Conference for physicians examines alternative medical therapies

December 5, 2000

The second annual conference on Alternative & Complementary Medical Therapies: What Works? A Review for the Medical Practitioner on the Frontline, will provide physicians with up-to-date scientific information about mind-body medicine, acupuncture, nutrients-vs-foods, food and immunity, herbal interactions, hormone replacement therapy and women's health and increased libido. Organized by clinicians and researchers from the University of Chicago, the conference will also consider popular alternative therapies for cardiovascular disease, elevated cholesterol, chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and arthritis.

The conference, held Saturday and Sunday, December 9 and 10, at the Drake Hotel in downtown Chicago, will focus on separating what works from what doesn't, helping practicing physicians understand the value and the limitations of treatments that are widely available but currently lie outside of mainstream medicine.

"Patients come to their doctors with questions about alternative medicines that they have learned about from non-medical sources and their physicians often feel uncomfortable discussing these therapies," said Michael Roizen, MD, professor and chairman of anesthesia and critical care and a professor of medicine at the University of Chicago and co-chair of the conference. "This meeting has been designed to help those on the front lines of patient care assess alternative therapies, respond to questions, discuss the pros and cons of promising but unproven treatments, and help curious patients make thoughtful and informed choices," said Roizen, who is also the author of a best-selling health book: RealAge: Are You as Young as You Can Be?

The conference will address both sides of the issues and will provide wherever possible an evidence-based view using scientific data and analysis. It will include a debate on the efficacy of acupuncture and information on potential interactions of mainstream medications with herbal remedies.

Special guest is Katherine Russell Rich, author of the award-winning memoir, The Red Devil: To Hell with Cancer--and Back. She will describe mind-body medicine from a unique, sometimes outrageous, sometimes outrageously humorous, patient perspective.

Speakers for Alternative & Complementary Medical Therapies Review for the Medical Practitioner on the Front Line

Saturday, December 9

7:00 Registration and Continental Breakfast

7:45 Welcome and Goals of the Conference - Dr. Roizen

What Works? Cardiovascular Disease; Mind-Body Medicine:

Why Mean Patients Live Longer; Moving Alternative Medicine into the Mainstream of Practice,

Moderator: Michael Roizen, MD

8:00 Hypercholesterolemia: A Complementary and Alternative Approach to Lipid Disorders - Dr. Szapary

8:45 Mind-Body Medicine and "The Meanest Sonofabitch on the Floor" or Why Mean Patients Live Longer;

Mind-Body Medicine from a Patient's Perspective - Ms. Rich

9:45 Panel: Questions & Answers, Moderator: Michael Roizen, MD

Carolyn Gollub, Katherine Rich and Philippe Szapary

10:15 Refreshments and Book Signing

What Works for Chronic Diseases? Diabetes, Arthritis; and Acupuncture, Moderator: Wendy Levinson, MD

10:45 What Works for Diabetes? Chromium? Ginseng? Others? - Dr. Yuan

11:15 What Works for Arthritis? Glucosamine & Chondroitin Sulfate and? - Dr. Pottenger

12:00 Herbal Interactions & Side Effects: Bleeding, Blood Pressure Changes and Endocrine Interactions:

What Drug and Drug Interactions Should We Warn About or Watch For? - Dr. Petrovitch

12:30 Pro-Con Debate - Acupuncture:

Pro: It Works for? - Dr. Lu

Con: We Don't Know If or Why it Works. - Dr. Ramey

1:45 Questions and Answers, Moderator: Wendy Levinson, MD

Drs. Lu, Pottenger, Ramey and Yuan

2:00 Adjourn

Sunday, December 10

7:30 Continental Breakfast

What Works? Diet, Hypertension, HRT and Women's Health, Female Libido and Health

Moderator: Chun-Su Yuan, MD, PhD

8:15 Nutrients vs. Foods: What Do We Really Know About Making Your RealAge Younger with Nutrients vs With Foods?

The Examples: Nuts, Fish, Tomatoes, Fats, Fruits and Vegetables vs Omega-3 Fats, Lycopene, Carotenoids & Fiber - Dr. Roizen

8:45 Can Food Really Boost Your Immunity? - Dr. La Puma

9:30 What Works for Hypertension? An Integrated Approach to the Management of High Blood Pressure - Dr. Szapary

10:15 HRT & Naturals and Medicinals - Dr. Bieber

11:15 What Works for Women? Herbal Hormones and Female Satisfaction - Dr. Rand

12:00 What Works? Coronary Artery Disease; Men's Health and Libido, Moderator: John E. Ellis, MD

12:30 What Works for Men? Herbal Hormones, Men's Libidos - Dr. Rand

1:00 What Works for Preventing Coronary Artery Disease? - Dr. Sorrentino

1:45 Questions and Answers, Moderator: John E. Ellis, MD

Drs. Bieber, Rand, Roizen, Sorrentino and Szapary

2:00 Adjourn

Note: Media coverage of the conference is welcomed.