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{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2016}}
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{{Infobox person
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[[File:Ray Avery GNZM investiture.jpg|thumb|right|Avery (left), after his investiture as a [[Knight Grand Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit]] by the governor-general, Sir [[Anand Satyanand]], in 2011]]
| honorific_prefix =
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'''Sir Raymond John Avery''' {{post-nominals|country=NZL|GNZM}} (born 1947)<ref>"[http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/nights/audio/2451244/ray-avery Ray Avery]". Radio New Zealand. 2010.</ref> is a New Zealand pharmaceutical scientist, inventor, author and [[social entrepreneurship|social entrepreneur]] in [[Mount Eden]], [[Auckland]], New Zealand.
| name = Raymond Avery
| honorific_suffix =
| image = Ray Avery GNZM investiture.jpg
| image_upright =
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| caption = Avery (left), after his investiture as a [[Knight Grand Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit]] by the governor-general, Sir [[Anand Satyanand]], in 2011
| native_name =
| native_name_lang =
| pronunciation =
| birth_name = Raymond John Avery
| birth_date = {{Birth year and age|1947}}
| birth_place = [[Kent, England]]
| other_names =
| citizenship = New Zealand
| education =
| alma_mater =
| occupation = {{Cslist|Scientist|investor|writer}}
| years_active =
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| website = <!-- {{URL|example.com}} -->
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'''Sir Raymond John Avery''' {{post-nominals|country=NZL|GNZM}} (born 1947)<ref>"[http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/nights/audio/2451244/ray-avery Ray Avery]". Radio New Zealand. 2010.</ref> is a New Zealand pharmaceutical scientist, inventor, author and social entrepreneur.


==Personal life==
==Personal life==
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He settled in New Zealand in 1973 and became a New Zealand citizen within nine months.<ref>{{cite news |title=Great end to glorious Christmas |url= http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10697215 |newspaper=The New Zealand Herald |date=31 December 2010 |accessdate=25 October 2014}}</ref> In 2010, Avery published his autobiography ''Rebel with a Cause'', which charted his life from childhood in English orphanages and foster homes to knighthood.<ref name=lessons/><ref name=determination>"[http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU1007/S00410/one-kiwis-determination-to-make-a-difference.htm One Kiwi's determination to make a difference]". ''Scoop''. 29 July 2010.</ref>
He settled in New Zealand in 1973 and became a New Zealand citizen within nine months.<ref>{{cite news |title=Great end to glorious Christmas |url= http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10697215 |newspaper=The New Zealand Herald |date=31 December 2010 |accessdate=25 October 2014}}</ref> In 2010, Avery published his autobiography ''Rebel with a Cause'', which charted his life from childhood in English orphanages and foster homes to knighthood.<ref name=lessons/><ref name=determination>"[http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU1007/S00410/one-kiwis-determination-to-make-a-difference.htm One Kiwi's determination to make a difference]". ''Scoop''. 29 July 2010.</ref>

Avery announced in August 2022 that he was moving to Australia, citing societal reasons, including high rates of bullying, domestic violence, gang violence, and obesity, the high cost of living, institutional racism in healthcare and education, a "broken" hospital system, and opposition to a proposed fund-raising concert for his Lifepod device at [[Eden Park]].<ref name="Moving">{{cite news |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/300671648/sir-ray-avery-moving-to-australia-citing-gang-violence-and-child-poverty |title=Sir Ray Avery moving to Australia, citing gang violence and child poverty |date=26 August 2022 |work=[[Stuff (website)|Stuff]] |access-date=12 January 2023}}</ref>


