March 2008

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March 2008

Dear Colleague,

In this issue we publish a talk by Professor Irving Kirsch who recently caused a stir in the media by suggesting that many modern anti-depressants may be no better than placebo for those with mild depression.

We also look at two innovations in training medical students at Barts and the London. First, read our interview with Professor Chris Fowler and Dr Mark Carroll about their decision to introduce an integrated health module to one of the most prestigious and academic medical courses in the country. Then find out from theatre director Suzy Willson how medical students are enhancing their skills using the arts in a very practical way.

Finally we explore more grassroots medical concerns. Out in the suburbs of London, our blogging doctor grapples with difficult choices as he seeks to alleviate his patient's back pain. We also look at the projects across the country shortlisted for our Integrated Health Awards.

News

	Placebo and the power of belief In a talk given last September at the Royal College of Physicians, Professor Irving Kirsch explained his research demonstrating that a large part of the effect of modern anti-depressants is probably down to the placebo effect. But the focus of his talk is not just the future of anti-depressants. He asks how doctors can ethically harness the placebo effect and describes how placebo has a strong influence on some conditions but not on others.



	Teaching integrated health at Barts and the London 'If people can get better using something for which there isn't a particularly strong biomedical basis, I am all for it. I also truly believe that people have the right to be told what is on offer and to make their own decisions.' Professor Chris Fowler and Dr Mark Carroll talk through the complexities of teaching integrated health in a medical school. They explain that being a doctor has changed in the internet age and argue that the curriculum for new doctors needs to change with it.



	The burden of proof Our blogging doctor has tried everything he can think of to alleviate Mr Simmonds' sciatica, but nothing has really helped. Still, he's reluctant to try unproven therapies. Follow him as he picks through the possibilities and leave your own comments.



	Our integrated health awards Discover some of the best projects from the last year and how they brought integrated health into nurseries, back-to-work programmes and third age care as well as to more traditional healthcare settings. All have been shortlisted for our integrated health awards. The winners will be announced in a special ceremony at BAFTA on March 20th. If you run a project that is an excellent example of integrated health, find out in next month's newsletter how you can take part in our 2008/9 competition.



	Performing Medicine ' After spending time as a theatre student thinking about the body as poetic and expressive I was shocked when I found myself visiting friends and relatives in hospitals. It seemed to me that despite their best intentions, some of the staff had no idea how their body language was affecting me! I wondered if some of the things I had learned in my own training could be useful to health professionals’. Suzy Willson of the theatre company Clod Ensemble describes her work with medical students.

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