Balloon debate: What’s the greatest medical breakthrough?

This year, the Battle of Ideas Balloon Debate tackles the world’s greatest medical breakthrough.

Six participants will argue for their choice in a light-hearted debate with a serious intent. Audience participation encourages you to agree, disagree, challenge, assess… and dismiss those arguments and the medical developments that you find unworthy to wear the crown.

The panel will have a few minutes only to convince you of their choice. Could it be the Covid vaccine or antibiotics? How about anaesthesia or pain relief? Maybe genomics, artificial ventilation, steroids, fertility treatment, the contraceptive pill or transplant surgery will win your favour. This balloon debate will be informative and fun. There will be outrage as apparent frontrunners get knocked out and less-obvious challengers make a charge for the podium.

The discussion allows just three minutes for each panellist’s defence before you, the audience, takes them to task. You can challenge or reinforce their choice. The audience then votes to chuck three contenders out of the virtual balloon before the remaining candidates make a final plea for your vote.

We can’t all be Edward Jenner, Marie Curie or Alexander Fleming. But you do have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to determine the greatest medical breakthrough ever. Come along and make history.