==Career==
==Career==
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In the 1990s, as Technical Director of the [[Fred Hollows Foundation]], Avery designed and commissioned two [[intraocular lens]] manufacturing facilities in [[Asmara, Eritrea]] and [[Kathmandu, Nepal]]. Avery worked with other members of the team to develop replacement equipment when it became apparent that the manufacturing equipment originally commissioned by the foundation was not suitable.<ref name="Gibson July">{{cite news |last1=Gibson |first1=Eloise |title=Can Ray Avery turn promises into reality? |url=https://www.newsroom.co.nz/can-ray-avery-turn-promises-into-reality |access-date=1 April 2021 |work=Newsroom |date=25 July 2018}}</ref>
In the 1990s, as Technical Director of the [[Fred Hollows Foundation]], Avery designed and commissioned two [[intraocular lens]] manufacturing facilities in [[Asmara, Eritrea]] and [[Kathmandu, Nepal]]. Avery worked with other members of the team to develop replacement equipment when it became apparent that the manufacturing equipment originally commissioned by the foundation was not suitable.<ref name="Gibson July">{{cite news |last1=Gibson |first1=Eloise |title=Can Ray Avery turn promises into reality? |url=https://www.newsroom.co.nz/can-ray-avery-turn-promises-into-reality |access-date=1 April 2021 |work=Newsroom |date=25 July 2018}}</ref>


In 2003, Avery founded an organisation focussed on international development, Medicine Mondiale, which he described as dedicated to making quality healthcare and equipment accessible to even the poorest developing nations around the world.<ref>"[http://www.medicinemondiale.org/about-us.html About Medicine Mondiale]". Medicine Mondiale.</ref> It was registered as a charity in New Zealand in 2008 and is also known as the Sir Ray Avery Foundation.<ref>{{cite web |title=Charity Summary |url=https://register.charities.govt.nz/CharitiesRegister/ViewCharity?accountId=ed4fd807-739c-dc11-8026-0015c5f3da29&searchId=56655ed6-ae27-4bb2-a89c-967dd564e2d1 |website=The Charities Register |publisher=Te Tari Taiwhenua Internal Affairs |access-date=1 April 2021}}</ref>
In 2003, Avery founded an organisation focussed on international development, Medicine Mondiale, which he described as dedicated to making quality healthcare and equipment accessible to even the poorest developing nations around the world.<ref>"[http://www.medicinemondiale.org/about-us.html About Medicine Mondiale]". Medicine Mondiale.</ref> It was registered as a charity in New Zealand in 2008 and is also known as the Sir Ray Avery Foundation.<ref>{{cite web |title=Charity Summary |url=https://register.charities.govt.nz/CharitiesRegister/ViewCharity?accountId=ed4fd807-739c-dc11-8026-0015c5f3da29&searchId=56655ed6-ae27-4bb2-a89c-967dd564e2d1 |website=The Charities Register |publisher=Te Tari Taiwhenua Internal Affairs |access-date=1 April 2021}}</ref>


In 2009, Avery received a World Class New Zealand Award in the Life Sciences category.<ref>[http://www.keanewzealand.com/global/2009-winners World Class New Zealand 2009 Winners] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130227095927/http://www.keanewzealand.com/global/2009-winners |date=27 February 2013 }}. Kea New Zealand.</ref>
In 2009, Avery received a World Class New Zealand Award in the Life Sciences category.<ref>[http://www.keanewzealand.com/global/2009-winners World Class New Zealand 2009 Winners] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130227095927/http://www.keanewzealand.com/global/2009-winners |date=27 February 2013 }}. Kea New Zealand.</ref>
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The Acuset is a small device designed to control the flow of drugs through an [[intravenous therapy|intravenous (IV) drip]]. It was designed to simplify administering drips and to be used in developing countries without adequate medical care.<ref name="Collins"/> In 2008 the Acuset was a finalist in the Saatchi & Saatchi World Changing Ideas Awards.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://saatchi.com/en-us/news/world_changing_ideas_award_finalists_announced/ |title=World Changing Ideas award finalists announced |date=22 January 2008 |publisher=[[Saatchi & Saatchi]] |accessdate=25 October 2014}}</ref>
The Acuset is a small device designed to control the flow of drugs through an [[intravenous therapy|intravenous (IV) drip]]. It was designed to simplify administering drips and to be used in developing countries without adequate medical care.<ref name="Collins"/> In 2008 the Acuset was a finalist in the Saatchi & Saatchi World Changing Ideas Awards.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://saatchi.com/en-us/news/world_changing_ideas_award_finalists_announced/ |title=World Changing Ideas award finalists announced |date=22 January 2008 |publisher=[[Saatchi & Saatchi]] |accessdate=25 October 2014}}</ref>


