Statistics prove prescription drugs are 16,400% more deadly than terrorists

America was rudely awakened to a new kind of danger on September 11, 2001: Terrorism. The attacks that day left 2,996 people dead, including the passengers on the four commercial airliners that were used as weapons. Many feel it was the most tragic day in U.S. history.

Four commercial jets crashed that day. But what if six jumbo jets crashed every day in the United States, claiming the lives of 783,936 people every year? That would certainly qualify as a massive tragedy, wouldn't it?

Well, forget "what if." The tragedy is happening right now. Over 750,000 people actually do die in the United States every year, although not from plane crashes. They die from something far more common and rarely perceived by the public as dangerous: modern medicine. http://www.newstarget.com/009278.html

U.S. pharmaceutical companies and the FDA responsible for 100 times as many Americans deaths as terrorists

Is the FDA seriously suggesting that the next wave of terrorists are going to target cholesterol drugs? Are we going to have prescription drugs that are laced with toxic chemicals that cause patients to suddenly die? And if we do, how would we tell the difference between the patients that are already dying from taking prescription drugs? This is no joke: if we have 100,000 people being killed each year by prescription drugs right now -- according to the Journal of the American Medical Association -- at what point are we supposed to notice that even more people are dying from prescription drugs laced with toxic chemicals? The prescription drugs themselves are already toxic!

With 100,000 deaths and at least 2,000,000 injuries each year being caused by legal prescription drugs in the United States, it's hard to imagine how a terrorist could add any more terror to that equation. Even 9/11 doesn't compare with the terrible statistics of prescription drugs. http://www.newstarget.com/001894.html

Americans fed up with drug industry influence, FDA corruption, reveals remarkable Consumer Reports survey

New rules proposed by the FDA would reduce this level of corruption by allowing doctors to receive a maximum of $50,000 per year from companies impacted by their decisions. (Thereby making the FDA numerically less corrupt than it is now, but still tolerating blatant conflicts of interest. It's like setting a "bribery ceiling.")

http://www.newstarget.com/021795.html

Big Tobacco and Big Pharma: same tactics, different chemicals

With Big Tobacco we saw the suppression of studies that said nicotine was addictive, or of studies linking the inhalation of tobacco smoke to lung cancer. In the pharmaceutical industry, we see even worse distortions of clinical studies. We see studies that are designed to minimize the appearance of negative risks associated with these drugs, such as heart attacks, stroke, mental disorders, suicide attempts, and violent behavior. Even after studies are completed, the results are highly distorted as well. Drug companies pick and choose which studies they want to publish. They may do twelve different studies on a particular drug, and if six of them say the drug is safe and effective, while the other six studies say the drug is dangerous and useless from a medicinal point of view, they pick the six they want and bury the others. They forward the six they want to the FDA. The FDA looks at those six and says, "This sure is scientific!", and they approve that drug application. I'm not making this up.

TeenScreen - Normal Kids Labeled Mentally Ill

The list of mental disorders to chose from when diagnosing children mentally ill with TeenScreen, are "voted" into the Billing Bible by members of the American Psychiatric Association, and include, among others, conduct disorder, avoidant personality disorder, mathematics disorder, reading disorder, disorder of written expression, general anxiety disorder, nightmare disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, and factious disorder.

In 2003, seventeen-year-old, Julie Woodward, took a test at North Penn High School, in North Wales, Pennsylvania, that said she was suffering from depression and two doctors convinced her parents, Tom and Kathy Woodward, to put her on Zoloft.

Julie's parents say they watched as her behaviors got steadily worse as soon as she began taking the drug. On the third day, Julie was arguing with her mother, and all of a sudden pushed her mother down to the floor.

Everyone in the family was shocked because Julie had never been violent before. 'It was an out-of-character act,' Tom Woodward notes.

Over the next few days, the usually calm Julie, became extremely irritable, could not sit still, and began pacing incessantly. She also became reclusive, her parents recall.

