The First international multidisciplinary forum on new drugs will take place in Lisbon from 11–12 May and it is organised by the EU drugs agency (EMCDDA). The Forum will provide a comprehensive overview on new psychoactive substances and identify common anchor points to inform future actions.

Around 100 delegates will trace how the phenomenon on new drugs has developed over the last ten years and compare, through case studies, differing national experiences. In addition, the event will focus on early-warning systems, risk assessments and controls as well as options for prevention and treatment. In addition to participants from the 27 EU Member States, Croatia, Turkey and Norway, experts have been invited from: Australia, Belarus, Canada, Hong Kong SAR, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, Russia, Switzerland, Ukraine and the United States.

Leading European and international experts on new drugs will meet in Lisbon from 11–12 May to take stock of what has now become a global phenomenon. The First international multidisciplinary forum on new drugs, organised by the EU drugs agency (EMCDDA), will provide a comprehensive overview on new psychoactive substances and identify common anchor points to inform future actions.

Participants with a technical expertise and research in the field of new psychoactive substances have been selected and include forensic scientists, epidemiologists, clinicians, law-enforcement experts, and technical staff from the European Commission, Europol and the European Medicines Agency. Discussions will be organised around six themes:

• Global review: perspectives on a dynamic phenomenon
• Understanding the evidence: forensic science, a key component
• Epidemiology: auditing current capacity and identifying future priorities
• Making the most of the evidence: early warning
• Defining a balanced response agenda
• A comprehensive vision for the future

The forum will be preceded by the 11th Annual meeting of the EMCDDA–Reitox early-warning system network. The European early-warning system provides EU Member States with an information exchange mechanism for reporting on the emergence of new psychoactive substances. It is a key element in Europe’s fast-track system for assessing and responding to new drugs.