In December 2019 it was reported by ''[[Newsroom (website)|Newsroom]]'' that clinical trials at Auckland City Hospital in 2008 showed that the Acuset was not more accurate than an existing device called a "roller clamp" which was already used widely in developing countries.<ref name="Gibson Sept">{{cite news |last1=Gibson |first1=Eloise |title=Legal threat to suppress clinical study |url=https://www.newsroom.co.nz/legal-threat-to-suppress-clinical-study |access-date=1 April 2021 |work=Newsroom |date=6 September 2018}}</ref> The findings were subsequently published in a medical journal in 2015.
In December 2019 it was reported by ''[[Newsroom (website)|Newsroom]]'' that clinical trials at Auckland City Hospital in 2008 showed that the Acuset was not more accurate than an existing device called a "roller clamp" which was already used widely in developing countries.<ref name="Gibson Sept">{{cite news |last1=Gibson |first1=Eloise |title=Legal threat to suppress clinical study |url=https://www.newsroom.co.nz/legal-threat-to-suppress-clinical-study |access-date=1 April 2021 |work=Newsroom |date=6 September 2018}}</ref> The findings were subsequently published in a medical journal in 2015. Avery's position, set out in the article, was that the trials "did not reflect normal usage" of the Acuset and used an earlier version of the product.<ref name="Gibson Sept"/>


This publication was later subject to an addendum which confirmed that the University of Auckland trial was not as reported by reporter Eloise Gibson a Clinical trial but a benchtop study.

The Addendum also makes it clear that the device tested by the University of Auckland was not the Safeguard Acuset controller which forms part of Sir Ray Avery’s clinically proven IV infusion control system and no conclusions about the relative performance of the full safeguard system can be made as this system was not compared to the roller clamp.
So Eloise Gibson’s reported claims that the University of Auckland study was a Clinical Study and that the Acuset flow controller is no more accurate than a roller clamp are false and misleading.<ref>https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/international-journal-of-technology-assessment-in-health-care/article/abs/interaction-between-objective-performance-measures-and-subjective-user-perceptions-in-the-evaluation-of-medical-devices-a-case-studyaddendum/36FDF4B05EE25CE8A16B818185904E70</ref>



⚫
Avery subsequently made a complaint to the [[New Zealand Media Council]] against ''Newsroom'' for reporting on the study and on allegations that he had sought the retraction of the study's findings. The complaint was not upheld by the Council, which concluded that the ''Newsroom'' article "contained no inaccuracy in relation to its key message of a threat to suppress publication of the results of tests relating to a device used to control intravenous drips, and indeed the complaint is not directed against that key message".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Murphy |first1=Tim |title=Media Council backs Newsroom over Ray Avery threat |url=https://www.newsroom.co.nz/media-council-decision-on-ray-avery |access-date=1 April 2021 |work=Newsroom |date=27 December 2019}}</ref>

The Media council noted that "As to the quality of the research carried out in 2008, and the usefulness of the current Acuset device, the Media Council has often said that it does not have the resources or skill to determine contested claims on scientific health issues. We cannot and do not make any comment on the merits of the first device, or the current device, or the Auckland City Hospital Research.

So the Media Council ruling was not based on any scientific evaluation of the published article and the Media Council accepted that the Newsroom article may have been damaging to efforts to raise public funds for the Acuset device, and other devices marketed by the same promoters, and the reputation of its promoters. <ref>{{cite news |last1=Murphy |first1=Tim |title=Media Council backs Newsroom over Ray Avery threat |url=https://www.newsroom.co.nz/media-council-decision-on-ray-avery |access-date=1 April 2021 |work=Newsroom |date=27 December 2019}}</ref>


⚫
Avery subsequently made a complaint to the [[New Zealand Media Council]] against ''Newsroom'' for reporting on the study and on allegations that he had sought the retraction of the study's findings. The complaint was not upheld by the council, which concluded that the ''Newsroom'' article "contained no inaccuracy in relation to its key message of a threat to suppress publication of the results of tests relating to a device used to control intravenous drips, and indeed the complaint is not directed against that key message".<ref name="Murphy">{{cite news |last1=Murphy |first1=Tim |title=Media Council backs Newsroom over Ray Avery threat |url=https://www.newsroom.co.nz/media-council-decision-on-ray-avery |access-date=1 April 2021 |work=Newsroom |date=27 December 2019}}</ref> The Council noted that it was "made clear in the article that the test was on an earlier device, not the device currently marketed, and Sir Ray Avery's version of what has happened is set out in the article". The council was also clear that in its decision it was not commenting on the merits of the earlier version of the Acuset, the current Acuset or the research studies that had been carried out.<ref name="Murphy"/>


