The head of the Hazelwood health study says no stone will be left unturned in assessing the health impacts of last year's mine fire in south-east Victoria.
The long-term health study was launched at the Monash School of Rural Health at Latrobe Regional Hospital yesterday.
It is calling for expressions of interest from residents affected by the fire to join a community advisory committee that will help shape the study.
The committee will also include representatives from the health sector.
Head researcher, professor Judi Walker, said the new committee would distribute a survey to residents affected by last year's mine fire.
"Then we'll be able to determine who it is that we want to work with more closely on targeted clinical aspects of the study, whether it's cardiovascular, whether it's cancer, whether it's child development, right across the board," she said.
Professor Walker said about 5,000 people would be recruited for the 10-year study, which would also look at additional data on deaths and cancer rates.
"Obviously we need to know any work that has been done, it's really important that we have access to that information so that we can assess its appropriateness and make sure that no stone goes unturned," she said.
Morwell residents have welcomed the launch of the health study.
The secretary of Advance Morwell, Keith Brownbill, said he did not suffer any health effects from the 45-day mine fire.
However, he said many people did and the study would determine whether their exposure to the smoke and ash had led to serious health problems...
Read more by ABC News 28 January 2015