IFMAD has a tradition of inviting expert speakers with subjects which provide new insights in treatment of various psychiatric disorders. The meeting always takes place in a collegiate setting which allows for an open interaction between speakers and other experts present with the registrants both in the meeting room and in the intervals.

This year there are substantial sessions on bipolar disorder with a focus on cognitive impairment with a critical analysis of the design issues and the difficult issue of how to treat cognitive problems in bipolar disorder. The place of talking therapies in treating bipolar disorder and how to stage bipolar disorder will also be reviewed as well as the controversial place of antidepressants in bipolar depression.

A major component of the meeting will be to focus on treatment resistant depression on several areas, with an update of the most advanced pharmacogenetics techniques which may benefit patients, data driven 10 easy suggestions on improving antidepressant response in TRD, how to save time in the choice of effective treatment of TRD, and a suggested algorithm for treating TRD based on the evidence.