APRIL Charity Conference - "Adverse Psychiatric Side Effects of Medicines: What's Our Responsibility?" London - 6 November 2008
LIBRARY / FILMS / EXPERT TALKS / CONFERENCES
1. MUNIR PIRMOHAMED - THE PRESSING NEED FOR PHARMACOGENETICS
Professor Munir Pirmohamed, NHS Chair of Pharmacogenetics. His main area of research is in pharmacogenetics and drug safety. Adverse reactions to drugs are a major cause of illness in the population. His research aims to maximise the benefits of drugs and minimize their harms. This is being achieved through the use of different strategies ranging from improvements in prescribing to the development of genetic and other tests for predicting and monitoring individual susceptibility to toxicity.
2. ANITA HOLDCROFT - ANAESTHETIC ADVERSE EFFECTS: CAN THEY BE PREVENTED?
Anita HOLDCROFT, MB ChB, MD, FRCA as Emeritus Professor of Anaesthesia, Imperial College London is an internationally recognised clinical scientist in acute pain medicine. She has been an examiner for the Royal College of Anaesthetists and Co-Chaired the International Association for the Study of Pain Special Interest Group on Sex, Gender and Pain; she is the President Elect of the Section of Anaesthesia at the Royal Society of Medicine.
3. CORONER NIGEL MEADOWS - THE DONALD RUMSFELD SYNDROME
Nigel Meadows has investigated to date over 25,000 deaths and conducted some 4000 inquests including complex and controversial jury and non jury cases and a lengthy police shooting death.He is the Coroners Society representative on the Forensic End Users group set up by the new Forensic Regulator and also is a member of the steering group for the National Confidential Inquiry into Suicides and Homicides by people with mental illness.
4. HEATHER ASHTON - PRESCRIBING INFLUENCES IN MENTAL HEALTH
Heather ASHTON DM FRCP, Emeritus Professor of Clinical Psychopharmacology, Newcastle University, worked in the drug and poisons information unit at Newcastle Royal Infirmary for 15 years. An expert on the effects of prescription drugs on the mind.
5. CHARLES MEDAWAR - PHARMAGEDDON AND BEYOND
Charles MEDAWAR Co-founded Social Audit Ltd in 1972, aiming to develop and apply methodologies for social accounting; now a specialist on medicines policy and drug safety issues and on matters of corporate, governmental and professional accountability relating thereto.
6. BEN GOLDACRE - HOW DRUG TRIALS ARE RIGGED
Dr Ben Goldacre kindly offered to speak at the APRIL conference 2008 about the rigging of Clinical Trials which many people in the profession are aware of but possibly patients are not informed about. Dr Goldacre is the author of a best selling book, Bad Science. He has a column in The Guardian and a lively blog.
8. MILLIE KIEVE FOUNDER APRIL CHARITY - PATIENTS' EXPERIENCES: A FORCE FOR CHANGE
Millie Kieve founded APRIL (Adverse Psychiatric Reactions Information Link) to create awareness of the risk of psychiatric adverse drug reactions (ADRs) to many everyday medicines and anaesthetics. Millie has campaigned for patient reporting of ADRs and would like to see further steps taken to improve safety for patients.
10. SIMON MAXWELL- JOHN HALLIDAY - EDUCATING A NEW GENERATION FOR SAFE PRESCRIBING
Professor Simon Maxwell MD PhD FRCP FRCPE FBPharmacolS has done a survey of medical students and found most were not confident to prescribe medicines due to failings or no Clinical Pharmacology in their syllabus. A prominent activist in the move to introduce an exam which resulted in the Prescribing Safety Assessment (PSA) exam in 2016. This was 23 years after the General Medical Council had removed Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics as a necessary subject.
11. ANDREW HERXHEIMER TALK & PANEL DISCUSSION WITH PROFESSOR DAVID HEALY, CHAIRED BY DR JOANNA MONCREIFF
Adverse side effects of medicines and anaesthetics also called adverse drug reactions (ADRs) or iatrogenic illness, is a major public health problem. Admissions to UK hospitals due to ADRs increased by 78% in ten years to 2009. This video clip is the panel session, the end of the conference and features most of the speakers and questions from the audience. Closing remarks by Dr Andrew Herxheimer, Millie Kieve (Founder of APRIL) and Lucille Grant (trustee of APRIL). The session is chaired by Dr Joanna Moncrieff.
13. COMING OFF MEDICATION SESSION B - DAVID HEALY & PANEL SSRIS
Coming Off' Session B. SSRI and other antidepressants problems with withdrawal and for some people, suicidal feelings. Discussion with: Prof. David Healy, Pam Armstrong and Adam Jhugroo.
Chaired by: Dr. Joanna Moncrieff.
