Child and Adolescent Neuropsychopharmacology Network
“We contributed to establish a unique community focused on children and adolescents with severe mental disorders. To foster the development of pediatric clinical trials we also developed the European Child and Adolescent Clinical Psychopharmacology Network (ECAPN), recognized by the European Medicine Agency, and part of the consortium of the EU-funded research project Conect4Children.”
|
Carmen Moreno and Diane Ouakil-Purper
Chairs of the Network |
Mission statement/aims
The Child and Adolescent Neuropsychopharmacology Network is concerned with setting the ground for development, implementation and education regarding neuropsychopharmacology in children and adolescents. Currently, there are major gaps in neuropsychopharmacological practice in minors, with lack of effective drugs for many childhood disorders and frequent off-label prescription to children and adolescents of medications with regulatory approval only in adults. The search for evidence-based approaches to prevent mental disorders with child- or adolescent-onset is also of main interest. There is need for better preclinical data to foster novel drug therapies and also of development of paediatric clinical trials in this challenging population.
Main activities of the Network are:
History
In 2008, the Executive Committee of ECNP officially approved the formation of networks of researchers as part of the ECNP Networks initiative. The Child and Adolescent Neuropsychopharmacology Network was created in the same year.
