Ellen Van Leeuwen
Tags: Rational Drug Use, Steering Committee
Ghent University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Department of Basic and Applied Medical Sciences, Psychofarmaca@UGent
Research focus
o Ellen Van Leeuwen focuses her research on the appropriate use of psychotropic medication, including antidepressants and benzodiazepines. She leads Psychofarmaca@UGent, and addresses both appropriate treatment initiation and the discontinuation of long-term use of these medications with the aim of optimising psychotropic use, by avoiding starting and through deprescribing. She is internationally recognised for her work on antidepressant deprescribing. At the start of her PhD, she was among the first researchers to investigate this topic, conducting a Cochrane review that received worldwide attention. She is currently leading a randomized controlled trial on the discontinuation of antidepressants in general practice (the GPS-AD trial), funded by the Belgian Federal Knowledge Centre (KCE). Given the high use of psychotropic medication in Belgium, she also leads several continuing medical education initiatives for general practitioners in collaboration with the Federal Public Service Health and the Université Libre de Bruxelles, through LOKs/GLEMs groups.
"Together for the appropriate use of psychotropic medication: only when necessary, never longer than needed, and discontinuing when appropriate. Safe and effective use starts with rational prescribing and discontinuation — in close collaboration between general practitioners and pharmacists."
Ellen Van Leeuwen