Held on Thursday, 7 November 2024 at 6:30pm

Venue: Apothecaries' Hall, Black Friar's Lane, London EC4V 6EJ

Dr Michael McEvoy will present the Sydney Selwyn Lecture: To What Extent Should We Consider Moral Injury When Making Ethical Decisions in Healthcare?

This lecture will explore definitions of moral distress and moral injury, the level of harm that these cause, what harms are acceptable to healthcare workers, and, finally, look at the role of conscience in medicine. Is what is transgressed in moral injury the same as modern definitions of conscience? Is there a way to use conscience in medicine that is not simply an “objection” to patients' needs?

Dr Kim Jacobson will present the Osler Lecture: From Spring Tonic to Syphilis: Sassafras; An Indigenous Herbal Cure-all

Sassafras is a plant that has been used by the indigenous peoples of the Americas for thousands of years, for medicinal and culinary purposes. It became a hugely popular export to Europe during the 17th and early 18th centuries. This lecture will describe its use, exploitation as a result of colonialism, and “fall from grace”, touching on continued use in some populations and the inherent dangers of inappropriate ingestion.