Traditional herbal medicine in supportive cancer care: From alternative to integrative (Coursera)

Please join us for an exciting and innovative journey, examining one of the most important and often overlooked aspects of the oncology setting: Traditional Herbal Medicine in Supportive Cancer Care. This course is presented with short lectures offering a wide range of issues related to the principles and practice of herbal medicine in cancer care.

The course includes interviews with leading world experts from the field of Integrative Oncology, from the U.S. and Canada, as well as Europe, the Middle East, China and Japan.

By the end of the course, you will:

• Understand core concepts in Integrative Oncology, as they relate to the supportive/palliative cancer care setting

• Acquire effective communication skills which will foster a better understanding of patients’ views on herbal medicine, while providing guidance on the safe and effective use of these products

• Be able to design, together with patients, caregivers and healthcare providers, a patient-tailored and cultural-sensitive integrative oncology treatment program, including the use of herbal medicine

• Be acquainted with leading “players” who can share their experience in creating and implementing an integrative oncology program

The course has been specially designed to provide information and guidance at a level appropriate for patients and non-medical participants, as well as medical professionals interested in receiving evidence-based guidance on the safety and effectiveness of herbal medicine in cancer care.

Course Syllabus

Week 1 – Introduction

Week 2 – Concepts related to supportive and palliative cancer care

Week 3 – Defining non-conventional approaches to medical treatment

Week 4 – Key concepts in traditional herbal medicine

Week 5 – Discussing the use of Traditional Herbal Medicine during the Integrative Physician (IP) consultation

Week 6 – Traditional Herbal Medicine in the Middle East: Historical and cultural roots

Week 7 – Traditional Chinese herbal medicine

Week 8 – Traditional Ayurvedic herbal medicine

Week 9 – European Herbal Medicine

Week 10 – Effective practitioner-patient communication in the integrative oncology setting

Week 11 – Herbal medicine treatments for specific quality of life-related concerns

Week 12 – Tailoring a patient-centered integrative oncology treatment program

Week 13 – Establishing an integrative oncology program in your medical center

Week 14 – Professor Eran Ben-ARYE is interviewing leading experts