When: October 28, 2005, 11:00
Where: NIH Campus, Bethesda, MD
Institute: National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM)

Anne Harrington, Ph.D., Professor for the History of Science at Harvard University, presents a lecture, "Is Spirituality Good for Your Health? Historical Reflections on an Emerging Research Enterprise." Today, medical researchers design double-blind trials of prayer, ministers talk about the brain and the immune system from the pulpit, monks meditate inside brain-imaging machines, and studies of the placebo effect and positive attitude frame discussions about the science of miracle healings. Dr. Harrington will offer a historical perspective on spirituality and health and discuss questions and challenges raised.

Next Steps
You can attend the free lecture or watch it online at http://videocast.nih.gov.

Visitors to the NIH campus in Bethesda, Maryland, should bring a photo ID and allow additional time for security procedures. All vehicles will be inspected and visitor badges issued at the NIH Gateway vehicle inspection station. Visitor badges will be issued to pedestrians at either the NIH Gateway Center, at Metro (24/7), or the NIH West Visitor Center, Old Georgetown Road and South Drive (5 a.m. to 9 p.m. only). Call 301-594-6677 for more information, or visit the Web site at www.nih.gov/about/visitor/index.htm.

This lecture is part of NCCAM's Distinguished Lectures in the Science of Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Past lectures in the series are archived online at http://nccam.nih.gov/news/lectures.

^ TOP OF PAGE