Issue link: http://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/579724
6 OCTOBER2015 Inhalation In the mid-1980s, chlorofluorocar- bons (CFCs) were used as propel- lants in every pressurized metered dose inhaler (MDI) and the gelatin capsule-based Spinhaler ® (Fisons, Ltd.) was the state-of-the-art in dry powder inhalers. Medical nebulizers operated almost exclusively on com- pressed gases. Conditions were chal- lenging for new investigators and entrepreneurs looking to enter the field and develop ideas. Few regula- tors had detailed knowledge of inhaled products and the Montreal Protocol assured the landscape was about to be shaken by the phase-out of CFCs. Early RDD Conferences In this environment, Respiratory Drug Delivery (RDD) was con- ceived by Peter Byron and the first meeting was held in 1988. 3M and ATI Pharmaceuticals provided financial support. Peter's graduate students managed the logistics and were among about a dozen speakers well-crafted meetings could serve as a positive force for industry/regula- tory/academic collaboration. RDD IV also involved manufacturers, contract research organizations, specialist companies and organiza- tions in the first Suppliers Forum. Informal networking was enhanced with social events and "trip" breaks, largely through the efforts of Siân Byron. Adding Steve Farr to the editorial team and Amy Davis as publisher, professionally-typeset proceedings were available for the first time. In 1996, RDD V could no longer squeeze into a downtown hotel. The plenary lecture was intro- duced, and with industry support, attracted a high-profile, opinion- leader to kick-off the meeting, which has been a tradition ever since. RDD VII (2000) added the- m a t i c s e s s i o n p l a n n i n g a n d included equipment demonstra- tions at the Suppliers Forum. Joanne Peart joined the organizing and editorial team, resulting in eas- ier meeting registration and RDD's first professional web presence. RDD VIII (2002) marked the first time the RDD speaker and poster papers could be searched and down- loaded after the meeting. Increas- ingly, the science and insights pre- sented were being cited widely in sci- entific journals and trade magazines. RDD continued to coordinate with AAPS INTFG, hosting evening ses- s i o n s . T h e r e s u l t — R D D I X (2004)—was attended by over 640 delegates. Three volumes were required to contain all of the papers presented. CROSS-INDUSTRY Organizations The Respiratory Drug Delivery (RDD ® ) Conferences Richard Dalby, PhD and Pierre Carlotti On behalf of RDD Online and Aptar Pharma drawn from academia and indus- try. Two years later "Respiratory D r u g D e l i v e r y , " w h i c h P e t e r edited, became the record of the meeting and a popular textbook. At RDD II (1990), hosted by Uni- versity of Kentucky in Keystone, CO, US, the audience doubled and included more international dele- gates. Requests for copies of the speaker papers illustrated the need to publish the proceedings faster. This was accomplished shortly after the meeting with the financial assistance of Delphi Pharmaceuti- c a l s a n d t h e e d i t i n g s k i l l s o f Richard Dalby and Richard Evans. RDD III (1992) added a poster session and speakers in themed ses- sions and poster presenters were required to write short papers sub- ject to peer review. In 1994, at RDD IV, the meeting h o s t e d i t s f i r s t d i s c u s s i o n / debate session and marked the US FDA's first substantial involve- ment, spurring the realization that Image courtesy of RDD Europe