David Perry, Ph.D., and Arthur Anderson were our keynote speakers this year.

Dr. Perry is a faculty member of the School of Biosciences, University of Westminster. As someone conducting research into the nature and treatment of panic attacks, Dr. Perry has taken a keen interest in this conference from its inception. He has been a member of the conference's Organising Committee and Scientific Advisory Committee. Recently, his overview of the first conference was published in the journal Expert Opinion (Ashley Publications).

Mr. Anderson is primarily a patient. Though his formal education is in physical science, not psychology or medicine, he combines academic skills with more than a decade of diverse personal experience with panic disorder, fellow patients and related clinicians. After presenting his own case study at the first conference, he volunteered to organise the conference proceedings web site and has since been adopted into the Organising Committee.

This year's conference continued to showcase the enormous work that is going into helping people with panic attacks on all sides of the globe. Presentations were very inspiring and diverse, covering research and clinical topics from medicine and psychology as well as topics from spiritual and alternative perspectives. Also included were some interesting "hands-on" demonstrations with voluntary audience participation. We formed some nice personal and working relationships which we hope will inspire further research insights and improved understanding of panic attacks. Much about panic attacks remain shrouded in mystery.

I am very happy to welcome Angela Brittain to our Organising Committee. Mrs. Brittain has been a presenter at both our first and second conferences. During the second conference, she volunteered to organise a conference newsletter. Furthermore, she has volunteered much time and effort towards finding a venue for our upcoming 2005 conference; our first conference within the United States. In future, we hope to bring the conference to many other countries.

I wish to thank all the delegates for their support and participation. Our conference has wonderfully embodied the spirit of academic discourse and a profound compassion for the global patient community. As we continue these unique and nonprofit events, I very much look forward to meeting old and new friends while further exploring the diversity of panic attacks.