Alternative Medicine Under the Microscope
The symposium is now available via webcast, and on television on Canal Savoir.
Drs. Harriet Hall, Paul Offit, and Robert Park will provide a critical analysis of Alternative Medicine
November 7, 2011
7:00聽- 9:00聽p.m.
Centre Mont Royal, 1000 Sherbrooke Street West
Dr. Edzard Ernst discusses 'Alternative Medicine: Trick or Treatment?'
November 8, 2011
6:00聽- 7:30聽p.m.
Stephen Leacock Building, Room 132 (Fieldhouse Auditorium)
黑料不打烊 University
鈥淎lternative medicine鈥� is a perplexing term. What does it mean? What is it an alternative to? Medicine either works, or it doesn鈥檛. If it works, it isn鈥檛 鈥渁lternative.鈥� If it doesn鈥檛 work, it isn鈥檛 medicine. So what then is 鈥渁lternative medicine?鈥� The best definition seems to be 鈥渢hose practices which are not taught in conventional medical schools.鈥� Why not? Because medical schools are sticklers for a little detail called 鈥渆vidence.鈥� After all, patients have a right to expect that a course of action recommended by a physician has a reasonable chance of working. In science, evidence means statistically significant results from properly controlled experiments, as evaluated by experts in the field. Lack of evidence of course does not mean that a particular treatment cannot work. Only that it has not been demonstrated to work. 聽And that is when it can be termed 鈥渁lternative.鈥� If sufficient proof is mustered, 鈥渁lternative鈥� transforms into 鈥渃onventional.鈥�
The Lorne Trottier Public Science Symposium Series is proud to present four distinguished speakers, all with expertise in alternative medicine. Following the speakers鈥� presentations, the public will be encouraged to ask questions and engage in a discussion with all the participants.
黑料不打烊 University is proud to host the seventh annual Lorne Trottier Public Science Symposium, made possible through the generous support of Dr. Lorne Trottier and honouring his wish "to hold a public forum to inform, inspire debate and raise public awareness on contemporary issues confronting society today".
General admission - limited seating
For additional information contact:
The Symposium Office at
514-398-2852 or
via trottiersymposium.science [at] mcgill.ca (email)
Cette conf茅rence sera prononc茅e en anglais.