NOVEMBER 19, 2008

FIRST THEY'RE DRUGGING OUR DRINKING WATER, NOW OUR KIDS? WHAT NEXT?

It's bad enough that they are drugging our drinking water but now I guess they are afraid that our kids are going to be drinking out of mud puddles instead of the faucet or toilet so now they are giving their drugs directly to our kids in the form of a prescription. An article in the NY Times today by Gardiner Harris described the findings of an FDA outside expert advisory panel that concluded that antipsychotic (or neuroleptic) medications are being given too often to children. 389,000 children were treated last year with Risperdal alone, many of them for ADHD. This is in spite of the fact that neuroleptic medications like Risperdal (risperidone) and Zyprexa (olanzapine) are not approved for the treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The use of these drugs has increased five fold in the past decade and a half.

We also have the specter of two year olds being diagnosed with bipolar disorder and treated with these medications. Well I have already given you my opinion about the diagnosis of bi-polar disorder (caption reads "What are you so upset about? I told you I was bi-polar.")

I told you I was bi-polar

The committee said they were "frustrated" and that a stronger label warning was needed because of the risks of diabetes, obesity, and tardive dyskinesai. But the FDA basically shrugged their shoulders and said that the problem lies with the prescribing doctors and that the medical societies need to do more education. I would have to agree with other writers on the topic that a medical culture of overuse of these medications and underemphasis of risk is largely to blame for the problem.

OK, here's your education

Stop giving antipsychotics to kids who don't have the diagnosis of childhood schizophrenia.

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COMMENTS

Lisa Van S wrote on November 20, 2008

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-depress23sep23,1,2916104.story?coll=la-headlines-nation

Parents' Crusade Forces Dangers of Antidepressants Into Spotlight

Too many found out too late about suicide and violent behavior risks in children and demanded a response from the government.

By Elizabeth Shogren, Times Staff Writer

WASHINGTON ­ Seven years ago, Mark Miller's 13-year-old son, Matt, who loved to ride bikes and play video games and excelled at making origami animals, hanged himself in his bedroom closet. His parents were devastated ­ and mystified.

"He had never threatened suicide," Miller recalled. "The only thing that had changed that week in his life was the medication."

Read more here

[editorial note] VERY FUNNY post by John Mack

http://pharmamkting.blogspot.com/2005/11/fda-dtc-hearings-snippets-from-day-1.html

FDA DTC Hearings: Snippets from Day 1

I am in Washington, DC attending the FDA public hearing on DTC. I will try to summarize a few of the more interesting presentations here. Later, I will cover the proceedings in more detail in the Pharma Marketing News newsletter.

People are polite in Washington, DC. They don’t rush and knock you down in the Metro (subway) like people do in NYC. Similarly, FDA people and presenters at today’s public hearing on DTC were very polite too. The nice FDA people asked nice questions and the nice presenters, for the most part, didn’t blast the FDA for not doing anything to reign in DTC.

[There was one exception: Lisa Van Syckel from drugawareness.org made an impassioned presentation that claimed drugs like Paxil and Prozac were responsible for the deaths of many adolescents. The video she presented was very disturbing and it suggested that the FDA rejected evidence and refused to do anything about these drugs.]

I rated each presenter as to whether they supported DTC or were against it. By my estimate, the presenters were evenly divided: 50% for and 50% against. Good balance FDA!

Read more here.

Sara Bostock wrote on November 20, 2008

Review of Adverse Psychiatric Drug Reaction Conference

[A piece she wrote after attending the conference as (tell me if I am wrong) a consumer advocate is here].

Philip Dawdy wrote on furiousseasons.com on November 20, 2008

Best comment by a psychiatrist ever. Here is your education. Stop giving antipsychotics to children without schizophrenia. Read more here.

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