Annette Beautrais, Ph.D. and Gregory L. Larkin, M.D.

Annette Beautrais, Ph.D., senior research scientist in emergency medicine, and Gregory L. Larkin, M.D., professor of surgery (emergency medicine) and vice chair for global health and faculty development, addressed a conference at the United Nations in New York to launch World Suicide Prevention Day (WSPD) on September 10. The International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP), in conjunction with the World Health Organization, sponsors WSPD annually to highlight suicide prevention. Beautrais organized WSPD 2009 activities around the world in her role as general secretary of the IASP. WSPD 2009 was launched at the UN with a press conference and a public conference whose theme was suicide prevention in different cultures.