The Loss of Trust
Science, Medicine and Expertise in Contemporary Society
A half-day public conference at the Oxford Union in association with the Institute of Ideas.
2-6pm, Saturday 15 June (8th week)
Science is increasingly viewed with suspicion. A plethora of recent controversies, from MMR vaccine to mobile phones, from BSE to GM foods, has led many to ask how the public's faith in science and government advice can be restored. Should science be made more democratic? Can we trust the scientific experts?
Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) is becoming accepted as part of the repertory of healthcare professionals, and is increasingly popular with members of the public. Advocates of CAM argue that it brings a more equal relationship between practitioner and patient and that the expertise of the practitioner is democratised. Is CAM a way to restore trust in expertise?
2-2.45PM – OPENING ADDRESS:
TONY GILLAND (Science Editor of the IoI's Debating Matters series)
in conversation with JAMES PANTON (New College, Oxford)
3-4.15PM – SCIENCE: CAN WE TRUST THE EXPERTS?
BILL DURODI (New College, Oxford)
PETER MARSH (Co-Director of The Social Issues Research Centre)
DOUG PARR (Chief Scientist for Greenpeace UK)
COLIN TUDGE (Science Writer)
4.45-6PM – ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE: SHOULD WE SWALLOW IT?
DR MICHAEL FITZPATRICK (GP and author of The Tyranny of Health)
DR MICHAEL FOX (Chief Executive of the Foundation for Integrated Medicine)
BRID HEHIR (nurse and regular contributor to the nursing press)
DR SUSANNA GRAHAM-JONES (Department Of Primary Health Care, University of Oxford)
ENTRY IS FREE.
Please reserve seats in advance by contacting James Panton on 07811 955 739
or email james.panton@new.oxford.ac.uk
For further information, go to www.instituteofideas.com