SYMPOSIA Saturday, May 27, 3:15-4:45
Exceptional Disease Courses Defined by Patients and
Experts—Registration and Research in an International Perspective
Speakers: Laila Launsoe, MD, Arne Johan Norheim, MD,
Judith Jacobson, DrPH, MBA, Colleen Lee, RN, MS, Johanna Hoek, MS, Brit
Drageset
Research generated from the medical research
community has mostly been preoccupied with evaluating standardized single-modality
interventions and specific components of the modality practice of complementary
and alternative medicine (CAM), often showing little or no effect. Despite
these results, CAM is becoming increasingly popular as treatment options
for persons who are ill. Many patients and therapists report positive
treatment outcomes. There thus seems to be a gap between "evidence-based"
knowledge produced by RCTs and meta-analyses on the one side, and experience-based
knowledge of treatment outcomes reported by patients and therapists.
New research approaches may be needed, including the whole treatment
setting and the patients' context of daily life. Researchers in different
parts of the world have wanted to make a systematic collection of case
histories where patients or therapists have experienced exceptional
treatment results after the use of CAM. The intentions of collecting
these case histories are very different and will be outlined at the
symposium. Furthermore, the research approaches are also different,
focusing on cure and/or care aspects. Exceptional disease courses constitute
an emerging research field opening up for generating new kinds of knowledge.
The latest knowledge and experience will be presented. The themes of
the symposium will be:
1. Challenges in definition of best cases and
exceptional disease courses
2. Procedures for registration of best and worst cases
3. Experience with procedures of medical assessment
4. Research projects on best cases and exceptional patients
The presenters come from the U.S., Sweden and
Norway. They are actively involved in registration and research on exceptional
disease courses, and represent different disciplines.
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