P.A.S. (Psychiatric Ambulant Study-group)
Patient acrual for psychopharmacological studies in psychiatric indication is difficult. A recent study of a psychiatrist revealed that of 214 screened patients in his location none was suitable for a trial with antidepressive treatment (Haberfellner, Pharmacopsychiatry 33, 142-144, 2000). Only 1% of all psychiatric patients are treated in psychiatric hospitals. In other words: about 60 to 90% of all patients suffering from psychiatric diseases are treated by general practitioners. These doctors, however, lack competence in psychiatric assessment like structured diagnostic interviews or administration of psychiatric rating scales.
IMEREM developed the socalled P.A.S. model (P.A.S.=Psychiatric Ambulant Study-group). In this model, patients presenting with symptoms of a particular disease under investigation were recruited by GPs, but all further activities are to be performed by IMEREM personnel which meets with patients at the GP's offices. The P.A.S. group is located all over Germany, currently being able, e.g., to select up to 50 patients per month for one or different studies with antidepressant treatments. At the same time, high quality of the study can be guaranteed by the IMEREM co-workers who are suitably trained in psychiatric issues and in GCP requirements.
In a recent approach, services of IMEREM were extended to complete site management, i.e., with the exception of patient pre-selection by the GP, all study-related activities are performed by IMEREM personnel at the GP's site. The following figure gives a typical recruitment curve for a study in depressive patients. For more information, please contact us.