===Lifepod incubator ===
===Lifepod incubator ===
The Lifepod is an [[Incubator (neonatal)|incubator]] developed by Medicine Mondiale with the goal of being low-cost, warm, sterile and robust, and suitable for distributing in poorer countries.<ref name="Gibson July">{{cite news |last1=Gibson |first1=Eloise |title=Can Ray Avery turn promises into reality? |url=https://www.newsroom.co.nz/can-ray-avery-turn-promises-into-reality |access-date=1 April 2021 |work=Newsroom |date=25 July 2018}}</ref> As of July 2018, {{NZ$}}4.5 million had been spent in development including {{NZ$}}2 million raised from public donations.<ref name="Gibson July"/> Avery apologised in 2018 for not being clearer to donors about the progress of the work.<ref>{{cite news |title=Sir Ray Avery's self-imposed deadline to have LifePod baby incubator ready expires |url=https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/sir-ray-averys-self-imposed-deadline-have-lifepod-baby-incubator-ready-expires |access-date=1 April 2021 |work=TVNZ |date=13 March 2019}}</ref> In November 2018 the [[Department of Internal Affairs (New Zealand)|Department of Internal Affairs]] conducted a review after a complaint was made, and concluded it was satisfied that donations were being used properly, although it urged the foundation to consider "updating the public regarding the status of the LifePod incubators and managing their expectations as to when they will be most likely to be ready for delivery to Fiji".<ref name="Johnston">{{cite news |last1=Johnston |first1=Martin |title=Sick or premature babies in India to be first to use Sir Ray Avery's LifePod incubators |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/sick-or-premature-babies-in-india-to-be-first-to-use-sir-ray-averys-lifepod-incubators/YQVAFY7DE5QNTDTDVLEMSYVGF4/ |access-date=1 April 2021 |work=NZ Herald |date=22 March 2019}}</ref><ref name="Gibson June">{{cite news |last1=Gibson |first1=Eloise |title=Inside Internal Affairs’ Ray Avery inquiry |url=https://www.newsroom.co.nz/inside-internal-affairs-avery-inquiry |access-date=1 April 2021 |work=Newsroom |date=10 June 2019}}</ref>
The Lifepod was a proposed [[Incubator (neonatal)|incubator]] that was in development by Medicine Mondiale with the goal of being low-cost, warm, sterile and robust, and suitable for distributing in poorer countries.<ref name="Gibson July"/> As of July 2018, {{NZ$}}4.5 million had been spent in development including {{NZ$}}2 million raised from public donations.<ref name="Gibson July"/> Avery apologised in 2018 for not being clearer to donors about the progress of the work.<ref>{{cite news |title=Sir Ray Avery's self-imposed deadline to have LifePod baby incubator ready expires |url=https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/sir-ray-averys-self-imposed-deadline-have-lifepod-baby-incubator-ready-expires |access-date=1 April 2021 |work=TVNZ |date=13 March 2019}}</ref> In November 2018 the [[Department of Internal Affairs (New Zealand)|Department of Internal Affairs]] conducted a review after a complaint was made, and concluded it was satisfied that donations were being used properly, although it urged the foundation to consider "updating the public regarding the status of the LifePod incubators and managing their expectations as to when they will be most likely to be ready for delivery to Fiji".<ref name="Johnston">{{cite news |last1=Johnston |first1=Martin |title=Sick or premature babies in India to be first to use Sir Ray Avery's LifePod incubators |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/sick-or-premature-babies-in-india-to-be-first-to-use-sir-ray-averys-lifepod-incubators/YQVAFY7DE5QNTDTDVLEMSYVGF4/ |access-date=1 April 2021 |work=NZ Herald |date=22 March 2019}}</ref><ref name="Gibson June">{{cite news |last1=Gibson |first1=Eloise |title=Inside Internal Affairs' Ray Avery inquiry |url=https://www.newsroom.co.nz/inside-internal-affairs-avery-inquiry |access-date=1 April 2021 |work=Newsroom |date=10 June 2019}}</ref>


