COURSES 2020


HOW TO USE PLACEBOS TO SUPPORT RECOVERY:
AN EVIDENCE-BASED APPROACH
  

Dr. Jeremy Howick


Date: 26 Sept 2020  

 

CPD hours: 7  •  cost: £135  •  Registration 9:15, start 9:30 and finish 17:00

10% DISCOUNT: £121.50 • IF BOOKED BEFORE 6 JAN 2020
 
STUDENT FEE: £67.50 • USE DISCOUNT CODE "student"

 
In this interactive workshop, Dr. Jeremy Howick will explore with the participants the mechanisms and evidence for placebos in supporting patient recovery and enhancing individual lives.
At the end of the workshop the attendees will gain evidence-based tools they can use clinically to enhance the care of their patient.

The workshop is suitable for all medical practitioners and manual and physical therapists


DAY'S CONTENT:
  • Session 1 - Introduction
    Experiential proof that placebo effects are real and easy to implement / Sharing placebo stories / Q&A
  • Session 2 - Placebo Wars
    Why optimists and sceptics about placebo effects are both wrong / Placebos work for some (important) things / Q&A
  • Session 3 - Placebo inner workings I
    Conditioning / Neural mechanisms
  • Session 4 - Placebo inner workings II
    Expectations and Empathy
  • Session 5 - Placebo Tools
    Verbal and body language you can use to enhance placebo effects
  • Session 6 - Real sharing and next steps
    Commitment to improving practice with placebo tools

Dr. Jeremy Howick's research draws on his interdisciplinary training as a philosopher of science and clinical epidemiologist. He has two related areas of interest:
- Evidence-Based Medicine (EBM): EBM 'hierarchies' of evidence, clinical epidemiology, and how point of care tests might improve practice.
- Philosophy of medicine: the epistemological foundations of Evidence-Based Medicine, the ethics of placebos in trials and practice.
Evidence-Based Medicine (EBM)
His work in EBM cumulated in a book ('The Philosophy of Evidence-Based Medicine') and a tool for gauging Levels of Evidence. Both are used by researchers and guideline developers in the UK and internationally. He is currently evaluating different methods for measuring the strength of evidence and is working on a project to further develop the Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine 'Levels of Evidence' as well as the 2nd edition of his book.
Placebo Research
Clinical and health service researchers have spent decades investigating ways to effectively utilize ‘active’ treatments safely, ethically and intelligently. Dr. Howick's research on placebos focuses on methods to investigate ways to rationalize placebo use. He draws on his philosophical and epidemiological expertise to find better ways to maximize benefits and minimize harms of placebos.
Philosophy of medicine and bioethics
Dr. Howick's philosophical research focuses on the justification for EBM 'hierarchies', the evidential role of mechanisms and expertise, and the ethics of placebos in routine practice and clinical trials.
Point of Care Testing
His work on point of care testing (POCTs) are available is important because currently we do not know which tests general practitioners might find beneficial. He is conducting a rapid appraisal of needs for these tests that will be published in 2013.
Consulting
Dr. Howick offers advice on how to determine and (if possible) improve the degree of confidence in claims that medical interventions will benefit patients (the 'Level of Evidence').

 
 
The course will provide for OSTEOPATHIC PRACTICE STANDARDS CPD requirements in the following areas:

7 hours Learning with Others


OPS CPD RequirementsLearning include
Communication and patient partnershipListening, respecting patient's concerns and preferences, dignity and modesty, effective communication, providing information, consent, patient partnership.
Knowledge, skills and performance Having sufficient knowledge and skills, working within training and competence, keeping up to date, analysing and reflecting on information to enhance patient care.
Safety and quality in practicePatient evaluation, management, safeguarding, wider role in enhancing patients' health and wellbeing.