APRN – Officially Launched

A major step to cure schizophrenia and bipolar disorder took place on November 28 at Parliament House, Canberra with the official launch of the Australian Psychosis Research Network. In what is a world first, Australia has taken the lead in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder research, with a huge national team of medical researchers, psychiatrists and general practitioners confident of a solution in the next decade.

Hosted by the bipartisan group, the Parliamentary Friends of Schizophrenia, the launch was attended by an impressive line up of senior researchers from almost every State in Australia, senior bureaucrats from State, Territory and Federal Health departments, representation from the National Health and Medical Research Council, consumer advocates and business/community leaders.

(L-R): Andrew Laming MP, Vaughan Carr, Stanley Catts, Rob Knowles & Sheryl Taylor at the launch.

The Prime Minister, the Hon. John Howard MP was hopeful of attending however due to urgent matters had to extend a late apology. He did send his best wishes for a successful day.

The support of the Federal Parliament has been extremely encouraging with the event officiated by the co-conveners of the Parliamentary Friends of Schizophrenia, Senator Ursula Stephens and Mr Andrew Laming MP. A number of Parliamentarians attended at different times throughout the day, as did some key advisers. Ms Sheryl Taylor, former Channel 9 Health reporter facilitated the day with the utmost professionalism.

The launch had several highlights. Professor Cynthia Shannon Weickert, the NISAD Chair of Schizophrenia Research shared with the audience the reason why the time is right and why Australia is the right place, and Angela Greensill, NISAD ambassador and schizophrenia sufferer gave a moving and personal account of what it is like to live with this disease.


NISAD Ambassador, Angela Greensill.

All of the presentations, which will soon be available on this website, were of exceptional calibre and we benefited from lively and informed discussion. It is important to acknowledge all of the speakers and a special thank you to Mr Rob Knowles, President of the Mental Illness Fellowship of Australia.

The day was highly successful thanks to the many people who participated. I would like to acknowledge the thoughtful and strategic support of Alastair Furnaval, Jacquelyn Drozdoff, and Anna Day from Australian Public Affairs.

(L-R): Andrew Laming MP, Stanley Catts, Christos Pantelis & Rob Knowles.

Key however to the success of the launch, and even more importantly to the future of the APRN is the cohesion of the scientific community. The APRN is unique in the history of medical research, underwritten by the words 'consolidation, collaboration and cure', it will provide the scale needed to change the course for current and future generations at risk of these debilitating disorders.

"You think research is expensive, try disease" - Mary Lasker 1901-1994

Professor Stanley Catts
APRN Project Coordinator

Click here to see the Agenda and Summary from the APRN Summit.

The APRN Summit was supported by: