2015 Dr. Rogers Prize awarded to Dr. Heather Boon, BScPhm, PhD

$250,000 Dr. Rogers Prize awarded to Dr. Heather Boon, Dean for the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto

The 2015 Dr. Rogers Prize for Excellence in Complementary and Alternative Medicine was awarded to Dr. Heather Boon of the University of Toronto at a gala award dinner on September 25th in Vancouver, BC.

Dr. Boon is Dean for the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto. Her 25 year career was sparked by a recognition of the large number of Canadians using “alternative” medicine and how little research existed. The author of a textbook on natural health products and over 150 academic publications, the primary goal of her research has been to design studies that answer questions of consequence to patients and decision makers in the health care system. Her current research is focused on understanding how recent changes in Ontario’s regulations governing the practice of complementary medicine are impacting clinical practice, patient access, and integration (or non-integration) of care.

Early in her career, Professor Boon recognized the advantages of collaborating with other researchers, clinicians, and patients. She is a key player in the development of the Centre for Integrative Medicine, a joint venture between the University of Toronto Faculties of Medicine and Pharmacy and The Scarborough Hospital. She was a driving force behind the establishment of the IN-CAM network, where she has served as co-Director since 2004, and was a founding Board Member of the International Society for Complementary Medicine Research (ISCMR) where she served as President from 2013 to 2015. She is a leader of the highest integrity and a champion of collaboration across disciplines.

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