2026 Philip Walker Ethics Lecture | Surgical effectiveness: perception versus reality
Surgery is often perceived as one of the most effective medical treatments, despite carrying higher costs and greater risks than many non-surgical alternatives. Unlike medicines, however, surgical procedures are frequently introduced into clinical practice without the rigorous evaluation of high-quality randomised clinical trials. Moreover, when surgical interventions are subjected to such testing, many fail to demonstrate benefits beyond those achieved through non-surgical treatments or placebo procedures.
In this thought-provoking lecture, Professor Ian Harris will explore the difference between the perceived and actual effectiveness of surgery. He will examine the evidence behind surgical practice and discuss how gaps between belief and evidence have contributed to the widespread and enduring use of procedures that offer little or no meaningful benefit to patients.
This lecture is a special tribute to the life of Professor Walker and a wonderful opportunity to bring together members of the medical, university and general community. Canapes and beverages will be provided before the lecture.
About Professor Ian Harris
Ian Harris is Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at UNSW Sydney and Honorary Professor of Public Health at the University of Sydney. He is practicing orthopaedic surgeon based in Sydney and an academic with an interest in determining the true effect of surgical interventions. His research training is in Clinical Epidemiology, Clinical Trials, Registry Science and Data Science. He has published over 500 papers and received over $70M in research funding for over 80 grants. He has also published two popular books that focus on overdiagnosis and over treatment in medicine and surgery.
About Professor Philip Walker
Professor Philip Walker made a tremendous contribution to the Medical School and leaves behind a great legacy. He was intensely proud of his surgical profession and his role in the Faculty. He was a passionate advocate for academic surgery, widely regarded as an exceptional clinician and surgeon, an excellent teacher and an outstanding researcher. True leaders in academic medicine must possess all of these qualities and Professor Walker was richly endowed with these traits. He had a keen interest in ethics and values in medicine. This lecture series came about through his generous bequest to the Discipline of Medical Ethics, Law and Professionalism at UQ.