Bill Introduced to Make ORCA Independent of VA Thu, 10 Apr 2003 Anyone who is even slightly familiar with the problems undermining the safety of human subjects in clinical research knows that conflicts of interest and the absence of independent oversight are at the root of most problems. The Veterans…
When Doctors Go to Class, Industry Often Foots the Bill – WSJ Fri, 6 Dec 2002 A front page article in The Wall Street Journal by Scott Hensley sheds further light on the corruption of medical ethics by focusing on a drug marketing ploy that is promoted as “continuing medical…
FDA Officials Tried to tone Down Report of 27,000 heart attacks on Vioxx – WSJ – WashPost Sun, 10 Oct 2004 The FDA attempted to block a senior medical officer from making his findings known about the lethal hazards of Vioxx: Senator Chuck Grassley stated: “Instead of acting as a…
Antidepressant Controversy: Media Conflicts of Interest – New York Times Thu, 25 Mar 2004 FDA’s advisory warning about antidepressant drugs received wide press coverage nationally. But few in the national media mentioned conflicts of interest as the obstacle to disclosure of evidence showing these drugs’ adverse effects. Among the few…
HMO physician applauds Spitzer’s focus on information bias / NYT blind spot Sun, 20 Jun 2004 The affirmation by a Kaiser Permanente physician, Dr. Kate Scannell, that NYS Attorney General, Eliot Spitzer, deserves applause for his “bold and courageous” lawsuit, is an encouraging watershed. The suit, she says, “gives me…
FDA Forced Wyeth to REMOVE Suicide Warning from Effexor Label Wed, 8 Sep 2004 The Wall Street Journal reports that FDA officials forced Wyeth to remove the label warning stating: “In pediatric clinical trials, there were increased reports of hostility and, especially in Major Depressive Disorder, suicide-related adverse events such…
FDA’s Lethal Weakness Requires More than Committees Sun, 7 Nov 2004 Bloomberg News reports that New York State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer requested information from Pfizer about the promotion of some of its drugs for unapproved uses – the recalled diabetes drug, Rezulin and the antidepressant, Zoloft were named. In…
AP Exclusive: Top US Officials at NIH Knew of AIDS Drug Risks and Failed to Inform White House Mon, 13 Dec 2004 The Associated Press reports: "Less than a month after Bush announced a $500 million plan to push nevirapine across Africa to slow the AIDS epidemic, the Health and…
NYSOMH Issues Alerts, Guidelines re Antidepressant Use in Children, Teens Wed, 29 Dec 2004 The NYS Office of Mental Health has issued letters and an advisory to state mental health providers “explaining” FDA’s warning and the use of antidepressants in children. As you will note, OMH downplays the meaning of…
Drug safety Hearings-Sept-Congress/ FDA – Lilly Plans to Disclose Data Tue, 3 Aug 2004 A hearing about the possible connection between suicide and antidepressant drugs will be held on Aug 4, by the California Senate by Sen. Tom Torkalson, chairman of the Senate Task Force on Youth and Workplace Wellness…
Australian Judge blames Paxil & Effexor: mom free of murder attempt / UK MP Wed, 26 May 2004 Top FDA officials are foot dragging–can’t make up their minds whether protecting children’s lives is a priority. These officials are loath to curtail the dispensing of antidepressants–inasmuch as it would hurt drug…
http://www.illinoisleader.com/opinion/opinionview.asp?c=17908 GUEST OPINION: Maybe legislators should be mentally evaluated, too Friday, July 23, 2004 – by Karen Hayes, associate director of Concerned Women for America-Illinois If Illinois’ Children’s Mental Health Partnership Preliminary Plan goes into effect as planned next year, standardized academic tests will include mental health evaluation. [On Friday,…
