The Dr. Rogers Prize Ushers in a New Era with Name Change and Increase to Cash Prize

Canadian award that celebrates exceptional individuals working in medical practices and research that advance patient care increases cash prize to $300,000

VANCOUVER, BC, Feb. 4, 2025 /CNW/ - The Lotte & John Hecht Memorial Foundation is excited to announce an award increase and name change for its biennial prize in Canadian healthcare. The "Dr. Rogers Prize for Excellence in Complementary & Alternative Medicine" has been renamed the "Dr. Rogers Prize for Advancing Health, Medicine & Healing" and its award increased to $300,000 CAD.

The newly renamed "Dr. Rogers Prize for Advancing Health, Medicine & Healing" increases its award to $300,000 CAD.

As has been the case with other like-minded organizations, the original name of the Dr. Rogers Prize no longer reflected the dynamic changes occurring within the field of healthcare. By emphasizing the importance of "advancing health, medicine, and healing" the Prize signals its embrace of a wider range of approaches within the spectrum of fields that support human health and treat disease. This name change continues to honour the wishes of the late Lotte and John Hecht to promote and support alternate methods of healing and treatment; and celebrates the important legacy of Dr. Roger Rogers, a Vancouver physician who put disease prevention, innovation, and the individual's freedom of choice ahead of medical establishment orthodoxy in patient care.

The Foundation is grateful for the advice, input, and support of the Dr. Rogers Prize Jury, whose dedication and service have helped shape the future of the Dr. Rogers Prize. The first public discussion of a possible name change took place as a keynote panel of the jurors at the 2021 Dr. Rogers Prize celebrations. Behind the scenes, they have devoted much personal time and thought to these changes, and their recommendations are paramount to today's announcement.

Updates to the award assessment process are not significantly different from past years; however, the award announcement and celebration will change:

To better reflect the Foundation's commitment to medical research and practice, resources will pivot away from a formal award gala and instead elevate promoting the Dr. Rogers Prize recipients and their achievements in more substantive ways. The 2025 Dr. Rogers Prize winner announcement will take place this fall, and a smaller award dinner will be undertaken in the recipient's region at a mutually agreeable date.

The Foundation's support of conferences that connect, educate, and inspire professionals in the field continues to expand; $1.9 million has been disbursed through the Dr. Rogers Prize Lecture Program since the Prize was founded in 2007.

We are excited about the Dr. Rogers Prize's move into a new era which goal remains the same — to celebrate the achievements of exceptional individuals whose work in novel, innovative, and disruptive medical practices and research advance health, medicine, and healing in Canada.

Nominations for the 2025 Dr. Rogers Prize for Advancing Health, Medicine & Healing are now open. Begin your nomination online at DrRogersPrize.org.

Founded in 2007 by the Lotte and John Hecht Memorial Foundation, the Dr. Rogers Prize celebrates the achievements of those individuals working in novel, innovative, and disruptive medical practices and research to advance healthcare in Canada. The $300,000 cash prize is awarded biennially and is the largest award of its kind.

The Dr. Rogers Prize recognizes exceptional individuals who embody the same level of vision, leadership and integrity as that of the late Dr. Roger Hayward Rogers.  Among the first physicians to provide nonconventional therapies for cancer patients, Dr. Rogers was appointed to the Order of British Columbia in 2001 in recognition of his groundbreaking work.

PREVIOUS RECIPIENTS

• Dr. Alastair Cunningham (2007)
• Dr. Abram Hoffer (2007)
• Dr. Hal Gunn (2009)
• Dr. Badri Rickhi (2009)
• Dr. Marja Verhoef (2011)
• Dr. Sunita Vohra (2013)
• Dr. Heather Boon (2015)
• Dr. Dugald Seely (2017)
• Dr. Bonnie Kaplan (2019)
• Dr. Linda Rapson (2021)
• Dr. Gregor Reid (2021)
• Dr. Linda Carlson (2023)
• Dr. Stephen Genuis (2023)

JURY

• Dr. Iris Bell
• Dr. James Gordon
• Dr. Joseph Pizzorno
• Dr. Mary Ann Richardson
• Dr. Simon Sutcliffe

MORE INFORMATION

Visit www.DrRogersPrize.org for more information.

SOURCE Dr. Rogers Prize