Designing clinical trials within a psychiatric practice is a challenging endeavor, regardless of the population. But, setting up trials for older adults can involve unique ethical and economic considerations.
On Saturday, May 20, a panel of four experts will explore these issues in an Invited Presidential Symposium at this year’s annual meeting of the American Psychiatric Association in San Diego. The symposium, which will be held that morning from 8 to 11 a.m., will feature Mary Sano, PhD , of the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York; Joan A. Mackell, PhD , of JM Neuroscience, New York; Olga Brawman-Mintzer, MD , of the Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston; and Maria I. Lapid, MD , of the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Dr. Sano will chair the symposium, and Dr. Brawman-Mintzer will be the cochair.
The discussion will examine some of the basics of clinical trial design for geriatric psychiatry for several disorders, including dementia and depression, and for numerous conditions, including agitation and behavioral disturbances. It will also explore other key issues, such as the regulatory knowledge needed to conduct clinical trials, the role of the institutional review board in protecting human subjects, and whether the protocol works and will pay the bills.
It will take place on the upper level of the San Diego Convention Center (session ID: 8012). To look up other sessions, check out the APA’s search function .
