2017 NICM Symposium: Clinical Trials in Integrative Medicine

Over 130 researchers, clinicians, practitioners, research collaborators, government and industry decision makers from across Australia attended this week's NICM Symposium, Clinical Trials in Integrative Medicine: Challenges and Opportunities. Hosted on 16 November at Western Sydney University’s Parramatta City Campus, presenters explored key issues affecting the health and medical research and innovation sectors focusing on herbal medicine, acupuncture, and mind and body therapies.

NICM Symposium organising committee Chairperson, Dr Mike Armour says speakers gave high-quality and informative presentations which were well-tailored to the mixed audience of the day and well received.

“Complex but topical issues were presented in engaging ways and the presentations encouraged participants to want to learn more,” said Dr Armour.

“It was inspiring and refreshing to hear about the challenges that even experienced researchers have faced and how they have learnt from them.

“Attendees reported very positively on the day about the standards of the theme topics and speakers,” he said.

Dr Michael Gardner from the Therapeutic Goods Administration concluded the day with a discussion on the new pathway for listing medicines.

A special thank you to the invited speakers, local organising committee and sponsors; Complementary Medicines Australia; BioCeuticals; Complementary Medicines Group; Deltagen Australia; Endeavour College for Natural Health; Integria Healthcare; Southern Star Research; Insurance Made Easy; Trialfacts and Western Sydney University for their support and contributions to a very successful NICM Symposium.

NICM symposiums aim to increase participation and engagement across our research community, advocating and sharing objective, evidence-based complementary medicine to enable better health choices for consumers and health professionals.

The next NICM Symposium will be hosted in November 2019. Further information will be announced in 2018 regarding the theme, date and venue.