Clinical Professor, Curtin University Medical School

Editor, Tasman Medical Journal

RETROSPECTIVE PROFESSIONAL HISTORY

(Feb 2019)

Locum Physician, Dept. of Medicine, Whanganui Hospital, New Zealand.

(Aug – Oct 2018)

Locum Physician, Dept.of Medicine, Rotorua Hospital, New Zealand.
Locum Physician (several) Albany Hospital, WA, Australia

(2017 – 2018)

 Locum Physician (several) Albany Hospital, WA, Australia

(2012-2017) 

Medical Director, Head of Department and Consultant Physician and Clinic
Pharmacologist, Albany Hospital, WA, Australia 2012-2017.

(Jun – Aug, 2012)

 Locum Physician, Greymouth Hospital, New Zealand0

(Feb – Mar 2012) 

Locum Physician, Ashburton Hospital, New Zealand0

(Jan – June, 2012) 

Clinical Stroke Lead, Stroke Improvement Project, Albany Hospital

(2009 – 2011)

Divisional Director, Medicine and Clinical Director, Medicine and Consultant Physician,
Southland Hospital, PO Box 828, Invercargill 9840, New Zealand

(1992 – 2009) 

Consultant Physician and Clinical Pharmacologist, Department of Medicine, Royal Perth
Hospital, Perth, WA;
Clinical Professor in Pharmacology and Medicine, University of Western Australia. 
Head of Department, Royal Perth Hospital, 1996-2000.

(1982 – 1992) 

Senior Lecturer in Clinical Pharmacology, University of Otago Medical School, Dunedin,
New Zealand; Consultant Physician, Dunedin Hospital

(1980 – 1982)

Medical Registrar, Department of Materia Medica, Stobhill Hospital, Glasgow

(1978 – 1980)

NH&MRC Senior Research Officer, Prince Henry’s Hospital, Melbourne

(1975 – 1978)

Medical Registrar, MRC Blood Pressure Research Unit, Western Infirmary, Glasgow

(1974 – 1975)

Medical House Officer, Western Infirmary Glasgow, Surgical House Officer, Stirling RoyaI Infirmary, Stirling, Scotland

INSTITUTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Director and Head of Department, Albany Hospital, Albany WA Australia (2012-2017)

Member, Senior Management Group, Southland Hospital (2009-March 2011)

Member, Drugs and Therapeutics Committee, Southland Hospital (2009 – October 2011)

Chairman, Drug Sub-Committee, Royal Perth Hospital (1992 – 2008)

Member, Curriculum Committee UWA (1993-1996)

Member, Royal Perth Hospital Ethics Committee, 1992-2008 (Chairman, 1996 – 2007)

Member, Western Australian Therapeutics Advisory Group (Chairman, 1996 – 2007) (www.watag.org.au)

Convenor, Drug Usage and Assessment Group, Royal Perth Hospital (1992 – 2009)

Member, Drug Trials Sub-Committee, Royal Perth Hospital (Chairman, 1992 – 2007)

Member, Western Australian Drug Evaluation Panel (since inauguration, 2003 – 2009)

Chairman, Severe Incident Confidential Assessment Committee, Royal Perth Hospital (2002-2004)

Clinical Adviser, National Research Centre for Environmental Toxicology, Queensland (1992-2000)

Head of Department of Internal Medicine, Royal Perth Hospital, 1996 –2000

Member, Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (Canberra) (2000 – 2006)

Clinical Director (Head of Department), Medical Department, Southland Hospital (2010-Oct 2011)

Member, Drug Utilisation Sub-Committee (Canberra) (2002-2009; 2012- 2014)

ACADEMIC AND VOCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS

  1. Bachelor of Science with Honours in Chemistry; Faculty of Science, University of Glasgow, 1967.  Thesis: “Synthesis and rearrangement of coumarins from Ptaeroxylon obliquum”.
  2. Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), University of Glasgow, 1971.   Thesis: “Metabolic effects of lead and iron”.
  3. Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery (MBChB), University of Glasgow, 1974.   Thesis: “The biochemical basis of addiction to alcohol”.
  4. Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (FRACP), elected 1985.
  5. Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow (FRCP), elected 1990.
  6. Registered Medical Practitioner in Australia and New Zealand

AWARDS

Cappel Award, 1971 [Dissertation entitled “The mechanism of ferritin biosynthesis”.]

  1. and F. Demuth Foundation Young Investigator Award, 1980. Dissertation entitled “Adrenal angiotensin II receptors and vascular reactivity to angiotensin II in the rat during continuous inhibition of converting enzyme”.

STATEMENT OF OVERALL CLINICAL SKILLS AND CAPABILITIES

I am an experienced physician, clinical pharmacologist, clinical teacher and clinical manager. I have followed a career in medicine at three renowned university cities internationally (Glasgow, Dunedin and Perth).  I continue to have a keen interest in research, to act as reviewer for several medical journals, and to publish research papers.  I have created the Tasman Medical Journal and its parent business, Tasman Journals.  I have advised the Australian and Western Australian governments via my membership PBAC and DUSC, and chairmanship of WATAG and WAMSG, and published in related fields.  I am familiar with modern concepts of clinical safety and quality and aim to apply my knowledge to medical and scientific publishing.