Six days after she began taking Zoloft, Julie hanged herself in the family's garage. Since their daughter's suicide, Tom and Kathy have become activists and have work diligently in attempt to educate others parents about the dangers of SSRIs.

http://www.newstarget.com/020092.html

Petition

Stop TeenScreen's Unscientific and Experimental "Mental Health Screening" of American School Children

http://www.petitiononline.com/TScreen/petition.html

Massive medical fraud exposed: pharmaceutical company paid doctors to prescribe drugs and run sham clinical trials

Prescription drugs are so profitable -- some drugs are now sold at more than 500,000% markup over the actual cost of their raw ingredients -- that drug companies will do practically anything to sell more pills. They invent fictitious diseases and urge doctors and parents to dose their children with powerful narcotics. They conduct fraudulent clinical trials, making sure to bury any negative results that would show how dangerous their drugs really are. They buy the favor of the media by pumping hundreds of millions of dollars into magazine, television, newspaper and online advertising. They pressure the FDA into delaying the ban on extremely dangerous drugs in order to squeeze out another twelve months of profits even while patients are dying from drug-induced liver failure.

http://www.newstarget.com/001298.html

Death By Medicine

http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2004/mar2004_awsi_death_02.htm

Signs of Suicide Screening Form

Answer the questions to see if your mentally ill? I bet we all are?????

http://www.signsofsuicide.org/screening_form.htm

Victims of Drugs and how they died or killed others. Traci Johnson is one of the Victims. There are many more.

http://www.teenscreentruth.com/psychiatry_drugs_suicide.html

February 7, 2004: Traci Johnson committed suicide while enrolled in clinical trials of Eli Lilly’s Cymbalta. She hanged herself from a shower in the Eli Lilly facility where the tests were being conducted. Cymbalta is the new “wonder drug” designed by Eli Lilly to restore their flagging sales since Prozac ran out of patent. Traci Johnson was not depressed prior to taking the drug. She was a normal happy girl who enrolled in the clinical trial as a healthy volunteer in order to earn money to pay for her college tuition. Anyone with any signs of depression was barred from the trials. Traci’s death, and the death of four other people at the trial, were completely absent from the official records. The FDA backed this decision by Eli Lilly saying that the deaths were a confidential part of the trial. The FDA states that the deaths of people in drug trials COUNT AS A COMMERCIAL SECRET IN THE WORLD OF PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES.

Petition to stop TeenScreen

http://www.petitiononline.com/TScreen/petition.html    

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

St. Cloud Times (Minnesota)

TeenScreen exists to try to put kids on medication 
May 03. 2007

http://www.sctimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070503/OPINION/105030023/1006/NEWS01 

Two recent Opinion Page submissions suggest that students would benefit and schools would be safer if TeenScreen were implemented in Minnesota. I strongly disagree.

First, the survey itself is worded so that nearly every teenager will have a positive response. (i.e. "Have you often felt nervous when you've had to do things in front of people?" "Has there been a time when you had less energy than you usually do?")

Second, the implication is that identifying and referring troubled teens for psychiatric help will then solve their problems. Not necessarily. Consider this: In a 2002 survey, published in the Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, nine out of 10 patients under the care of child psychiatrists receive medication — usually antidepressants such as Prozac, Paxil and Zoloft.

These drugs are known as Selective Serotonin Re-uptake Inhibitors and their adverse reactions include manic reaction, emotional instability, abnormal thinking, hallucinations, hostility, psychosis and more. The Web site www.antidepressantsfacts.com, linked to Dr. Ann Blake Tracy, has hundreds of research articles documenting these drugs' side effects. Even the FDA warns that these medications may worsen suicidal thoughts and depression.

The International Coalition for Drug Awareness has collected over the years more than 1,500 news stories of violent incidents associated with the use of antidepressants. In examining these articles http://www.ssristories.com/index.php one sees that many of those involved in school shooting and other tragedies were under psychiatric care and on antidepressant medication.

So we must ask ourselves, would putting more students on these drugs make our schools and society safer?

Between 1995 and 2000, the annual number of children who were prescribed anti-psychotic medicine increased to 2.5 million. With wholesale screening, that number is sure to increase. While those in favor of TeenScreen deny the pharmaceutical industry's involvement, one only has to do the math: 2.5 million X $6,000/ year + $15 billion.

Conspiracy or not, it is one heck of a marketing tool.

Brenda Woggon

Editor's note: Woggon serves on the Sauk Rapids-Rice school board.

  St. Cloud Times (Minnesota)

Letter: Pharmaceutical industry has created 'time bombs'
May 03. 2007

http://www.sctimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070503/OPINION/105030026/1006/NEWS01 

Although Ron Ohmann's intention is obviously good, his message misses the point on why there is protest against TeenScreen. There is even a petition to ban TeenScreen with more than 20,000 signatures, many of whom are doctors and teachers.

A common handling of children found with mental problems by TeenScreen is to put the child on antidepressants. The side effects include possible violent behavior and possible suicidal thoughts (read: the black box warnings).

There are reports that the Columbine killers were on these drugs. Tests are now being conducted to see of the Virginia Tech killer was taking them. Published reports indicate he had taken them in the past. We have "walking time bombs" created by the pharmaceutical industry, ready to explode.

