| Veterans
News Flash 
VA
To Host PTSD Research Conference
WASHINGTON -- 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.
SOURCE:
US Department of Veterans Affair
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