Returning to In-Person Outreach and Communication
After two years of being completely virtual, PANDAS Physicians Network conducted provider outreach at four conferences, three in-person and one online. Over 20,000 attendees had the opportunity to learn more about PANS/PANDAS, the process of diagnosing, treatment protocols, and current research. Attendees at the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Family Physicians, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Association, and International OCD Foundation were ready to learn more while helping to create a network of clinicians dedicated to healing those suffering from PANS/PANDAS.
Connecting Clinicians to Expert Knowledge
PANDAS Physicians Network’s Director of Research hosted a conversation with Jennifer Frankovich, MD, Clinical Professor in the Department of Pediatrics, Division of Allergy, Immunology Rheumatology at Stanford University/Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital. In this on demand video, Dr. Frankovich discusses such topics as the role of inflammation on neuropsychiatric symptoms, classifying the acuteness of symptom onset, and building a biorepository and the need for healthy controls.
The IOCDF collaborated with PPN to bring together Sydney Rice, MD, MS, Kyle Williams, MD, PhD, and Amy Young, Psy.D. in a live town hall. They answered participant’s questions about the impact of infection and inflammation on mental health and psychiatric disorders and personal experiences surrounding the extraordinary challenges of PANS/PANDAS.
Funding Research with a Lasting Impact
PANDAS Physicians Network funded 2 research grants totaling $95,000 to help improve the lives of children with PANS/PANDAS.
The first grant was awarded to Chandra Menendez, Ph.D. from the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, for her work identifying a pathophysiological mechanism in PANDAS/PANS and differentiating the subtypes of neurologic sequelae associated with Group A Streptococcal infections. This research will increase the understanding of autoantibody activation of receptors and biomarkers of disease.
The second grant was part of PPN’s committed support of the PANS research program at Stanford’s Immune Behavioral Health Clinic. This grant is for their work on building a bio-repository for identifying biomarkers in PANS.
Building Awareness Within the Medical Community
PANDAS Physicians Network continuously strives to broaden awareness of PANS/PANDAS within the medical community. Part of our efforts include the placement of educational ads with medical organizations and outlets where medical professionals would benefit learning more about the immune medicated brain disorders. In 2022, PPN coordinated ads with 6 organizations. The ads reached pediatric nurses, psychologists, psychiatrists, emergency room physicians and nurses, school nurses, and pediatricians.
Providing Current and up-to-date resources
PANDAS Physicians Network is committed to bringing clinicians current and accurate PANS/PANDAS information. In 2022, the PPN webpage on IVIG treatment underwent a review and was updated to reflect current guidelines and research for the use of IVIG in moderate to severe patients.
Growing Impact
32% increase in website visitors compared to 2021.
The PPN Flowchart was the most requested resource at conferences.
International inquiries included Canada, UK, Europe, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Netherlands, United Arab Emirates, and more.
HELP MORE PANS/PANDAS CHILDREN GET THE CARE THEY NEED TO RECOVER.