Neoadjuvant Regional Hyperthermia for Advanced Pancreatic Cancer: A Randomized Clinical Trial (In Progress)

This study will assess the use of hyperthermia to increase the eligibility for surgical resection in patients with non-metastatic, locally advanced, unresectable pancreatic tumours. By improving the eligibility for surgical resection, the study hopes to extend and improve quality of life in the majority of cases, with the possibility of a cure in a smaller proportion of patients.

Funded by the Hecht Foundation, the study is a collaboration among six institutions, including CCNM, the University of British Columbia and the University of Arizona.

Evidence-Based Naturopathic Medicine: Critically Appraised Topics and Modality Series

Various topics and modalities commonly practiced in naturopathic medicine are being reviewed in both a narrative and literary manner with regard to their degree of evidence basis.

Topics and modalities being reviewed include:

Research Education Program: Student Curriculum

The research education program is an innovative four-year program that provides students with first-rate research literacy skills - from the ability to conduct literature searches and critically appraise published research, to the practice of evidence-based naturopathic medicine in a clinical setting. Students are taught study design, development, methodology and analysis, and are encouraged to participate in student - or faculty - lead research projects, grand rounds and journal club sessions.

Upcoming Journal Club topics

Grand Rounds Schedule

Research Literacy and Practicing Evidence-Based Naturopathic Medicine (EBNM) Workshop: Naturopathic Physician Research Education Project

Faculty members and practicing naturopathic physicians within the medical community are offered annual workshops to expand their skills in research literacy and the clinical practice of evidence-based naturopathic medicine.

Participants become familiarized with evidence-based resources and learn to critically appraise relevant literature, while exploring how to apply the evidence in medical literature to clinical practice.

Naturopathic Case Reports

The Boucher research department is embarking on a project to collect and analyze case reports from naturopathic physicians. Shared case reports provide an important contribution to the progress of naturopathic medicine. Investigators will review and archive all cases received, and may recommend certain cases for publication (with authorization from clinician).

Naturopathic Physicians Research Network (NPRN) – British Columbia

Chapter practice-based research networks (PBRNs) are groups of ambulatory practices affiliated in their mission to investigate questions related to community-based practice and to improve the quality of primary and specialty care. PBRNs have become efficient laboratories for research in community-based care. Given naturopathic medicine’s empirical clinical basis, a PBRN-approach to research is a close fit for the most appropriate research questions in studying the practice.