In March 2019 it was reported that the Lifepod would begin hospital trials in India in July, but this did not eventuate.<ref name="Johnston"/> Little has been heard about the project since late 2019.
In March 2019 it was reported that the Lifepod would begin hospital trials in India in July, but this did not eventuate.<ref name="Johnston"/> In 2022, on announcing that he was leaving New Zealand and moving to Australia, Avery said opposition to a planned concert in 2018 at Eden Park to raise funds for the Lifepod was a "pivotal moment" leading to his decision to leave. Aside from a few prototypes, no fully-functioning Lifepods were ever built.<ref name="Moving"/>


===Infant and child nutrition products===
===Infant and child nutrition products===
Avery's agency Medicine Mondiale developed the infant formula "Proteinforte" for the treatment of [[protein-energy malnutrition]].<ref>{{cite web |title=NZ food partnership to combat global malnutrition |url=https://www.massey.ac.nz/massey/about-massey/news/article.cfm?mnarticle_uuid=BBAC0156-A06D-8B09-B7F1-1EDD199FD86C |website=Massey University |access-date=1 April 2021 |date=21 February 2011}}</ref> The agency also developed a nutritional bar called the "Amigo Bar", based on [[amino acids]], which are intended to be distributed in New Zealand schools to supplement children's diets through a for-profit social enterprise business.<ref>{{cite news |title=Amino Natural Launches $1 Million Equity Crowdfunding Campaign |url=https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU2011/S00362/amino-natural-launches-1-million-equity-crowdfunding-campaign.htm |access-date=1 April 2021 |work=Scoop Independent News |agency=Amino Natural |date=19 November 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Murphy |first1=Tim |last2=Russell |first2=Alexis |title=Another delay for Sir Ray |url=https://www.newsroom.co.nz/2018/07/31/172742/another-delay-for-sir-ray |access-date=1 April 2021 |work=Newsroom |date=1 August 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Amigo Nutrition Campaign |url=https://amigonutrition.org.nz/whats-new/amigo-school-nutrition-campaign/ |website=Amigo Nutrition |publisher=Sir Ray Avery Foundation |access-date=1 April 2021}}</ref>
Avery's agency Medicine Mondiale developed the infant formula "Proteinforte" for the treatment of [[protein-energy malnutrition]].<ref>{{cite web |title=NZ food partnership to combat global malnutrition |url=https://www.massey.ac.nz/massey/about-massey/news/article.cfm?mnarticle_uuid=BBAC0156-A06D-8B09-B7F1-1EDD199FD86C |website=Massey University |access-date=1 April 2021 |date=21 February 2011}}</ref> The agency also developed a nutritional bar called the "Amigo Bar", based on [[amino acids]], which were intended to be distributed in New Zealand schools to supplement children's diets through a for-profit social enterprise business.<ref>{{cite news |title=Amino Natural Launches $1 Million Equity Crowdfunding Campaign |url=https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU2011/S00362/amino-natural-launches-1-million-equity-crowdfunding-campaign.htm |access-date=1 April 2021 |work=Scoop Independent News |agency=Amino Natural |date=19 November 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Murphy |first1=Tim |last2=Russell |first2=Alexis |title=Another delay for Sir Ray |url=https://www.newsroom.co.nz/2018/07/31/172742/another-delay-for-sir-ray |access-date=1 April 2021 |work=Newsroom |date=1 August 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Amigo Nutrition Campaign |url=https://amigonutrition.org.nz/whats-new/amigo-school-nutrition-campaign/ |website=Amigo Nutrition |publisher=Sir Ray Avery Foundation |access-date=1 April 2021}}</ref> Like the Lifepod, these never went into production either.{{cn|date=August 2024}}


