Our health care system is undergoing radical changes, both structurally and functionally, and this state of flux will likely persist even as we enter the new millennium. Thus, CANMAT sees its role, first and foremost, as participating in the development of new health delivery systems - in order to help fashion more cost-efficient treatment modalities, while ensuring the high quality of care for persons suffering from mood and anxiety disorders.

This means that CANMAT aims to engage in ongoing dialogue with governments, both provincially and nationally, in an attempt to promote a collaborative approach to the shaping of mental health policy in the coming years. Such a policy would strive to maintain modern humanistic values in the care of all patients, even as restructuring takes place to make health care more efficient.

Through its clinical trials network, extending across various centres nationwide, CANMAT provides the pharmaceutical industry with a ready resource for clinical research projects - in terms of both expertise and infrastructure. The breadth of research expertise within CANMAT opens up numerous opportunities for the development of integrated preclinical and clinical programs.

The establishment of a working, ethical partnership with industry is clearly vital to the lifeblood of clinical research in this country, and this will be a strong thrust of CANMAT. Currently, CANMAT is forging such relationships with industry, in the research and development of new treatments for mood and anxiety disorders.

In our view, the need for education - on both the professional and public levels - has never been more critical. This is so for a number of reasons:

1.. In clinical practice, mood and anxiety disorders tend to be underdiagnosed and undertreated: the human and socioeconomic impact of medical undermanagement is immense.

2. Because much of the care of persons with psychiatric disorders has shifted to the primary care level, physicians - especially family and general practitioners - need to stay apprised of all developments in this rapidly evolving area. Currently, however, mood and anxiety disorders are underemphasized in continuing medical education (CME) programs.

3. Among laypersons, there is still a pervasive lack of understanding as to the nature and causes of psychiatric disorders; thus, a stigma still surrounds mental illness in general, and this contributes to the clinician's difficulties in diagnosis and treatment.

4. As patients take a more consumer-like approach to their own health care, they need to be supplied with balanced and accurate information, as well as adequate supports, to help them deal with their mood or anxiety conditions. Yet, public education on these disorders is under- represented in the consumer media, and underfinanced by governments.

For these and other reasons, CANMAT will - in the coming years - devote its energies to the development of educational programs for physicians, and for other health care professionals with an interest in mood and anxiety disorders. In addition, CANMAT will initiate various public education programs, to improve awareness and understanding of mood and anxiety disorders. To accomplish both objectives, CANMAT will seek to establish working alliances with medical colleges, universities, consumer associations, patient advocacy groups, as well as industry and government.

• integrate clinical trial research across centres
• create a common clinical research database
• create a database of experienced investigators
• facilitate exchange between academic
• psychiatrists, researchers and industry
• facilitate training of investigators
• improve preclinical-clinical links
• produce comprehensive, evidence-based treatment recommendations.

More 'advanced' programs in future will involve hands-on learning of techniques in cognitive behavioral therapy, diagnosing and managing comorbid psychiatric conditions, and the like. MAINPRO accreditation for CANMAT educational programs will be sought with all provincial medical colleges. Additionally, we plan to explore the following topics in future programs:

• 'psychopharmacoeconomics'
• psychobiology / psychophysiology of mood and anxiety
• neurochemistry / psychopharmacology of mood and anxiety
• psychotherapy of mood and anxiety.

• public awareness campaigns (e.g. public service announcements)
• information booklets and videos
• consumer seminars

CANMAT aims to communicate the basic message that mental illness is treatable, and that treatments are accessible and understandable. For more information on our public education capabilities and activities, please send an email request to cmeinfo@canmat.org.