Between 15% and 20% of the population will suffer depression at some time during their lives

Barcelona, 20 January 2008.- The VIII Psychiatry Symposium, sponsored by Almirall, held a meeting on the 20 and 21 January attended by more than 300 psychiatrists in Barcelona to discuss, in depth, the most important psychiatric issues today. Also, on this occasion, an issue that was not specifically psychiatric, but concerned the media, was discussed.

• According to Dr. Julio Vallejo (Hospital Clínico Universitario, Bellvitge – Barcelona), coordinator of the symposium: “Mental illness is a widespread problem. Around 25% of the Spanish population experience some type of mental illness and between 15% and 20% will suffer depression at least once during their lives”. With this information “this meeting that we have held for the past eight years, is an excellent opportunity to tackle new and current issues in the field of psychiatry”.

  Dr. Carmen Leal (Hospital Clínico Universitario, Valencia), coordinator of the symposium, claimed that “Over the past few years in our country research in psychiatry has received a strong boost. We are, therefore, making progress in treatment perspectives, both in relation to pharmacological treatments and in the application of some psychotherapy approaches”.

  An important aspect of this symposium was its dynamic nature, permitting the issues to be treated in depth with contributions from all the participants. This eighth meeting dealt mainly with the following issues: the classification of psychiatric disorders (categories and dimensions), acute and transient psychiatric disorders, biomarkers in Alzheimer's disease, cognition of schizophrenia and the influence of the media's treatment of mental illness on people with psychiatric problems.

  Key aspects of the symposium

  One of the main issues dealt with during this meeting was the possible role of genetic advances in the treatment of these illnesses. According to Dr. Julio Vallejo “In psychiatry, as in medicine in general, we are hoping that genetics will reveal the cause of illnesses and, especially, their modes of transmission”.

   

  However, Dr. Carmen Leal added: “Findings in genetics have given us great hope into the possibility of finding the genes responsible for genetic disorders, but more research is required in this field. Progress is also needed into the association between genetics and numerous other factors that can affect the onset of mental disorders”.

   

  At this meeting, the future challenges facing psychiatry were also discussed. As Dr. Carmen Leal summed up: “Research must be aimed at establishing the causes of mental illnesses with a poor outcome and, where this is possible, to be able to intervene in the risk factors. On the other hand, care must be provided for all patients with mental illness and continuity of this care must be guaranteed for those who require it. I would like actions that are already being taken to bear fruit and to advance appropriately”.

   

   

  The influence of the media

   

  This year a new matter was addressed, not entirely of a psychiatric nature, with the talk by journalist Luis del Olmo about illness, health and the press.

   

  “The dehospitalization of psychiatric patients and the disappearance of the traditional psychiatric hospital or mental home has helped considerably to take the drama out of the patients' situation and to reduce the stigma many of them suffered. Unfortunately, this process has not been complete. The media often clearly specify a patient's condition when they commit a specific offense. This appears prominently in the news, when only a minimum number of patients pose any danger at all ”, says Dr. Carmen Leal.

   

  Almirall

   

  Almirall, an international pharmaceutical company based on innovation and committed to health, headquartered in Barcelona, Spain, researches, develops, manufactures and commercialises own R&D and licensed drugs with the aim of improving people’s health and wellbeing.

   

  The therapeutic areas on which Almirall focuses its research resources are related to the treatment of asthma, COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease), rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, psoriasis and dermatology in general.

   

  Almirall’s products are currently present in over 70 countries while it has direct presence in Europe and Latin America through 11 affiliates.

   

  For further information please visit the website at: www.almirall.com

   

   

   

   

  For more information:

  Ketchum S.E.I.S

  Sonia San Segundo / Patricia Mansilla

  Tel: 91 788 32 00

  sonia.sansegundo@ketchum.com