==Books==
==Books==
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| | 2010 || [[KiwiBank]] [[New Zealander of the Year Awards|New Zealander of the Year]]<ref name=nzawards /> || For designing technology used to produce low-cost intraocular lenses
| | 2010 || [[KiwiBank]] [[New Zealander of the Year Awards|New Zealander of the Year]]<ref name=nzawards /> || For designing technology used to produce low-cost intraocular lenses
|-
|-
| | 2010 || [[Peter Blake (sailor)|Sir Peter Blake]] Leadership Medal<ref>[http://www.sirpeterblaketrust.org/leadership/awards/2010_awards/#Ray-Avery Sir Ray Avery]. Sir Peter Blake Trust.</ref> ||
| | 2010 || [[Peter Blake (sailor)|Sir Peter Blake]] Leadership Medal<ref>[http://www.sirpeterblaketrust.org/leadership/awards/2010_awards/#Ray-Avery Sir Ray Avery] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110805235128/http://www.sirpeterblaketrust.org/leadership/awards/2010_awards#Ray-Avery |date=5 August 2011 }}. Sir Peter Blake Trust.</ref> ||
|-
|-
| | 2011 || [[Ernst and Young]] Social Entrepreneur Award{{citation needed|date=April 2021}} ||
| | 2011 || [[Ernst and Young]] Social Entrepreneur Award{{citation needed|date=April 2021}} ||
|- align="left"
|- align="left"
| | 2011 || [[Readers Digest]] New Zealand's Most Trusted Person<ref>{{cite news |last1=Jones |first1=Nicholas |title=Can you trust 'NZ's most trusted' list? |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/can-you-trust-nzs-most-trusted-list/X4KTFW2LGTCWM5TGUHTPQEIATQ/ |access-date=1 April 2021 |work=NZ Herald |date=20 June 2011}}</ref> ||
| | 2011 || [[Reader's Digest]] New Zealand's Most Trusted Person<ref>{{cite news |last1=Jones |first1=Nicholas |title=Can you trust 'NZ's most trusted' list? |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/can-you-trust-nzs-most-trusted-list/X4KTFW2LGTCWM5TGUHTPQEIATQ/ |access-date=1 April 2021 |work=NZ Herald |date=20 June 2011}}</ref> ||
|-
|-
| | [[2011 New Year Honours (New Zealand)|2011]] || Knight Grand Companion of the [[New Zealand Order of Merit]]<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.dpmc.govt.nz/publications/new-year-honours-list-2011 | title=New Year honours list 2011 |date=31 December 2010| publisher=Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet | accessdate=5 January 2018}}</ref> || For his services to philanthropy
| | [[2011 New Year Honours (New Zealand)|2011]] || Knight Grand Companion of the [[New Zealand Order of Merit]]<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.dpmc.govt.nz/publications/new-year-honours-list-2011 | title=New Year honours list 2011 |date=31 December 2010| publisher=Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet | accessdate=5 January 2018}}</ref> || For his services to philanthropy
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==External links==
==External links==
{{commons category}}
* [http://www.medicinemondiale.org/ Medicine Mondiale Official Website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191113142439/https://medicinemondiale.org/ |date=13 November 2019 }}
* [http://www.medicinemondiale.org/ Medicine Mondiale Official Website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191113142439/https://medicinemondiale.org/ |date=13 November 2019 }}
* [http://medicinemondiale.wordpress.com/ Medicine Mondiale Official Blog]
* [http://medicinemondiale.wordpress.com/ Medicine Mondiale Official Blog]
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[[Category:People from Mount Eden]]
[[Category:People from Mount Eden]]
[[Category:Knights Grand Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit]]
[[Category:Knights Grand Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit]]
[[Category:People from Kent]]
[[Category:Scientists from Kent]]
[[Category:Alumni of Wye College]]

Revision as of 22:38, 3 October 2024

Raymond Avery
Avery (left), after his investiture as a Knight Grand Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit by the governor-general, Sir Anand Satyanand, in 2011
Born
Raymond John Avery

1947 (age 77–78)
Kent, England
CitizenshipNew Zealand
Occupations
  • Scientist
  • investor
  • writer

Sir Raymond John Avery GNZM (born 1947)[1] is a New Zealand pharmaceutical scientist, inventor, author and social entrepreneur.

