Jeremy Howick

Jeremy Howick's official speaking topics are listed below:

Empathic Leadership for Corporate Success:

Jeremy Howick’s groundbreaking keynotes reveal why empathy is a blockbuster drug—proven to enhance corporate performance, strengthen leadership, and even improve health through self-healing. With cutting-edge insights on placebo effects, evidence-based medicine, and empathic leadership, Jeremy equips organisations with science-backed tools to boost trust, resilience, and success.

Empathy as a Blockbuster Drug:

Immerse yourself in a transformative healthcare experience with Professor Howick, a distinguished expert dedicating two decades to unravelling the profound impact of empathy on patient care. Professor Howick shares evidence from rigorous studies, paralleling those investigating drug effects. In this captivating lecture, delve into the critical role empathy plays in reducing patient complaints, enhancing satisfaction, and alleviating pain, elevating overall quality of life and even reducing patient deaths. Professor Howick's extensive research also shows how prioritising empathy benefits healthcare practitioners' well-being. Don't miss the chance to be enlightened by his transformative vision for the future of healthcare, where empathy is cultivated at all levels. Elevate your event with a thought-provoking and inspiring speech that sparks positive change in healthcare. Book Professor Howick now for a more empathetic and patient-centred future.

Science-Based Wellbeing:

Embark on a transformative journey with Professor Howick as he unveils the untapped potential of your body's inner healing in a groundbreaking talk. Beyond acknowledging its near-miraculous advancements, Professor Howick exposes the overlooked harm caused by modern medicine’s overuse. Engage in a captivating talk where he shares innovative studies, showcasing your body's innate pharmacies, surgeons, and psychologists. Backed by robust scientific evidence, he reveals natural alternatives that not only cost less than industrial drugs but also sidestep harmful side effects while maintaining efficacy. This empowering presentation, supported by the latest evidence, guides you in making informed health decisions. Navigate the medical landscape, discern when to harness your body's natural capabilities for healing, and break free from over-reliance on pharmaceutical interventions. Professor Howick's transformative lecture isn't just an eye-opener; it's a revolution in healthcare decision-making. Elevate your understanding, take control of your wellbeing, and book this empowering presentation for a journey towards transformative health choices.

Why Placebo Studies Needs Another Revolution: The Ethical Imperative to Harness Placebo Effects & Rethink Placebo Controls:

In this compelling talk, Professor Howick argues that placebo studies require a new revolution. The first revolution brought placebo studies from the fringes, where they were often associated with alternative medicine, into the mainstream. This shift was driven by research that identified placebo mechanisms and effectiveness, along with the development of increasingly sophisticated placebo controls in clinical trials. Now, with extensive evidence documenting placebo mechanisms and intervention effects, continuing to investigate increasingly esoteric placebo mechanisms has become redundant. Meanwhile, in clinical trials, contrary to prevailing wisdom, placebo controls should rarely be used since they often harm patients. Instead, active controls are necessary. The next placebo revolution therefore requires two key changes:

1. Placebo researchers must shift their focus from investigating esoteric mechanisms to implementing practical applications of placebo research. This includes harnessing placebo effects through healing environments, empathy, and positive communication.
2. The medical community must move to limit placebo controls to exceptional cases only.

Join Professor Howick for an enlightening exploration that challenges conventional wisdom and redefines the possibilities in healthcare.

The History & Philosophy of Evidence-Based Healthcare:

Embark on a riveting journey of health enlightenment with Professor Howick as he unravels the intricacies of medical tests and treatments in an engaging lecture. Beyond the trust placed in 'evidence-based' healthcare, Professor Howick delves into the spirited debate on its true meaning. Drawing sharp comparisons with historical counterparts like "doctor knows best" (eminence-based medicine) and "it must work because I know how it works" (theory-based medicine), he demystifies evidence-based medicine with historical insights and contemporary examples.

This talk transcends a mere exploration of medical history; it's a practical guide empowering the audience to grasp the essence of evidence-based medicine. Professor Howick equips attendees to navigate healthcare complexities, urging informed choices for their well-being. Gain invaluable tools to critically assess medical information, enhancing decision-making. Book Professor Howick for an illuminating lecture, ensuring your audience not only leaves enlightened but armed with knowledge for making superior health decisions in their lives.

