Guild of Health Writers' Debate

An increasing number of people are turning to complementary and alternative medicine when they find pharmaceutical drugs do not work for them, or they cannot tolerate their side effects. Speakers in favour of the motion will stress the need for investigative trials, while those against will argue that some of the oldest drugs used by the NHS did not undergo the rigorous procedure demanded today.

Dr Toby Murcott, former science correspondent of the BBC World Service and a Times columnist, will chair the debate. The panel will include Jonathan Ledermann, director of the UCL Cancer Trials Centre and professor of medical oncology; Evan Harris MP, the Liberal Democrat's science spokesman and former Shadow Health Secretary; Stephen Holgate, MRC Professor of Immunopharmacology at Southampton University and chairman of Science Council's Science in Health Group; and George Lewith, leader of an international research group investigating complementary and alternative medicine at University of Southampton.

The debate will be held at The Royal Geological Society, Burlington House, Piccadilly, London W1J 0BG. Refreshments and registration will open at 7pm, with the debate starting at 7.30pm.

For more information, contact the Guild of Heath Writers on 020 8941 2977.