Psychiatric pathologies are chronic and frequent, starting early in life and accounting for 5 of the 10 leading causes of disabilitý. In addition to their psychosocial impact, they reduce life expectancy by 15 to 20 years, due to somatic comorbidities and the risk of suicide. The total cost is estimated at 160 billion euros in France, positioning psychiatric pathologies as a major issue for the 21st century.
Yet, despite this major challenge, funding for psychiatric research in France represents only 2% to 4% of the biomedical research budget, one of the lowest levels in Europe.
The aim of the PEPR PROPSY program (exploratory research program in precision psychiatry) is to provide concrete solutions for the deployment of precision medicine in psychiatry, with a particular focus on 4 of the most disabling disorders : bipolar disorders, resistant depression, schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorders.
Launched in October 2022, the program is led by Inserm and CNRS, with support from the Fondation FondaMental. It has a budget of €80 million over 5 years, allocated as part of the France 2030 investment plan. The scientific director is Professor Marion Leboyer, and the ANR is the operator on behalf of the French government. Thirteen targeted projects have been selected for funding. They will be supplemented by calls for projects, operated by the ANR or Inserm.