Pierpont-Laurie Syndrome

Dr Nina Pierpont coined the term Wind Turbine Syndrome (WTS) to describe a medical condition that she claimed to be caused by wind turbines. Sarah Laurie (previously Doctor Sarah Laurie) for a time traveled around south-eastern Australia telling people that if a wind farm was going to be built within ten or even 15 kilometres of them that they should be prepared to become ill.

A very few people who live near wind farms do become ill; but all the science suggests that the cause is not the turbines; in fact it is far more likely fear, anxiety and stress.

The nebulous group of symptoms that have been attributed to WTS would be more accurately called Pierpont-Laurie Syndrome. Dr Pierpont and Ms Laurie are spreading unfounded fears and anxiety, increasing stress, and creating unnecessary illness.

First Dog on the Moon produced a cartoon representing all the diseases and symptoms blamed on wind turbines.

This wind farm at Clements Gap near my home in South Australia generates sustainable electricity that results in reduced emissions and the slowing of climate change.

This wind farm at Clements Gap near my home in South Australia generates sustainable electricity that results in reduced emissions and the slowing of climate change.

Wind turbines are simply machines. The sounds they make are similar to the sounds made by other machines, but they are quieter than many machines. In order to discover the facts for myself I have slept under wind turbines many times; every time I had a good night's sleep.

Wind turbines are simply machines. The sounds they make are similar to the sounds made by other machines, but they are quieter than many machines.

In order to discover the facts for myself I have slept under wind turbines many times; every time I had a good night's sleep.

This page aims at giving only a short list of the arguments against Wind Turbine Syndrome; it will point you toward more information.

Prof. Simon Chapman and Teresa Simonetti, Sydney University Medical School

Reviews of the health literature

Is there anything not caused by wind farms?

Professor Chapman has called 'Wind Turbine Syndrome' a classic communicated disease.

There is no evidence that wind turbines cause illness but there is ample evidence that, by replacing polluting coal-fired power, they are saving many lives and serious illnesses.

You should not believe that turbines make people sick. Why?

Turbines are just another machine, they produce nothing but sound and electricity, how could they make people sick?

Pierpont-Laurie Syndrome is a form of epidemic hysteria.

The symptoms of Pierpont-Laurie Syndrome are often seen by clinical psychologists who treat people for anxiety disorders.

Sarah Laurie, as a phenomenon, was largely created by journalists who were looking for sensationalism and were too lazy to look for the truth, or didn't care about the truth.

Ms Laurie made many errors in her claims and in her approach to 'researching' wind turbines and illness.

In a world that is in dire need of action on climate change some are denying that it is happening, others want to support mining and the fossil fuel industry for short-term economic or selfish reasons, still others are in favour of renewable energy anywhere other than near them, while Dr Pierpont, Ms Laurie and those like them are slowing adoption of sustainable energy because of ignorance and delusion.