Central Nervous System disorders have an enormous impact on individuals and on society as a whole. The development of better treatments is crucial and is a major focus of pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. This book explains the complicated process of CNS drug development in a way that is engaging for any interested professional or student. Chapters cover each stage of drug development, from pre-clinical research through all phases of clinical trials, to reporting to the regulatory authorities. Other key issues covered include strategic considerations, regulatory constraints, dissemination of results and ethical considerations. The user-friendly format and style enable readers to find important information quickly and easily. Written and edited by experts from different sectors actively engaged in CNS drug development, this is a unique resource for drug developers, investigators, academics and clinicians.

'The experienced authors admirably describe the art and skills of managing the constraints of recruitment criteria, prioritising participant welfare, and balancing budgetary concerns … The volume can be recommended for the libraries of senior investigators who are training the next generation as a stimulus in the supervisory process. The text also offers a springboard for discussions among policy makers themselves, hopefully promoting an insight that they are overdue in their effort to overhaul a system nearly imploding under ponderous, regulatory, protectionistic, and, unfortunately, often minimally scientific burdens of multiple financial and other interests. The brief format is highly readable, more concise than comprehensive in scope, providing more of an overview of the issues than would be expected from a formal reference text … Overall, the editors offer a timely discussion of many strengths and weaknesses of a highly regulated and cumbersome process.'

Ronald M. Salomon Source: Journal of Clinical Psychiatry