How many of these need to occur before someone stops it? Per TeenScreen's own data, there is an 85 percent false positive on the testing. ... Prior to psychiatric drugs being commonplace in our society, we didn't have these killings in schools.

... Drug companies should not have free rein to do what they want. They need to be held accountable and their actions need to be investigated for our future and for our children's sake. These are our children and they deserve to have a future. Parents, teachers and doctors need to be fully informed of any and all possible consequences prior to putting the child on antidepressants

By Carol Jenkins, Clearwater, Fla.

http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2007/NEW01624.html

FDA News

FDA Proposes New Warnings About Suicidal Thinking, Behavior in Young Adults Who Take Antidepressant Medications

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today proposed that makers of all antidepressant medications update the existing black box warning on their products' labeling to include warnings about increased risks of suicidal thinking and behavior, known as suicidality, in young adults ages 18 to 24 during initial treatment (generally the first one to two months).

The proposed labeling changes also include language stating that scientific data did not show this increased risk in adults older than 24, and that adults ages 65 and older taking antidepressants have a decreased risk of suicidality. The proposed warning statements emphasize that depression and certain other serious psychiatric disorders are themselves the most important causes of suicide.

"Today's actions represent FDA's commitment to a high level of post-marketing evaluation of drug products," said Steven Galson, M.D., MPH, director of FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. "Depression and other psychiatric disorders can have significant consequences if not appropriately treated. Antidepressant medications benefit many patients, but it is important that doctors and patients are aware of the risks."

People currently prescribed antidepressant medications should not stop taking them. Those who have concerns should notify their health care providers.

The proposed labeling changes apply to the entire category of antidepressants. Results of individual placebo-controlled scientific studies are reasonably consistent in showing a slight increase in suicidality for patients taking antidepressants in early treatment for most of the medications. Available data are not sufficient to exclude any single medication from the increased risk of suicidality.

The proposed labeling update follows similar labeling changes made in 2005 that warned of a suicidality risk in children and adolescents who use antidepressants. At that time, FDA asked manufacturers to add a black box warning to the labeling of all antidepressants to describe this risk and to emphasize the need for appropriate monitoring and close observation, particularly for younger patients taking these medications. In addition, FDA directed manufacturers to develop Medication Guides, FDA-approved user-friendly information for patients, families and caregivers, that could help improve monitoring. Medication Guides are intended to be distributed at the pharmacy with each prescription or refill of a medication.

Also in 2005, FDA began a comprehensive review of 295 individual antidepressant trials that included over 77,000 adult patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and other psychiatric disorders, to examine the risk of suicidality in adults who are prescribed antidepressants.

In December 2006, FDA's Psychopharmacologic Drugs Advisory Committee agreed that labeling changes were needed to inform health care professionals about the increased risk of suicidality in younger adults using antidepressants. Additionally, the committee noted product labeling needed to reflect the apparent beneficial effect of antidepressants in older adults and to remind health care professionals that the disorders themselves are the most important cause of suicidality.

FDA has been developing language to revise product labeling and update the Patient Medication Guides for these products. Manufacturers of antidepressants will now have 30 days to submit their revised product labels and revised Medication Guides to FDA for review.

Products involved in today's action include:

Anafranil (clomipramine)
Asendin (amoxapine)
Aventyl (nortriptyline)
Celexa (citalopram hydrobromide)
Cymbalta (duloxetine)
Desyrel (trazodone HCl)
Elavil (amitriptyline)
Effexor (venlafaxine HCl)
Emsam (selegiline)
Etrafon (perphenazine/amitriptyline)
fluvoxamine maleate
Lexapro (escitalopram hydrobromide)
Limbitrol (chlordiazepoxide/amitriptyline)
Ludiomil (maprotiline)
Marplan (isocarboxazid)
Nardil (phenelzine sulfate)
nefazodone HCl
Norpramin (desipramine HCl)
Pamelor (nortriptyline)
Parnate (tranylcypromine sulfate)
Paxil (paroxetine HCl)
Pexeva (paroxetine mesylate)
Prozac (fluoxetine HCl)
Remeron (mirtazapine)
Sarafem (fluoxetine HCl)
Seroquel (quetiapine)
Sinequan (doxepin)
Surmontil (trimipramine)
Symbyax (olanzapine/fluoxetine)
Tofranil (imipramine)
Tofranil-PM (imipramine pamoate)
Triavil (perphenazine/amitriptyline)
Vivactil (protriptyline)
Wellbutrin (bupropion HCl)
Zoloft (sertraline HCl)
Zyban (bupropion HCl)

