The iCEPS International Conference (Plateforme universitaire Collaborative d’Évaluation des programmes de Prévention et de Soins de support) took place in Montpellier, France, this past March. This 7th edition, chaired by Professor Gregory Ninot, focused on the various non-pharmacological interventions that are at the heart of integrative, preventive, complementary and personalized medicines.

The iCEPS conference brought together approximately 550 health professionals, researchers and students from all continents. A diverse set of topics were addressed by presenters, ranging from the integration of patients into research to the ethical issues relating to alternative medicine and the different methodological issues surrounding the development and implementation of randomized controlled trials.

As part of the conference, an IBTN session chaired by Drs. Simon Bacon and Kim Lavoie took place and included six excellent presentations related to behavioural trials. Among them, Professor Edzard Ernst, from Exeter University, presented on the facts and the sophisms related to the practices of alternative medicine. Tamila Roslyakova, a PhD student from Montpellier University, discussed the theoretical models used in the development of NPIs for smoking cessation. Professor Iveta Nagyova, from PJ Safarik University, gave a talk entitled “The untapped potential of behavioural medicine interventions: for use in public health”.

These two conference days were complemented by a full day of workshops, including one led by four IBTN members which included an interactive discussion about behavioural interventions’ design.

More:

• View conference photos
• Watch conference videos
• Survey on the use of non-pharmacological interventions in France (in French)
• Call from Montpellier (in French)

The next iCEPS conference will be held in Toulouse in March 2020!