Course Details

Medical advances are especially important to senior citizens, yet few people understand what “drug/procedure X is effective, safe, and therefore recommended for disease Y” really means. After defining “cure” and “safe,” and some examples from conventional medicine, we will move to the intriguing world of alternative medicine, and consider alternative approaches to skeletal problems (lower back pain, knee osteoarthritis), neurological disease (Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, depression), cardiovascular disease, and gastrointestinal disease (diarrhea). After this short course, participants should be able to understand and critically evaluate media reports of medical advances, whether conventional or alternative.