For more information:

Antidepressant use in children, adolescents, and adults, including the draft labeling and draft Medication Guides www.fda.gov/cder/drug/antidepressants/default.htm

FDA's Psychopharmacologic Drugs Advisory Committee, including transcripts from the December 2006 meeting www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/ac/cder06.html#Psychopharmacologic

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Orlando TV News Video here: http://www.wesh.com/news/13234876/detail.html  

WESH2 (Orlando, Florida)

Suicide Tape Meant To Educate Students

May 1, 2007

Some Central Florida School Districts are letting a tape do the talking about suicide for them.

A tape educating students on the signs of suicide could be coming to every middle and high school classroom in Florida. Counselors say this tape can save a kid's life, but some critics say it shouldn't be shown in our schools.

The video is supposed to help teenagers recognize the signs of depression, and encourage them to get help before it leads to suicide, officials said.

"Our goal is to not lose children. Our goal is to let children know this is what it looks like and there is help available or support," said Richard Frederick.

After breaking up with his girlfriend, Judy and Frank Buonauro said they never recognized the signs of their son's depression.

"He would lose weight and then he would gain a lot of weight. He would spend nights not sleeping and days not sleeping," said Judy Buonauro.

Michael was 25 when he killed himself.

After Michael’s death, Judy and Frank started the Michael Buonauro Foundation.

"I think it [the Signs of Suicide] works because it brings the problems that a child might be keeping from its parents to the attention of the parents, so the parent can do something at that point," said Judy Buonauro.

But some people, like Jenny Helmick, said it goes too far.

"It's really messed my life up at this point," said Helmick.

Helmick said she watched the video last February at Wolf Lake Middle School and told her counselor she had once thought about suicide.

The counselor said she called in the school resource officer who talked to Helmick, and then committed her to a mental health facility.

"I was pretty honest and I guess honesty can get you in a good place and get you in a bad place," said Helmick.

Helmick's father said he believes the school, the program and the school resource officer went way too far.

"If my daughter did say she wanted to kill herself, the right thing for them should have been to make sure that they held on to that child until a parent was brought in to that school to meet with them," said Helmick's father.

Kramer's said he’s not crazy about the S.O.S program either. He said he believes it leads to putting more kids on psychotropic drugs.

"Signs of Suicide is not a corporation, or a business entity. It's a program of Screening for Mental Health Inc., which is the pusher of this thing," said Kramer.

Kramer said he works for The Citizens Commission on Human Rights of Florida. The Church of Scientology formed it to expose psychiatric violations of Human Rights.

He said the distributors of the program, Screening for Mental Health, Inc., gets millions of dollars from pharmaceutical companies -- and has the tax returns to prove it.

"2001 Eli Lilly, almost $1 million, Pfizer, $275,000, Solve Pharmaceuticals. What are all these drug companies interested in this for? There's a reason. Because somebody's going to get drugged and they're going to benefit from that," said Kramer.

The Buonauro's said they believe the program works because it can identify a problem with a child, and treating their kids with drugs is the parent's decision, not the program's.

"We are not big pharmaceutical. We're not even little pharmaceutical, and we are the people who are funding the program," said Judy Buonauro.

Officials at Eli Lilly said they are raising awareness and increasing education about the signs of depression.

Officials at Solvay Pharmaceuticals said they have not contributed to Screening for Mental Health since 2003, but they said they believe it's important.

Officials at Orange, Osceola and Seminole County Schools all say the S.O.S. program is a useful tool to understand the signs of depression, that it saves lives, and that they believe it's worth it.

To comment on this story, send an e-mail to joliver@hearst.com

More video  on SOS here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6COz6UYb6Q

For the tax records on Signs of Suicide, see here: http://www.signsofsuicide.org/

note_it_setup('462fd8ee26aa3', 853400806 , 359033, true);

Nearly All US Doctors Have Links With Drug Companies: Study visit site
Health & Wellness (tags: doctors, drugs, healthcare, medicine )

David
- 1 hour ago - france24.com

With US patients increasingly concerned about dangerous conflicts of interest among healthcare providers, a new study concludes that almost all doctors have some relationship with drug makers.

Prozac and killing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSZ9YTnSkLc

Other drugs and killers
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9S-7aNPf33A

Virginia Tech Massacre. Why? Antidepressants... again?
And a story about Cory another young man who was messed up by Paxil. And more kids telling their stories.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTr4QcIsJ5c&mode=related&search=

Imported from external blog