Personal life

Avery was born in Kent, England.[2] After spending his childhood in orphanages and foster homes, he has said he developed an interest in science at the age of 14 while sleeping rough in London and finding warmth in public libraries.[3][4] He now mentors young people, speaking regularly at schools and universities.[5] He was later educated at Wye College, a tertiary agricultural college in Kent.[6]

He settled in New Zealand in 1973 and became a New Zealand citizen within nine months.[7] In 2010, Avery published his autobiography Rebel with a Cause, which charted his life from childhood in English orphanages and foster homes to knighthood.[2][6]

Avery announced in August 2022 that he was moving to Australia, citing societal reasons, including high rates of bullying, domestic violence, gang violence, and obesity, the high cost of living, institutional racism in healthcare and education, a "broken" hospital system, and opposition to a proposed fund-raising concert for his Lifepod device at Eden Park.[8]

Career

After graduating, Avery worked as an analyst in laboratories, in which he eventually took a shareholding.[6] After leaving Britain and settling in New Zealand, he was a founding member of the Department of Clinical Pharmacology at the University of Auckland School of Medicine.[citation needed] He was then the technical director of Douglas Pharmaceuticals, where he developed and commercialised pharmaceutical and nutritional products.[9]

In the 1990s, as Technical Director of the Fred Hollows Foundation, Avery designed and commissioned two intraocular lens manufacturing facilities in Asmara, Eritrea and Kathmandu, Nepal. Avery worked with other members of the team to develop replacement equipment when it became apparent that the manufacturing equipment originally commissioned by the foundation was not suitable.[10]

In 2003, Avery founded an organisation focussed on international development, Medicine Mondiale, which he described as dedicated to making quality healthcare and equipment accessible to even the poorest developing nations around the world.[11] It was registered as a charity in New Zealand in 2008 and is also known as the Sir Ray Avery Foundation.[12]

In 2009, Avery received a World Class New Zealand Award in the Life Sciences category.[13]

Avery is a co–founder of Jupl NZ Ltd, a medical technology company.[14]

Projects

Acuset IV flow controller

The Acuset is a small device designed to control the flow of drugs through an intravenous (IV) drip. It was designed to simplify administering drips and to be used in developing countries without adequate medical care.[9] In 2008 the Acuset was a finalist in the Saatchi & Saatchi World Changing Ideas Awards.[15]

In December 2019 it was reported by Newsroom that clinical trials at Auckland City Hospital in 2008 showed that the Acuset was not more accurate than an existing device called a "roller clamp" which was already used widely in developing countries.[16] The findings were subsequently published in a medical journal in 2015. Avery's position, set out in the article, was that the trials "did not reflect normal usage" of the Acuset and used an earlier version of the product.[16]

Avery subsequently made a complaint to the New Zealand Media Council against Newsroom for reporting on the study and on allegations that he had sought the retraction of the study's findings. The complaint was not upheld by the council, which concluded that the Newsroom article "contained no inaccuracy in relation to its key message of a threat to suppress publication of the results of tests relating to a device used to control intravenous drips, and indeed the complaint is not directed against that key message".[17] The Council noted that it was "made clear in the article that the test was on an earlier device, not the device currently marketed, and Sir Ray Avery's version of what has happened is set out in the article". The council was also clear that in its decision it was not commenting on the merits of the earlier version of the Acuset, the current Acuset or the research studies that had been carried out.[17]

Lifepod incubator

The Lifepod was a proposed incubator that was in development by Medicine Mondiale with the goal of being low-cost, warm, sterile and robust, and suitable for distributing in poorer countries.[10] As of July 2018, NZ$4.5 million had been spent in development including NZ$2 million raised from public donations.[10] Avery apologised in 2018 for not being clearer to donors about the progress of the work.[18] In November 2018 the Department of Internal Affairs conducted a review after a complaint was made, and concluded it was satisfied that donations were being used properly, although it urged the foundation to consider "updating the public regarding the status of the LifePod incubators and managing their expectations as to when they will be most likely to be ready for delivery to Fiji".[19][20]

In March 2019 it was reported that the Lifepod would begin hospital trials in India in July, but this did not eventuate.[19] In 2022, on announcing that he was leaving New Zealand and moving to Australia, Avery said opposition to a planned concert in 2018 at Eden Park to raise funds for the Lifepod was a "pivotal moment" leading to his decision to leave. Aside from a few prototypes, no fully-functioning Lifepods were ever built.[8]

Infant and child nutrition products

Avery's agency Medicine Mondiale developed the infant formula "Proteinforte" for the treatment of protein-energy malnutrition.[21] The agency also developed a nutritional bar called the "Amigo Bar", based on amino acids, which were intended to be distributed in New Zealand schools to supplement children's diets through a for-profit social enterprise business.[22][23][24] Like the Lifepod, these never went into production either.[citation needed]

Books

Avery has published two books: the best-selling Autobiography Rebel with a Cause [25] charting his life from street kid to Knighthood and The Power of Us [26] celebrating New Zealanders who dare to dream.

