Senator Grassley tells TeenScreen Executive Director (& former head of NAMI) to disclose all TeenScreen pharma funding

Senator Grassley’s letter states, “Operating with transparency sends a message that there is nothing to hide. Accordingly, I would appreciate an accounting of industry funding that pharmaceutical, medical device companies, foundations established by these companies or the insurance industry have provided to the TeenScreen National Center for Mental Health Checkups at Columbia University (TeenScreen) (The term ‘industry funding’ means any transfer of value, including but not limited to grants, donations, and sponsorship for meetings or programs, etc.) This request covers the period of January 2006 to the present.”

New Scientist – Psychiatry’s bible: Its time has passed – Growing criticism of DSM has Prompted Psychiatry’s Civil War

Some of the most acrimonious arguments stem from worries about the pharmaceutical industry’s influence over psychiatry. This has led to the spotlight being turned on the financial ties of those in charge of revising the manual, and has made any diagnostic changes that could expand the use of drugs especially controversial.

How Vested Interests Created the Perfect Marketing/Lobbying Machine: Mental Health “Advocacy” Groups—Funded by Pharma

An ongoing U.S. Senate investigation headed by Senator Charles Grassly has sought disclosure of pharmaceutical funding paid to researchers, physicians, medical schools, medical journals and the patient advocacy community. Some of the nation’s most prominent psychiatrists have now been exposed for extensive conflicts of interest amounting to millions in undisclosed pharmaceutical funding, including Dr. Charles Nemeroff, Dr. Joseph Biederman, Dr. Melissa DelBello, Dr. Timothy Wilens, Dr. Thomas Spencer, Dr. Alan Schatzberg, Dr. Martin Keller, Dr. A. John Rush, Dr. Karen Wagner, Dr. Jeffrey Bostic and Dr. Frederick Goodwin — many of which serve as advisory board members to mental illness “advocacy groups” which are now also the subject of the Senate investigation for their undisclosed pharmaceutical funding.

The majority of the public may or may not be familiar with these so-called mental health advocacy organizations, such as the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), Children and Adults with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD) or the myriad of bipolar, depression or ADHD “support groups” that are inundating the internet. But they need to be.

Illinois psych hospital dosing foster kids with combinations of dangerous psychiatric drugs as chemical restraints

Department of Children and Family Services Director Erwin McEwen reacted to the findings by angrily criticizing Streamwood Behavioral Health Center owner Psychiatric Solutions Inc., the nation’s largest for-profit behavioral health firm. “Profiteering at the expense of the mental health of vulnerable children will not be tolerated in Illinois.”

FDA ‘considers’ Antipsychotic drug labels warning of weight gain/diabetes. Considers? Do your job-issue the warnings.

A study published last month in the Journal of the American Medical Association found the drugs caused children and adolescents to gain an average of 19 pounds in 11 weeks of treatment. The concern with weight gain seen with most antipsychotic drugs is whether it causes additional problems such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. A top Food and Drug Administration official said Tuesday the agency is considering strengthening the labels of antipsychotic drugs to warn about weight gain and diabetes amid concerns the impact could be stronger in children compared to adults.

CCHR International

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