Profiting from Illness and Death

An Editorial Opinion by Lucas Catton

The trail of psychiatric drugs is littered with dollar signs.

The truth regarding the connection between pharmaceutical companies and doctors, especially psychiatrists, seems to be coming out with increasing frequency of late. Millions of otherwise unsuspecting people are slowly beginning to learn that the drugs they’ve been prescribed are the result of a multi-billion dollar advertising and marketing campaign, not necessarily because they will help them.

Giant drug makers spend billions of dollars each year promoting their products to consumers, yes, but also to doctors to give to you. It has gotten to the point that even the educational system has been heavily infiltrated by this greased line.

In a recent story printed in the Washington Post, Harvard Medical School Professor Jerry Avorn was quoted as saying, "Most of what doctors know about drugs comes from the industry, and that's not healthy. Academic organizations lend their names to courses that are nothing more than infomercials."

“It is very frustrating to hear from parents how their doctors told them it was okay to put their kids on these drugs,” comments Lucas A Catton, CCDC, director of the international Drug-Free Alliance. “When they fully understand the connection between the drug makers and the doctors they feel extremely betrayed – and they should!”

The money isn’t just in the form of course and event sponsorships, it also comes in checks written to doctors for conducting clinical studies and for speaking about the supposed benefits of certain drugs.

An article in the New York Times claims that psychiatrists earn more money from drug makers than doctors in any other specialty. The effect is that there is a correlation between the amount of money given to them and the amount of drugs prescribed, especially the highly potent anti-psychotics, which have been discovered to contribute to the onset of diabetes.

The state of Vermont released information recently that drug company payments to psychiatrists in the state more than doubled last year to an average of more than $45,000 each, which was up from about $20,000 in 2005. The Times article said that anti-psychotic drugs are among the largest expenses for the state's Medicaid program.

In a commentary posted online Dr. Loren R. Mosher wrote, “In my view American psychiatry has become drug dependent (that is, devoted to pill pushing) at all levels - private practitioners, public system psychiatrists, university faculty and organizationally. What should be the most humanistic medical specialty has become mechanistic, reductionistic, tunnel-visioned and dehumanizing. Modern psychiatry has forgotten the Hippocratic principle: Above all, do no harm.”

Just one glaring example of this blatant disregard for public health, the New York Times also reported on the story of a psychiatrist in Minnesota whose license was suspended as a result of a disciplinary action regarding gross misconduct and the death of one or more patients under his care.

This doctor was very involved in drug company clinical trials, where he would get paid money to recruit patients for new medications. He boasted that he helped study some of the most widely prescribed psychiatric drugs over the years, including Paxil, Prozac, Risperdal, Seroquel, Zoloft and Zyprexa.

Despite his disciplinary actions regarding his gross misconduct and neglect, this doctor has remained a paid spokesperson for several drug companies that make psychiatric drugs.

The Alliance for Human Research Protection sates that “a cadre of child psychiatrists at the nation's most prestigious medical centers, have made their career by working hand in glove with drug manufacturers on whose behalf they test the most toxic drugs in young children and lend their reputations to promote the use of these drugs--and drug combinations for young children--seemingly without regard for children's safety or welfare.”

The Times’ examination of Minnesota’s records of payments form drug companies to doctors found that between 1997 and 2005, more than 100 of these doctors had been disciplined or criticized by the state medical board, yet they received about $1.7 million during that time. Of the problems found, nearly 40% of these doctors were penalized for inappropriate prescribing practices and 20% for substance abuse.

“But what about the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)?” one might ask. “Aren’t they supposed to regulate these drugs and their makers to ensure they are safe?” That is what they claim to do, but it is far from their actual business.

Mike Adams of Newstarget.com says, “Under the false pretense of improved food and drug safety the FDA is re-inventing itself as a kingpin drug company. This charade has so far hoodwinked virtually all members of Congress.”

So what can you do about it? Do your research, get second opinions from other forms of healthcare specialists and ask yourself if taking harmful drugs is the way you want to go or what you want to inflict upon your child. You can also contact the Drug-Free Alliance and we’ll help connect you with educational resources so that you can make an informed decision based on all the information there is available. Visit http://www.drug-freealliance.org today.