Infomail Archive 2005

Infomail 2005 News Stories on Human Research Protection and Commentary by Vera Hassner Sharav Subscribe to the AHRP infomail list Dec 16: Drugs, Devices & Doctors – NYT Paul Krugman Dec 11: Scientific Fraud & Corruption on Both sides of Atlantic: Merck / Proctor & Gamble Dec 11: Gov Accountability…

NY Times Does it Again – Drug Advertisers Get Front Page Coverage to Boost SSRI Market

NY Times Does it Again – Drug Advertisers Get Front Page Coverage to Boost SSRI Market Wed, 2 Jun 2004 The New York Times saw fit to print a report about preliminary, unpublished findings of a study whose authors claim to have “found that Prozac helps teenagers overcome depression far…

ADHD drug Cylert withdrawn from market due to Liver Toxicity

ADHD drug – Cylert withdrawn from market due to Liver Toxicity, a Major Risk of Psychotropic Drugs Tue, October 25, 2005 The FDA announced that another drug prescribed for ADHD–Cylert–was removed from the US market for safety reasons. On September 25, 2005, the Associated Press reported: “Eli Lilly said it…

Leading Antipsychotic Drugs Come Under New Scrutiny – NYT

Leading Antipsychotic Drugs Come Under New Scrutiny – NYT Tuesday, May 20, 2003 A front page article in The New York Times reveals that the pillars of American psychiatry–including Dr. Jeffrey Lieberman, Dr. John Kane, Dr. William Carpenter–are acknowledging that evidence is lacking to support the claims that the new…

Pfizer Admits Guilt in Promotion of Neurontin–Agrees to Pay $430 Million

Pfizer Admits Guilt in Promotion of Neurontin–Agrees to Pay $430 Million Sun, 16 May 2004 A lawsuit initiated by Dr. David Franklin, a whistleblower, has been settled: Pfizer pleaded guilty to criminal fraud in the promotion of Neurontin, and agreed to pay $430 million. This case is but an example…

Efforts to Expand Emergency Exception from Informed Consent

Efforts to Expand Emergency Exception from Informed Consent Thu, 6 Oct 2005 The following announcement posted to the IRB Forum by Dr. Robert Nelson, a KOL (key opinion leader) within the close-knit IRB community– who serve as gatekeepers of human research –demosntrates that the culture of secrecy is entrenched in…

US Preventive Services Task Force: No evidence that screening for suicide reduces suicide

US Preventive Services Task Force: No evidence that screening for suicide reduces suicide Fri, 21 May 2004 The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) issued its findings and recommendation against screening for suicide. The USPSTF findings corroborate those of the Canadian PSTF. “USPSTF found no evidence that screening for suicide…

3 Questionable FDA policies: drug factory inspection rules/ clinical trials/ Paxil ads

Three Questionable FDA policies: drug factory inspection rules/ clinical trials/ Paxil ads Thu, 22 Aug 2002 Three news items highlight questionable FDA policies that are in conflict with consumer health interests. 1) Poor quality control standards in American drug and vaccine manufacturing plants is a disgrace. The Associated Press reports…

APA Claims Credit for Censoring News Report about Mental Screening

APA Claims Credit for Censoring News Report about Mental Screening Sun, 16 Oct 2005 The American Psychiatric Association acknowledges its role in suppressing a major news story about the President’s New Freedom Commission Report recommendation. That recommendation is the center of a heated debate among advocates for personal privacy, parental…