|
|
Two recent studies conducted
in the UK report that exercise in a green environment may be the best remedy
for depression. In response to the high cost of drugs, the rise in
prescriptions and the fact that 93 percent of GPs reported that "they have
prescribed antidepressants against their better judgment owing to a lack of
alternatives," the studies found that "participating in green exercise
activities provides substantial benefits for health and wellbeing."
The "green activities" included gardening, walking, running and bicycling,
particularly in a "green" environment.
Another of the world's leading experts on psychiatric drugs, Dr David Healy,
author of, "The Creation of Pharmacology (Harvard 2002)," also a frequent
visitor traveling from the UK to Washington to testify at FDA hearings,
says, "The clinical trial data pointing to a risk was compelling 17 years
ago."
"In between 1990 and now," he notes, "the FDA and drug companies have argued
that their assessment of risk benefit ratios has not warranted issuing
warnings."
"But if we look at the supposed benefits," he explains, "in milder
depressions - the vast majority of people who get antidepressants - the FDA
analysis in December 2006 showed that only 1 in 10 people who are given
antidepressants in clinical trials respond to the drug."
"Four out of 10 respond to being seen and given sensible advice," he notes.
"Putting this 1 in 10 response rate against a 1 in 100 rate of suicidal acts
might not seem a bad bet," Dr Healy says, "but suicidal acts are not the
only risk of treatment - patients can become severely anxious, homicidal,
are at increased risk of broken bones, strokes and bleeds into the gut and
other organs, weight gain and its attendant risks."
He also notes that one in two patients on antidepressants experience sexual
dysfunction and that it now seems that in a proportion of these people, the
problem may be permanent.
"In the case of children," he says, "there are additional
risks like failure to grow."
Another serious adverse event with SSRIs is a discontinuation syndrome.
Psychiatrist Dr Grace Jackson, author of, "Rethinking Psychiatric Drugs: A
Guide for Informed Consent," warns that some patients may not be able to
return to living without the drugs, not because they develop a "craving,"
but because the withdrawal effects they experience during drug cessation are
intolerable and are misinterpreted by doctors as "proof" of depressive
relapse, for which "lifelong therapy" is mandated.
Over the past several years, many new adverse events related to SSRI use
have emerged, including life-threatening birth defects in infants born to
mother's taking SSRIs during pregnancy. But because SSRI makers have hidden
negative studies for years, experts say patients and doctors were not
informed of all the known risks associated with SSRIs.
"Informed consent cannot be obtained for antidepressants---or for any
pharmaceutical---unless all of the drugs' risks are known to the prescribers,"
according to psychiatrist, Dr Stefan Kruszewski, Faculty, Eastern
University, Department of Addictions.
"They cannot be known," he says, "if all of the data is not made available
to review or made public - as was the case with Paxil."
According to Dr Healy, a bigger issue stems from company efforts to make
billions of dollars out of these drugs by having them given to people who
have little to gain from treatment and a lot to lose."
Dr Healy says most patients with milder depression would get well if seen by
a sympathetic physician or therapist and describes three side effects that
have resulted from the SSRI controversy:
(1) Physicians have lost confidence in their own ability to help patients
without drugs.
(2) A great deal of the problem stems from the fact that close to all of the
literature physicians now read is ghostwritten and the articles
overemphasize the benefits of treatment and hide the risks.
(3) Antidepressants might be useful drugs, if primarily used for those with
severe disorders, but at the moment the drugs probably pose a greater risk
than the illness to the lives, careers and relationships of those to whom
they are being given.
Clinical pharmacologist, Andrew Herxheimer, also says doctors should be
advised not to prescribe drugs, especially SSRIs, to patients with only mild
or moderate depression, and if prescribing is deemed necessary, to use the
lowest dose that is effective for the individual.
According to Dr Levine, the SSRI makers are not as unhappy as some might
think with the warnings and negative publicity. "Patents have run out or are
soon to run on all their big sellers," he explains, "and they are preparing
their next generation of worthless, dangerous but patented drugs to replace
the SSRIs."
Ms Menzies reports that there is a big push to switch people over from
taking antidepressants to antipsychotics under the guise that people aren't
depressed after all, they actually have bipolar disorder. "It is a very
cleverly orchestrated marketing scheme and it's a continuation of the
manipulation of a vulnerable population," she says.
Vince Boehm, another persistent advocate for warnings on SSRIs agrees, "This
is all about marketing, and not about safety."
"This latest ploy" regarding the expanded antidepressant warnings, Boehm
explains, "is a delaying action on the part of the manufacturers with FDA
complicity."
"The FDA just commissioned a series of three year studies to evaluate the
adult suicide problem," he notes, "and by the time these studies are done
and released, the bulk of the medications listed in this announcement will
be either off or going off patent."
By Evelyn Pringle
evelyn.pringle@sbcglobal.net
www.a-paxil-lawyer-source.com/
www.antidepressantadversereactions.com/
www.paxilbirthdefect.com/
(Written as part of the Paxil Litigation Monthly Round-Up, Sponsored by Baum
Hedlund's Pharmaceutical Antidepressant Litigation Department)
Evelyn Pringle is a columnist for OpEd News and investigative journalist
focused on exposing corruption in government and corporate America.
FDA Protects SSRI Makers With Misleading Suicide Warning - 3
1
-
2 -
3
Seroctin is the Natural
Serotonin!
Seroctin
375 mg per capsule with 120 capsules per bottle.
$24.99 Bottle + $5.00
shipping
Seroctin is the natural serotonin optimizer.
Order
Seroctin now...
Click here to
Order
White Eagle Soaring: Dream Dancer of the 7th Fire
This is a crazy world. What can be
done? Amazingly, we have been mislead. We have been taught that we can
control government by voting. The founder of the Rothschild dynasty, Mayer
Amschel Bauer, told the secret of controlling the government of a nation
over 200 years ago. He said, "Permit me to issue and control the money of
a nation and I care not who makes its laws." Get the picture? Your freedom
hinges first on the nation's banks and money system. That's why we
advocate using the
Liberty Dollar, to understand the
monetary and banking system. Freedom is connected with
Debt Elimination for each individual. Not
only does this end personal debt, it places the people first in line as
creditors to the National Debt ahead of the banks. They don't wish for you
to know this. It has to do with recognizing WHO you really are in
A New Beginning: A Practical Course in Miracles.
You CAN
take
back your power and
stop volunteering to pay taxes to the collection
agency for the BEAST. You can take back that which is yours,
always has been yours and use it to pay off your debts. And you can send
others to these pages to discover what you are discovering.
Disclaimer: The
statements on www.real-dream-catchers.com have not been evaluated by the FDA.
These dream catchers are not intended to diagnose nor treat nor cure any
disease or illness
© 2007, Allen
Aslan Heart / White Eagle Soaring of the
Little Shell Pembina Band,
a
Treaty
Tribe of the Ojibwe Nation
|
bravenet.com
Get
a course to promote your business online, explode your sales
Get
software to promote your business online in less time
Get
software to streamline your business and run it hands free.