The Australian government said today it will conduct a major study into the possible link between long distance air travel and deadly blood clots.
The study will involve up to 10,000 medical and travel records held by government agencies to reveal the proportion of travellers who have developed blood clots during flights, Deputy Prime Minister John Anderson said.
Reports of passengers developing clots after long flights have mounted since media coverage of the October death of Emma Christoffersen, from Wales, following a flight from Australia to London.
Several people who say they suffered the condition are now suing major airlines.
In March, World Health Organization medical experts and airline representatives meeting in Switzerland said there was likely to be a link between long-haul flights and deadly blood clots.
Clots develop in blood vessels in the legs when circulation slows, usually because people stay still for long periods.
The condition is known as deep vein thrombosis (DVT). The clots can be fatal if they break off and are carried to the lungs, blocking the flow of blood.
Anderson said the government study, to be conducted by the Department of Health and Aged Care, will begin immediately with preliminary results expected next March.
"Our decision to fund the data-matching study was based on the advice of our health experts, who consider it will provide an excellent basis for deciding what further research is required, and whether we need to take additional steps to reduce the risk of DVT," Anderson said.
The study will be carried out under strict privacy rules.