Report from the 9th Congress of EACPT in Edinburgh

The 9th Congress of the European Association for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (EACPT-2009) was held at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre in the heart of Scotland's capital city between 12th and 15th July 2009. Around 1000 scientists from over 60 different countries (including many from outside of Europe) participated in the meeting, making it a truly international congress. We were especially delighted with the large number of delegates from smaller countries where clinical pharmacology as a specialty is perhaps not as strong as in the larger European countries. The four tremendous plenary lectures from Sir Colin Dollery, Patrick Vallance, Garret Fitzgerald and Alastair Wood, looking to the future of clinical pharmacology, were the highlights of a memorable and high quality scientific programme. The science was complemented by a range of social events, which included a Welcome Reception at Edinburgh Castle and the Conference Dinner, with Scottish dancing (a ceilidh), at Our Dynamic Earth.

There was a strong focus on all areas of clinical pharmacology and therapeutics, including symposia on clinical pharmacology in Eastern Europe, clinical pharmacology in the Nordic countries, and the British Pharmacological Society-sponsored symposium on working with patients. In addition, the EPHAR-sponsored lecture given by Professor Juan Tamargo was extremely well received and only served to make the programme more exciting and international. Dr Ian Wilkinson became the first recipient of the EACPT Scientific Award for the best scientific paper published in the two years since the last EACPT Congress. This accolade was accompanied by a €2,000 prize. Other highlights included Professor Folke Sjoqvist being awarded the first EACPT Lifetime Achievement Award and Professor Laurie Prescott receiving both an Honorary Fellowship of the BPS and Honorary Membership of the Swedish Society of Clinical Pharmacology.

Because of the success of the meeting and the interest shown from those who were unable to attend, we are keen that there is an educational legacy that will follow the meeting. For that reason, we are making as many of the invited speakers’ contributions as we can available on the EACPT2009 website (http://www.eacpt2009.org/Invited-Speaker-Presentation-g.asp).