Nocebo Effects:

Embark on a transformative journey with Professor Howick as he unravels the profound influence of thoughts and communication on well-being in a captivating lecture. Explore the intriguing realm of medical phenomena, where optimistic beliefs wield the power of the placebo effect—positive thoughts triggering physiological responses, akin to certain drugs for headaches and back pain. In this enlightening talk, Professor Howick not only demystifies the placebo effect but introduces its mischievous counterpart, the nocebo effect, capable of wreaking havoc with negative thoughts. Navigating through the latest studies, he provides invaluable insights to understand and mitigate its potential harm.

More than a lecture, this presentation serves as a guide to harness the positive power of the mind and communication for improved well-being. Professor Howick shares practical strategies to minimize or even reverse the nocebo effect, empowering the audience with tools to navigate the impact of thoughts on their health. Transform your understanding of mind-body connections and elevate your event by booking Professor Howick for this compelling and transformative lecture, transcending traditional medical discourse.

Why Placebo Controls Should Usually Be Banned in Clinical Trials:

Join Professor Howick in a transformative exploration of medical research ethics in a compelling lecture that challenges conventional wisdom on placebo-controlled trials. While hailed as the "gold standard," Professor Howick delves into the ethical concerns when proven controls are available, emphasizing clinicians' moral duty to provide the best-established care.

In this thought-provoking talk aimed at a more technical audience, Professor Howick systematically dismantles the belief in the methodological superiority of placebo controls. Rigorously refuting reasons like 'assay sensitivity,' 'absolute effect size,' and the need for fewer participants, he compellingly demonstrates their lack of scientific basis. This presentation isn't just a study of methodologies; it's a call to action. Professor Howick advocates for a ban on placebo-controlled trials in the presence of proven therapies, urging the medical community to uphold the highest standards of ethical care. Elevate your understanding of research ethics by booking this groundbreaking lecture, sparking critical discussions and fostering positive change in research methodologies.

Artificial Empathy? Human-AI Collaboration for Culturally Responsive Healthcare:

Communication failures contribute to approximately one in ten patient safety incidents globally, with cross-cultural clinical encounters posing even greater risks. As artificial intelligence becomes more integrated into healthcare, there are growing concerns that AI-driven systems may fall short in delivering the empathic communication essential to patient trust, safety, and well-being. Rather than replacing human empathy, Professor Howick explores how AI can be designed to enhance it—helping clinicians better recognize patient emotions, respond with greater sensitivity, and reduce communication failures that contribute to adverse outcomes. Drawing on international research, he highlights how AI-assisted tools can support healthcare providers by detecting subtle emotional cues and improving the quality of human interaction. At the same time, he explains how empathy-focused empathy training for healthcare students and practitioners can ensure that human warmth and connection is preserved. By centering empathy in AI development and prioritizing ethical frameworks, we envision a future where technology strengthens human connection, making care more responsive, safe, and compassionate.

• 2023 – Published The Power of Placebos: How the Science of Placebos & Nocebos Can Improve Healthcare
• 2022 – Professor & Director of Empathic Healthcare at University of Leicester
• 2021 – Senior Research Fellow at Cardiff University
• 2021 – Senior Review Manager at Kleijnen Systematic Reviews Ltd
• 2019 – Visiting Professor Lectureship at the University at Buffalo Neurosurgery
• 2019 – Wendy MacDonald Chair Visiting Professorship at McGill University
• 2019 – Executive Secretary of Philosophy & Medicine Network at the University of Oxford
• 2017 – Published Doctor You: Revealing the Science of Self-Healing
• 2017 – Impact Fellow at University of Oxford
• 2016 – Director of Oxford Empathy Programme at the University of Oxford
• 2012 – Media Pundit at the University of Oxford
• 2011 – Published The Philosophy of Evidence-Based Medicine
• 2009 – Lecturer at University College London
• 2008 – Graduated with a Post Graduate Certificate in Higher Education from The London School of Economics & Political Science
• 2007 – Consultant & Advisor of Oxford Innovation at the University of Oxford
• 2007 – Senior Researcher at the University of Oxford
• 2003 – Graduated with a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Philosophy of Science from The London School of Economics & Political Science
• 1996 – Competed in The Boat Race 1996, representing Oxford
• 1996 – Graduated with a Diploma in Philosophy from the University of Oxford
• 1994 – Won a silver rowing medal at the 1994 Commonwealth Games
• 1994 – Competed as a rower for Canada in the 1994 World Championships