Protestors Angry Over Antidepressants and FDA

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Thu, 18 Aug 2005 00:13:58 -0000

[sSRI-Research] Protestors Angry Over Antidepressants and FDA

 

 

 

 

 

Protestors Angry Over Antidepressants and FDA

 

http://www.geocities.com/AntidepressantHell/protests.htm

 

Who can forget that fateful day on April 20th 2001 when Columbine

high school students came under fire by two rampaging teenagers.

Despite extensive network coverage, the mainstream media overlooked

one possible factor that may have lead to the one of teenager's

killer drive: Antidepressants.

 

Eric Harris was taking the antidepressant Luvox at the time which is

known to induce mania in 4% of patients. Judging by the maniacal and

psychotic style of attack, it is quite possible this may have been a

contributing factor.

 

Or at least Mark Taylor thinks so. Mark was one of those shot by Eric

Harris and he will be joining others on August 24th, 25th, and 26th

in front of the White House to protest FDA ineptitude and the dangers

of a class of antidepressants known as SSRIs (Selective serotonin

reuptake inhibitors). The protestors will consist of activists whom

have advocated the true dangers of these drugs for years along with

victims who have had friends and family injured and lost.

 

The protestors have good reason to be angry with the FDA since they

have been found dragging their feet on this issue for several years

at the expense of public safety. Three full years before Prozac was

approved, in March of 1985, Dr. Richard Kapit reviewed the drug and

warned it could worsen " vegetative aspects of depressive illness " in

some patients. He concluded, " it may be appropriate " to include

a " warning " on the label " that certain signs and symptoms of

depression may be exacerbated by this drug. "

 

Dozens of family members testified in the 1991 FDA hearings claiming

that relatives who had attempted suicide or either killed themselves

or loved ones did so because they were on SSRIs.

 

Unfortunate reactions continued to occur, and by 1998 the FDA had

received more than 40,000 adverse event reports, including over 2,100

deaths. Under the FDA's adverse event system, this represented more

reports filed than any other drug in history.

 

In 2001, a startling article appeared in the Journal of Clinical

Psychiatry concluding that 8% of admissions at one hospital's

psychiatric unit were a result of antidepressant-associated mania or

psychosis. Yes, the same kind of mania and psychosis induced by the

powerful mind-altering LSD!

 

The evidence continued to mount and another heart-wrenching session

of antidepressant FDA hearings took place in February of 2004.

Finally, after twenty years of being aware of the suicide risk, the

FDA ordered black box warnings on antidepressant SSRI warning labels

for adults on July 1st, 2005. The black box warned about possible

suicidal thinking and bipolar disorder " activation " . This was for

some victims a bittersweet Pyrrhic victory and long sought

vindication, but for others it was simply too late - much to the

shame of our FDA.

 

There is another antidepressant protest scheduled on September 26th

through the 28th at the address of drug manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline,

the maker of the antidepressant Paxil. More information can be found

at www.paxilprotest.com.

 

 

 

 

 

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References:

 

" SSRI Protest - Activists Fed Up With FDA " - An opednews.com piece by

Evelyn Pringle

 

" August 24 DC Protest Against the FDA - What's Everybody Mad About? " -

Another opednews.com piece by Evelyn, this article contains more

personal family stories

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Drug-Free School Zone? Just Say NO to Prozac for Children.