VA To Host PTSD Research Conference

[CAS3]

WASHINGTON (October 24, 2007) -- Acting Secretary of Veterans Affairs
Gordon H. Mansfield announced today the Department of Veterans Affairs
(VA) will convene a "consensus conference" with the Department of
Defense and the National Institutes of Health to improve the designs and
methodologies all three agencies will use in future research studies
regarding Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

On October 18, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) released a report which
concluded exposure-based therapies such as prolonged exposure therapy
and cognitive processing therapy have proven to be effective treatments
for PTSD, while more research is needed on pharmacotherapy to determine
its effectiveness.

"IOM's findings have important implications for the future of PTSD
treatment for veterans and all Americans," said Mansfield. "We will use
their report as a blueprint to guide our future research and treatment
efforts."

Mansfield is requiring VA staff to work closely with the Department of
Defense to study how early interventions such as the Army's "Battlemind"
training and the "Marine Operational Stress Surveillance and Training
Program," both of which are designed to help servicemembers transition
from combat back to home, can improve outcomes for veterans with PTSD.
He has directed future VA studies to pay particular attention to the
prevalence of PTSD in special populations, such as women veterans and
older veterans who may be just beginning to manifest the illness'
symptoms.

Responding specifically to the study from IOM, VA has announced the
Department will take steps to ensure it provides the best available
treatments to veterans with PTSD, and that it will enhance its research
in line with IOM's recommendations.

"VA research has led to the success of the therapies IOM believes are
currently effective," Mansfield concluded. "And the work our
researchers are already doing will help answer many of IOM's questions
on the effectiveness of pharmacological treatments. I am confident we
will soon make giant strides in our ability to successfully treat this
difficult illness. Meanwhile, VA providers are doing an excellent job
developing treatments that work for individual patients. VA providers
have expert knowledge and skills to help veterans with PTSD and we can
always find ways to improve and enhance our care for our nation's
heroes."

A date and location for the conference will be announced separately.

[FistFu68]

IN OVER 30 YR'S OF DEALING WITH THE VA.I'VE NEVER MET OR BEEN TREATED YET,BY A DOCTOR WHO WAS A (COMBAT VETERAN)!!!EXPERT'S IN WHAT, HANDING OUT MED'S; AND READING A FUCEN BOOK?

[jerryk]

a conference dont mean but a bunch of high cow mouke monks sat around talking about what they should do so they can say we are trying to help our veterans