Dr. Tiffany Field receives the Ashley Montagu Award
at the 2nd International Symposium on the Science of Touch !

It is during the 2nd edition of the International Symposium on the Science of Touch (ISST 2004) held in Montreal, May 12-15, 2004, that Dr. Tiffany Field, from the renowned Touch Research Institute, received, with great surprise and emotion, the prestigious Ashley Montagu award in front of a crowd of over 600 scientists, teachers, clinicians and students in the health related fields from around the world.

"Every other year, the Canadian Touch Research Centre will bestow the Ashley Montagu award to a recipient who, by its excellence and devotion, has exceptionally contributed to the world wide recognition of touch" points out Dr Réal Gaboriault Ph.D., Chairman of ISST 2004. "Dr. Field is a pioneer and a source of inspiration in the massage therapy research field" he added.

The 2nd ISST edition was launched May 12 under the theme: "Towards an Integrative Medicine". To that effect, the first activity gathered 9 prominent people, recognized for their work in Integrative Medicine who shared their expert opinion to resolve the following question: " What can we do concretely from today, individually and synergistically, to prepare and implement an integrative approach in medical care?"

This world premiere highlighted the importance of integrating various modalities in the therapeutic process. The distinguished Dr. David Eisenberg, M.D. from the Harvard Medical School, shared his "Dream Team" approach in which an interdisciplinary team, including physician, acupuncturist, massage therapist, chiropractor, etc., whose prime objective is to converge efforts and competency toward the best care of a patient centered treatment. In addition, the following experts shared their experience: Dr. Alan H. Adams, D.C., Ph.D (USA), Leon Chaitow, N.D., D.O. (UK), Dr. Philippe Estérez, M.D., L.M.C.C.,(Canada), Dr. André-Marie Gonthier, D.C., D.U.P., F.I.C.C. (Canada), Dr. Janet R. Kahn, Ph.D. (USA), Dr. Phuc Felix Nguyen-Tan, M.D.C.M., F.R.C. P.C. (Canada), Dr. M.A. Shajahan, M.D. (Ayu), Ph.D., (India).

Among the participants, representatives from faculties of medicine (Canada, USA, Sweden, England, India), a Swedish delegation presented their findings on the effects of massage therapy in school; in addition, a Korean delegation, presided by Dr. Gi-taek Song, solicited participants' support toward the right of massage practice, discipline currently reserved exclusively for blind people.

Once again, networking opportunities resulted in a renewed success. Many countries are already taking concrete steps to maintain the groundwork established by the ISST towards an integrative medicine.