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drugawareness@ Blockbuster Study-68 Times Greater Suicide Risk With Serotonergic Meds!

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New research presented at a recent NIH sponsored meeting demonstrates a 68

times greater risk of suicide with the new serotonergic antidepressants and

antipsychotics than if a patient never took anything.

 

These shocking figures of increased risk shows that a patient's chances of

suicide jump from 11 out of 100,000 to as much as 718 out of 100,000 if one

is taking one of these new SSRI antidepressants (Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil,

Luvox, Celexa) - medications touted to alleviate depressive symptoms and rid

one of suicidal tendencies. And the risk is even higher for the new

serotonergic antipsychotics (Zyprexa, Risperal, Seroquel) - 752 out of

100,000.

 

Our gratitude for alerting us to this new research goes to Vera Hassner

Sharav with the Alliance for Human Research Protection (AHRP)

(www.researchprotection.org)

 

Dr. Arif Khan presented his research at a recent meeting sponsored by the

National Institute of Mental Health. This was a meeting of the New Clinical

Drug Evaluation Unit. The essence of the research was an analysis of the data

on the suicide rate for patients who participated in the clinical trials for

these new drugs - over 71,604 people. Now these are the clinical trials where

these drugs were tested on the public to see if they were " safe and

effective. " This clinical data is then presented to the FDA for approval for

marketing of these new compounds.

 

In his presentation Dr. Khan made note of what we learned long ago when this

information was revealed through court documents in SSRI wrongful death cases

- that is, that " actively suicidal " patients are excluded from the clinical

trials on the SSRI antidepressants. What he found shocking about this is that

despite the actively suicidal being excluded from these clinical trials the

suicide rate among those taking these medications ABSOLUTELY SKYROCKETED from

11 out of 100,000 to 718 out of 100,000!!!!!!

 

So what I want to know is who is it that flunked their math courses - the FDA

or the drug company researchers?!! Obviously it was both!

 

This data is not only shocking, it is horrifying! I urge you to look beyond

the numbers to see the individuals behind those numbers who lost their lives

as a result. This is not a mere " error " made by the FDA or the drug

companies, it is a modern day holocaust when you begin to calculate the

number of dead.

 

Please excuse me while I REALLY scream . . . I'm not going to say I TOLD YOU

SO!!!!! BUT, FOR 13 VERY LONG YEARS I HAVE BEEN TELLING THE WORLD THAT THESE

DRUGS THAT INCREASE SEROTONIN CAUSE SUICIDE, RATHER THAN CURING IT!

 

What frightens me more than anything at this point of realization is millions

of patients going into withdrawal from these drugs. The rapid or abrupt

withdrawal from these antidepressants can produce suicide, mania, seizures,

psychotic breaks, etc. at an even greater rate than while on the drugs.

Extreme caution MUST be taken.

 

Here are the suicide rates. Keep in mind as you read through these that the

rate of 11 out of 100,000 persons per year is the suicide rate for the

population at large.

 

*752 per 100,000 for those treated with atypical

antipsychotics--risperidone (Risperdal), olanzapine (Zyprexa), and quetiapine

(Seroquel);

*718 per 100, 000 for those treated with the SSRIs - Selective

Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, Luvox, Celexa)

*425 per 100, 000 for those treated for " social anxiety disorder " with

nefazodone (Serzone), mirtazapine (Remeron), and bupropion (Wellbutrin/Zyban);

*136 per 100,000 for those treated for panic disorder--with benzodiazepine

alprazolam (Xanax);

*105 per 100, 000 persons for those treated for obesessive-compulsive

disorder with anticonvulsant valproate (Depakote).

 

These figures clearly speak for themselves. The massive numbers of wrongful

death suits will obviously follow. At least loved ones will know why they

have lost those who meant so much to them via such tragic circumstances.

 

Keep in mind as you read through this data that the new antipsychotics listed

here are basically a combination of the older antipsychotics and the SSRIs.

They too have a STRONG effect upon serotonin levels. Also the most likely

reason researchers saw an even higher rate of suicide in placebo with the

antipsychotics is that these patients were likely being abruptly discontinued

from their older antipsychotics for the clinical trials. This abrupt

withdrawal causes suicide.

 

Dr. Ann Blake Tracy, Executive Director,

International Coalition for Drug Awareness

www.drugawareness.org and author of Prozac: Panacea

or Pandora? - Our Serotonin Nightmare (800-280-0730)

 

http://www2.eclinicalpsychiatrynews.com/scripts/om.dll/serve

 

 

August 2002 . Volume 30 . Number 8

 

News

 

Analysis of large database

Antisuicidal Effect Of Psychotropics Remains Uncertain

'We have to ask if medication is the only way' to approach the

prevention of suicide.

 

Carl Sherman

Contributing Writer

 

BOCA RATON, FLA. - Psychotropic therapy did not appear to have a marked

impact on suicide risk, examination of a large database indicated-in

fact, no class of medication had much more or less effect than placebo,

Dr. Arif Khan said at a meeting of the New Clinical Drug Evaluation Unit

sponsored by the National Institute of Mental Health.

 

Overall, attempted and completed suicides among patients with diverse

psychiatric conditions are substantially more frequent than had been

expected, the analysis suggested.

 

" Given that suicide is such a complex behavior ... we have to ask if

medication is the only way to [approach] it, " said Dr. Khan of Northwest

Clinical Research Center, Bellevue, Wash.

 

The conventional response to suicidality in psychiatry is

pharmacotherapy. The assumption that this will be beneficial " is never

challenged much, " Dr. Khan said, and raises ethical questions about

clinical trials, such as whether patients assigned to placebo may be

exposed to increased mortality risk. Some observers, on the other hand,

have suggested that psychotropics may themselves increase the risk of

suicide.

 

In fact, the only biologic treatments for which there are many data on

this score are ECT and lithium, which have been shown to reduce

suicidality. More limited data support a similar effect for clozapine.

 

Dr. Khan reported an analysis of clinical trial data for drugs approved

by the Food and Drug Administration between 1985 and 2000. This included

suicide and attempted suicide rates for more than 71,604 patients

treated with the atypical antipsychotics risperidone, olanzapine, and

quetiapine; all the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors; nefazodone,

mirtazapine, and bupropion; the benzodiazepine alprazolam; and the

anticonvulsant valproate.

 

One striking finding was the elevated rate of completed suicides for

patients during these trials. Compared with the rate of 11/100,000

persons per year for the population at large, the rates of completed

suicide were 752/100,000 persons per year for those in antipsychotic

trials; 718 in antidepressant trials; 425 in trials of medication for

social anxiety disorder; 136 for panic disorder; and 105 for

obsessive-compulsive disorder.

 

 

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To , e-mail to: Gettingwell-

Or, go to our group site: Gettingwell

 

 

 

 

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