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…
Psychiatry and Preschoolers Tue, 1 Jul 2003 There was a time that doctors followed the precautionary “do no harm” principle when prescribing drugs. But the practice of medicine has changed radically as physicians have increasingly become financially tied to the pharmaceutical industry. Among psychiatrists it is difficult to find one…
Randomized Controlled Trials: Evidence Biased Psychiatry By David Healy, MD MRCPsych Introduction A new drug gets introduced to the market. It has been approved after stringent scrutiny by the FDA, which requires ever more convincing evidence that it works and that its safe. The new treatment will always cost more…
FDA Slaps Pfizer on Zoloft Ads After AHRP Files Complaint Sat, 07 May 2005 On November 4, 2004, AHRP filed a complaint with the FDA about a two page Pfizer advertisement for its SSRI antidepressant, Zoloft. The ad appeared in The New York Times Magazine in October 2004, but Pfizer…
ADHD drug – Cylert withdrawn from market due to Liver Toxicity, a Major Risk of Psychotropic Drugs Tue, October 25, 2005 The FDA announced that another drug prescribed for ADHD–Cylert–was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…
What’s in a Warning? Antidepressants and Risk of Suicide – FindLaw Thu, 22 Apr 2004 Contrary to the published reports in the peer-reviewed journals, the preponderance of evidence demonstrates that antidepressants pose a greater risk than a benefit for children. *[References below] Informed medical treatment decisions hinge on the decision…
Antidepressant drugs Used as Placebos! Fri, 10 Oct 2003 Increased use of antidepressant drugs during the 1990s, has increased national spending on antidepressant drugs by a walloping 600%! Dr. Jay Pomerantz of Harvard writes, “inappropriate use of antidepressant drugs may lead to a deterioration of clinical course with no clear…
SSRI Defects: Infants Suffer Drug Withdrawal / Adults risk GI bleeding Wed, 18 May 2005 The Associated Press reports that new research confirms that: “Babies born to women taking antidepressants in the last three months of pregnancy were three times more likely to develop drug-related symptoms than those born to…
SSRI’s found to adversely affect newborns during first days of life Sat, 26 Jul 2003 Doctors prescribing antidepressant drugs (SSRIs) to pregnant women may be faced with liability claims, as these drugs are shown to adversely affect unborn and newborn babies’ central nervous system A new report in the Archives…
Dubious Drug Therapy – Keith Koeller / Bread and Shelter, Yes. Psychiatrists, No – Sally Satel Wed, 30 Mar 2005 Two OpEd columns deserve special attention because they provide insight and evidence of the harm done by current psychiatric / psychological practices. Sally Satel, MD is a psychiatrist and resident…
FDA Approves Lilly’s Cymbalta for Depression Despite Risk of Suicide Wed, 4 Aug 2004 In a display of arrogance and defiance–in the midst of federal investigations into the marketing of antidepressants–the FDA has approved Eli Lilly’s antidepression drug, Cymbalta (duloxetine). Lilly’s press release announced: “Cymbalta, a balanced and potent reuptake…
Warning-Caution – Antidepressant Dilemma – NYT Magazine Mon, 22 Nov 2004 Tolstoy wisely observed: “Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.” Suicide is the ultimate tragedy affecting a family; the circumstances surrounding one person’s suicide are not transferable. The cover of Sunday’s New…
