June 17-20, 2005
Wyndham Palace Resort & Spa
Orlando, Florida
Symposium Executive Summary
More than 300 registrants from 51 nations participated in the NIDA International Forum June 17-20, 2005, before the College on Problems of Drug Dependence (CPDD) meeting in Orlando, Florida. Nearly half of those registered presented their research findings at a joint NIDA International Forum poster session and CPDD workshop that allowed attendees from both meetings to learn about drug abuse research conducted outside the United States. Participants were enthusiastic about the Forum symposium, workshops, and the joint poster session. The one-day symposium, Linking Drug Abuse and HIV/AIDS Research, featured a presentation by NIDA Deputy Director Dr. Timothy Condon, who summarized the Institute's current research priorities and funding constraints. NIDA AIDS Research Director Dr. Jacques Normand and Dr. Paul Griffiths, European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addictions, discussed emerging issues, responses, and research priorities to address the intertwined epidemics of drug addiction and HIV/AIDS. NIDA staff members discussed the Institute's international drug abuse research activities.
Participants in international research collaborations discussed how to create and conduct collaborative research programs by using varied support mechanisms. Dr. Joseph E. Schumacher, University of Alabama at Birmingham, described collaborative research with Ukrainian researchers that grew out of a Fogarty International Center (FIC) ICOHRTA award. Dr. Jan M. van Ree, Rudolf Magnus Institute for Neurosciences, described collaborative research fostered by the U.S.-Netherlands Binational Agreement. A panel of Middle Eastern scientists coordinated by Dr. Rick Rawson, University of California, Los Angeles, described how they use funding from the U.S. Department of State to supplement research awards supporting a cooperative network that operates in Egypt, Israel, and the Palestinian Territory. Representatives from organizations that support international drug abuse research and training who discussed their activities and funding mechanisms included Dr. Vladimir Poznyak, World Health Organization; Dr. Robert W. Eisinger, NIH Office of AIDS Research; Ms. Flora Katz, FIC; and Ms. Daria Tuetonico, Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program. Workshops featured interactive discussions about writing journal articles, adapting the Addiction Severity Index across cultures, and prioritizing HIV/AIDS research needs in drug abuse treatment settings.