From October 15 to 17, 2026, Moscow is hosting the International Scientific and Practical Conference “Mental Health Protection in an Era of Social Challenges and Transformations”, dedicated to the 105th anniversary of the V. Serbsky Federal Medical Research Centre of Psychiatry and Narcology of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation.
The conference’s scientific programme covers areas reflecting the most pressing challenges facing contemporary psychiatry and narcology. The participants will discuss the development of social and forensic psychiatry, the provision of care in extreme situations, the application of advances in neuroscience to clinical practice, contemporary approaches to addiction medicine, and issues in clinical psychology, psycho-oncology and child psychiatry.
Special attention will be paid to strategies for preserving cognitive and emotional health in older age, as well as to developing the workforce and advancing professional narcology.
CIS Secretary-General Sergey Lebedev sent a video greeting to the conference participants.
In his message, he noted that today’s rapidly changing world, global social challenges and large-scale transformations require the professional community to demonstrate flexibility, adopt an interdisciplinary approach and consolidate its efforts to safeguard the mental well-being of people in the CIS member states.
“The CIS platform has traditionally served as a forum for in-depth, constructive dialogue and the development of joint solutions,” the CIS Secretary-General emphasized.
Sergey Lebedev noted the symbolic significance of holding the conference in the year marking a major milestone: the 105th anniversary of the founding of the V. Serbsky Federal Medical Research Centre of Psychiatry and Narcology.
“Over more than a century, the Center has evolved from a specialized institute into a recognized leader in Russian medical science and one of the leading institutions in its field across the Commonwealth. The Center’s staff have successfully brought together the highest level of clinical expertise, a strong academic research tradition and extensive experience in forensic psychiatric and narcological assessments,” Sergey Lebedev said.
He emphasized the Center’s importance in international cooperation and its distinguished role as the CIS basic organization in psychiatry and narcology. In this capacity, the institution serves as a key scientific and methodological hub that brings together specialists from across the Commonwealth, coordinates the training of highly qualified professionals, and helps harmonize standards of care and advance joint research programs.
“Regular meetings of the Public Council of the basic organization clearly demonstrate the value and practical effectiveness of this form of integration. They make it possible to reach consolidated decisions promptly on key agenda items and strengthen direct contacts between the relevant agencies of the CIS member states,” Sergey Lebedev emphasized.
He expressed the view that holding the conference in the Year of Health Protection in the CIS gives it particular significance. It is rightly one of the year’s major scientific and practical events, aimed at building a safe and healthy future for the peoples of the Commonwealth countries.
The CIS Secretary-General expressed confidence that this high-level expert dialogue would help develop effective practical approaches to addressing contemporary challenges.