RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Some practical results of the London Medical Group conference on iatrogenic disease. JF Journal of Medical Ethics JO J Med Ethics FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and Institute of Medical Ethics SP 137 OP 139 DO 10.1136/jme.3.3.137 VO 3 IS 3 A1 Thorne, S A1 Herxheimer, A YR 1977 UL http://jme.bmj.com/content/3/3/137.abstract AB Although many conferences stimulate a great deal of discussion and practical interest at the time, not so many are followed up to try and estimate what, if any, practical results followed the meeting. This the authors of this study have done. (In Britain the 'medical groups' are voluntary groupings of students at medical schools who meet to discuss ethical problems related to their profession). Sixty-five participants (not all of them students) in the conference on iatrogenic disease replied to the questionnaire, and from the answers it was clear that not only the attitudes of those responding had in some cases been changed but in some positive action had resulted, for example, in the matter of prescribing. This analysis may provide an answer to those who criticize conferences as being a waste of time and money, because much more than could be evaluated from the responses to this survey must have affected all the participants.