PUBLICATIONS SINCE 2008 [complete list (n = 151) available on request]

2008
  1. Millar JA, Lee G, Silla RC, Berwick A. The National Inpatient Medication Chart: critical audit of design and performance at a tertiary hospital.  MJA 188; 95-99
  2. Millar JA. Multicentre drug trials, ethics approval and death of patients (Letter).  Int Med J 38; 298-99
  3. Millar JA, Lee G, Silla RC, Berwick A. The National Inpatient Medication Chart: critical audit of design and performance at a tertiary hospital (letter).  MJA 188; 733.
  4. Millar JA. Rational thromboprophylaxis with low molecular weight heparin in medical inpatients: not quite there yet. Med J Aust, 189; 504-506.
  5. Millar JA, Lee GE, Silla RC, Berwick A. Current medical thromboprophylaxis guidelines contain the potential for patient harm. (Abstract).  6th Australasian Conference on Safety and Quality in Health Care, Christchurch, New Zealand. September 2008.
2009
  1. Millar JA. Genesis of guidelines for thromboprophylaxis in Australia: a need for transparency and standardization in guideline development. MJA 190; 446-450.
  2. Millar JA. Selection of medical patients for prophylaxis of venous thromboembolism based on analysis of the benefit:hazard ratio. Int Med J 39; 606-612.
2010
  1. Millar JA, Lee GE, Ienco R. Prevalence of thromboembolism in medical inpatients (letter).  MJA 192; 724-726.
2011
  1. Beer C, Loh PK, Peng YG, Potter K, Millar JA. A pilot randomized controlled trial of deprescribing.  Ther Adv Drug Saf 2011, DOI: 10.1177/2042098611400332; http://taw.sagepub.com/content/early/2011/02/27/2042098611400332
  2. Millar JA. Relative risk according to the proportion of a population deemed to be at high risk after risk factor analysis.  NZ Med J 124; 25 March.  http://www.nzma.org.nz/journal/124-1331/4597/.
  3. Millar JA.  Is money spent on quality improvement better spent on clinical care?  YES: Quality improvement siphons resources for little return and threatens health.  MJA 194, 640.
  4. Millar JA.  Australasian guidelines for medical thromboprophylaxis are flawed.  Thromb J. 2011.  http://www.thrombosisjournal.com/content/9/1/7/comments#495685 (Comment on Gibbs et al, Thromb J   2011, 9:7 doi:10.1186/1477-9560-9-7
2012
  1. Millar JA, Douglas JE, Bagley L, Densie I.  Eligibility for medical thromboprophylaxis based on risk-factor weights, and clinical thrombotic event rates.  MJA; 196: 457-461.
  2. Millar JA.  The Cockroft and Gault formula to estimate renal function: a friendly deconstruction.  NZ Med J, 24 February: http://journal.nzma.org.nz/journal/125-1350/5079/
  3. Millar JA. Relative risk according to the proportion of a population deemed to be at high risk after risk factor analysis: a correction.  NZ Med J 24 February: http://journal.nzma.org.nz/journal/125-1350/5095/
  4. Millar JA.  Measures of risk and their relationship to the relative size of the high-risk group: application to medical thromboprophylaxis.  Clin Epidemiol 2012; 4: 275-281.  {See commentary: Christiansen CF “Prophylaxis of venous thromboembolism in medical patients: too much or too little?” Clin Epidemiol 2012; 4: 315-8.} http://www.dovepress.com/articles.php?article_id=11396&l=nm70ZF8T5dN9la7w3TeURnnr27468
2014
  1. Noel SE, Millar, JA. Current state of medical thromboprophylaxis in Australia. Austr Med J 2014, 7, 2, 58-63. http//dx.doi.org/10.4066/AMJ.2014.1915
  2. Millar JA, Millar RC.  Potential cost to Western Australia of proposed patient co-payments according to healthcare organisational structure: A preliminary analysis. Aust Med J 2014; 7: 8, 357–360. http//dx.doi.org/10.4066/AMJ.2014.2214
2015
  1.  Millar JA. Effect of thromboprophylaxis on mortality from pulmonary embolus and major bleeding. AMJ 2015;8(9): 286–291. http://dx.doi.org/10.4066/AMJ.2015.2447
2016
  1.  Millar JA, Gee ALK.  Estimation of clinical and economic effects of prophylaxis against venous thromboembolism in medical patients, including the effect of targeting patients at high-risk.  Int Med J 2016: 46; 315-324,  doi: 10.1111/imj.12995
2019
  1. Millar JA The cost of teriflunomide in the treatment of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.  NZ Med J, 2019; 132: 36-41.