I will start "back to front" by looking at some advantages that Internet brings to us. Of course, the main advantage is that people can learn about their condition and also connect to various self-help groups which provide invaluable support during times when friends, family or health professionals are not available to give help and support. Internet has made a "panic patient" one of the most informed patient about their condition compared to many others. And yet, a significant proportion of panic patients are still not closer to "feeling better" than they were at the beginning of their panic episodes. Their condition may have changed in its priorities and their coping strategies may have changed, but the very problem of Panic is still there. FEAR of the next panic.

We now have various medications that help some and not the others and by most part, doctors prescribe the medication that they are familiar with and often it is still a trial and error approach.

We also have an enormous number of non-medicative treatments, some accepted by the scientific community and some not, some working well for some people and some not.

Has a demand for Panic treatments increased in the last decade? It seems so. But do any of the above mentioned treatments/therapies CURE panic?

In our search for cure, do we actually know what doctors think, what researchers think, most importantly what patients think? It would seem that all of those groups would probably have a different thoughts of what panic attacks is, feels, its origins and its course, as they have a different reason for having an interest in Panic Attacks and/or disorder.

But the question is: "Whose definition of panic matters most?" And why do we need to consider definitions other than DSM for example.

But the ultimate question is: Can we cure panic? And in my opinion we should also ask patients and ourselves who work in the health industry either as research or clinicians:

Are we happy to have a life-long treatment but no cure?

Did we stop looking into differences between patient groups?

Do we still have a hit-miss treatment?

Are we looking into preventing panic attacks rather than treat it after it happens?

I would like to tell you a short story about someone I know and the story is not, by any means, unique.

I have a friend who, once upon a time, had a bright future. In my opinion, super intelligent and dedicated to his field of research. And one day, panic struck and he fought and fought and one day he gave up and stopped working. He found no comfort through various treatments, medications and self help. He went from doctor to doctor, he read everything there is to read about panic and became an expert, I feel. His life changed, became an endless search for "cure" for reasons, for physical causes, for psychological causes, but most importantly it became an obsession. He became an invisible "patient" he didn't work any longer, he was on disability benefit and simply he felt he was not a "valid member" of this society. Actually this is not quite accurate, as he felt that the "others" didn't feel that he was anyone any more. And very slowly and very painfully he withdrew from many people and confined himself to panic patient community determined he will do something to help himself and the others. But he is still brilliant, intelligent, caring...But when the panic struck everything else fades into nothingness, until he feels better. Sometimes after a day and sometimes after a few weeks.

But after 10 years of suffering, he is still searching. As are so many others. And so many of us who are doing research into this very invisible but totally disabling condition. But it seems to me that we are giving up on patients like my friend as "he can just take a pill and feel better". Research grants are not coming our way and the interest in looking into this condition is fading.

We have started this Conferences few years ago in hope to remind people that Panic Disorder is still an incurable condition and that we, the researchers and clinicians should listen to patients a bit more.

I am sure we can do better.

Thank you.