Honours

Avery has received awards including:

Year Award Notes
2008 Rotary Paul Harris Medal[citation needed]
2008 Bayer Research and Development Innovator Award[citation needed] Acuset flow controller
2009 World Class New Zealand Award for Biotechnology[citation needed]
2010 TBWA Disruption Award[citation needed]
2010 KiwiBank New Zealander of the Year[3] For designing technology used to produce low-cost intraocular lenses
2010 Sir Peter Blake Leadership Medal[27]
2011 Ernst and Young Social Entrepreneur Award[citation needed]
2011 Reader's Digest New Zealand's Most Trusted Person[28]
2011 Knight Grand Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit[29] For his services to philanthropy

References

  1. ^ "Ray Avery". Radio New Zealand. 2010.
  2. ^ a b "Lessons from mean streets of London". The New Zealand Herald. 17 June 2013. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  3. ^ a b New Zealander of the Year Awards Archived 23 February 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ "Who is Sir Ray Avery?". Newsroom. 25 July 2018. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  5. ^ Inspiring Kiwis: Ray Avery. Television New Zealand.
  6. ^ a b c "One Kiwi's determination to make a difference". Scoop. 29 July 2010.
  7. ^ "Great end to glorious Christmas". The New Zealand Herald. 31 December 2010. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  8. ^ a b "Sir Ray Avery moving to Australia, citing gang violence and child poverty". Stuff. 26 August 2022. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
  9. ^ a b Collins, Simon (1 December 2004). "NZ man aids millions with 15c water drip invention". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  10. ^ a b c Gibson, Eloise (25 July 2018). "Can Ray Avery turn promises into reality?". Newsroom. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  11. ^ "About Medicine Mondiale". Medicine Mondiale.
  12. ^ "Charity Summary". The Charities Register. Te Tari Taiwhenua Internal Affairs. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  13. ^ World Class New Zealand 2009 Winners Archived 27 February 2013 at the Wayback Machine. Kea New Zealand.
  14. ^ "Expertise, leadership and experience". Jupl. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
  15. ^ "World Changing Ideas award finalists announced". Saatchi & Saatchi. 22 January 2008. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  16. ^ a b Gibson, Eloise (6 September 2018). "Legal threat to suppress clinical study". Newsroom. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  17. ^ a b Murphy, Tim (27 December 2019). "Media Council backs Newsroom over Ray Avery threat". Newsroom. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  18. ^ "Sir Ray Avery's self-imposed deadline to have LifePod baby incubator ready expires". TVNZ. 13 March 2019. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  19. ^ a b Johnston, Martin (22 March 2019). "Sick or premature babies in India to be first to use Sir Ray Avery's LifePod incubators". NZ Herald. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  20. ^ Gibson, Eloise (10 June 2019). "Inside Internal Affairs' Ray Avery inquiry". Newsroom. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  21. ^ "NZ food partnership to combat global malnutrition". Massey University. 21 February 2011. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  22. ^ "Amino Natural Launches $1 Million Equity Crowdfunding Campaign". Scoop Independent News. Amino Natural. 19 November 2020. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  23. ^ Murphy, Tim; Russell, Alexis (1 August 2018). "Another delay for Sir Ray". Newsroom. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  24. ^ "Amigo Nutrition Campaign". Amigo Nutrition. Sir Ray Avery Foundation. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  25. ^ "Rebel with a Cause" Penguin Books
  26. ^ "The Power of Us Beattie's Book Blog
  27. ^ Sir Ray Avery Archived 5 August 2011 at the Wayback Machine. Sir Peter Blake Trust.
  28. ^ Jones, Nicholas (20 June 2011). "Can you trust 'NZ's most trusted' list?". NZ Herald. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  29. ^ "New Year honours list 2011". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 31 December 2010. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
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