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What Is the Dr. Rogers Prize?

The Dr. Rogers Prize is a $250,000 prize that was founded in 2007. Its purpose is to highlight the important contribution of Complementary and Alternative Medicine to health care. It is intended to recognize individuals who have made significant contributions in the field in Canada.

Named for:

Dr. Roger Rogers, a Canadian pioneer in Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) and co-founder of the Centre for Integrated Healing (now InspireHealth) in Vancouver, BC. He was awarded the Order of British Columbia in 2001 for his groundbreaking work.

Prize:

A cash prize of $250,000 funded by the Lotte and John Hecht Memorial Foundation, a Vancouver-based philanthropic organization.

Nominations Deadline:

Wednesday, May 31, 2017, 5:00 PM (PST)

Award Presentation:

The 2017 winner will be announced at the Dr. Rogers Prize Award Gala to be held Thursday, September 14, 2017 at the Fairmont Waterfront Hotel in Vancouver, BC.

Past Dr. Rogers Prize Recipients:

Heather Boon, PhD (2015)
Sunita Vohra, MD (2013)
Marja Verhoef, PhD (2011)
Hal Gunn, MD (2009)
Badri (Bud) Rickhi, MD (2009)
Alastair Cunningham, MD (2007)
Abram Hoffer, MD (2007)

2017 Jury:

James Gordon, MD (USA)
Joseph Pizzorno, ND (USA)
Mary Ann Richardson, PhD (USA)
Susan Samueli (USA)
Simon Sutcliffe, MD (Canada)

Other Awards:

In celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Dr. Rogers Prize in 2017, the Lotte and John Hecht Memorial Foundation created the Dr. Rogers Prize Groundbreaker Awards as a one-time award to honour the pioneering spirit of the CAM leaders who paved the way for a new era in Canadian health care.

The Groundbreaker Awards were presented at a Gala Award Dinner held in Toronto on February 24, 2017. The recipients were:

Steven K.H. Aung, MD, University of Alberta, Edmonton
Jozef Krop, MD (ret) EcoHealth and Wellness Inc., Mississauga
Stephen Sagar, MD, McMaster University, Hamilton
Donald Warren, ND, Naturally Well Naturopathic Clinic, Ottawa
Joseph Y. Wong, MD, Toronto Pain & Stress Clinic, Toronto

CAM Use in Canada:

Comprehensive surveys indicate that Canadians’ use of complementary and alternative therapies has increased over the past twenty years. Nationally, the most rapidly expanding therapies have been massage, yoga, acupuncture, chiropractic care, osteopathy, and naturopathy.

79% of Canadians recently surveyed had used complementary and alternative therapies at least once, while 56% had used CAM in the previous year.

Canadians spent more than $8.8 billion on CAM over a twelve month period in 2015-2016, including $6.5 billion on CAM providers and $2.3 billion on herbs, vitamins, special diet programs, books, classes, and equipment.

(Source: Esmail, N. 2017. Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Canada: Use and Public Attitudes 1997, 2006, and 2016, Fraser Institute)

10 Most Commonly Used CAM Therapies in Canada:

Massage
Chiropractic care
Yoga
Relaxation techniques
Acupuncture
Prayer/spiritual practice
Herbal therapies
Naturopathy
Special diet programs
Homeopathy

10 Most Frequently Reported Medical Conditions for Which Canadians Use CAM:

Back or neck problems
Allergies
Arthritis or rheumatism
Difficulty walking
Gynecological problems
Frequent headaches
Anxiety attacks
Digestive problems
Lung problems
Impotence

While cancer is not on this list, as it is less prevalent than the ten listed conditions, it is well known that people with cancer are high users of CAM. A paper in the 2006 Journal of Psychosocial Oncology estimated that 80% of adult cancer patients use at least one form of CAM during or after treatment.

(Source: J Psychosoc Oncol 2006;23(4):35-60)

More Information:

Kate MacDonald
Dr. Rogers Prize Coordinator
coordinator @drrogersprize.org
604.683.7575

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