National Drug Take Back Day Points to Dangers of Psychiatric Drugs
The Third National Prescription Drug Take Back Day was held on Saturday, October 29, 2011 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The biannual event promoted nationally by the Drug Enforcement Agency provides local venues for the proper disposal of unused prescriptions.
Psychiatric Drugs Side Effects
Common and well-documented side effects of psychiatric drugs include mania, psychosis, hallucinations, depersonalization, suicidal ideation, heart attack, stroke and sudden death. And that is a very partial list of the side effects documented by international drug regulatory agencies the world over.
Psychiatrist’s License Revoked After Multiple Violations
Psychiatrist Alan T. Lloyd, 51, of San Antonio, had his license pulled by the Texas medical board last month after it discovered he had opened a joint checking account with one of his patients. Lloyd had also prescribed opiates and other dangerous drugs to the patient who had a history of drug abuse, the board found. In 2009, Lloyd was reprimanded for having sex with a woman he was treating.
Texas Still Allows Junk Science in Capital Punishment Cases
Yesterday, the U.S. Supreme Court halted the execution of a Texas man and agreed to review his lawyer’s claims that his trial was tainted by testimony from a psychologist who said his race was an indicator that he could kill in the future.
Parental Consent Act 2011 Will Protect Children and Parents
Representative Ron Paul (R., Texas) recently reintroduced legislation that would keep federal funding from being used to establish or implement any universal or mandatory mental health, psychiatric, or socio-emotional screening program without Parental Consent. Because of the generality of mental health tests, it’s easy for widespread screening to lead to mass labeling, drugging and life-long stigmatization.
Psychiatrist Accused in Ft. Hood Shooting Arraigned
The psychiatrist accused of the 2009 Ft. Hood shooting that left 13 dead and numerous people wounded was arraigned last week. He faces 13 counts of pre-meditated murder and 32 counts of attempted pre-meditated murder and, according to media accounts, may face the death penalty.
Mental Health Labels Could Become “Domestic Radicalism” Indicator
The White House recently indicated that it will adopt new policies to protect against “domestic radicalism.” According to the Los Angeles Times, the plan includes not only traditional police agencies, but also the Departments of Education and Health and Human Services.
Psychiatric Patient Death Reveals Alarming Hospital Conditions
Findings from a Federal inspection after the death of a psychiatric patient at Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas County may cause the public hospital to be barred from participating in Medicaid and Medicare. A letter from The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services said that if it doesn’t provide acceptable correction plans by Aug. 20 and complete those plans by Aug. 24, the Dallas County hospital would be removed from the Medicare program as of Sept. 2.
Conflicts of Interest
In March 2009, the American Psychiatric Association announced that it would phase out pharmaceutical funding of continuing medical education seminars and meals at its conventions. However, the decision came only after years of controversial exposure of its conflict of interest with the pharmaceutical industry and the U.S. Senate Finance Committee requesting in July 2008 that the APA provide accounts for all of its pharmaceutical funding.
What Is Mental Health Screening?
Screening is a very controversial so-called “diagnostic psychiatric service” (aka suicide survey) done on children who are then referred to psychiatric treatment. It’s a questionnaire that asks such things as “Have you often felt very nervous when you’ve had to do things in front of people?,” or “Has there been a time when nothing was fun for you and you just weren’t interested in anything?”