In an earlier blog article, I criticized the use of psychotropic medications that are not approved by the FDA for use with children. Congress continues to investigate the cozy relationships between manufacturers of these powerful drugs and the doctors, recipients of enormous stipends from the drug makers, who prescribe the drugs and who perform research paid for with Big Pharma monies.
The New York Times reported on July 12, 2008 that U.S. Senator Grassley is investigating lucrative arrangements between manufacturers of psychotropic medications and psychiatrists. Grassley reported to Congress in June that a renowned child psychiatrist at Harvard Medical School, and a colleague, had disclosed to university officials that consulting fees from drug makers were several hundred thousand dollars each between 2000 and 2007. Grassley reported that, in fact, they’d been paid at least $1.6 million each.
What’s the problem with that? Huge conflicts of interest may cause psychiatrists to prescribe medications based upon ties between individual doctors and the drug-makers. Studies of drug safety and effectiveness that researchers do which are then reported in psychiatric journals may be compromised by the financial relationships between the researchers and the pharmaceutical companies.
According to the Times, not all psychiatrists truthfully report the large sums they receive from pharmaceutical companies. One doctor reported to her employer, the University of Cincinnati, that she had received about $100,000 in “outside income” from eight drug makers between 2005 and 2007. Oops! AstraZeneca, the maker of the antipsychotic Seroquel which is prescribed off-label for many children, revealed that the company had paid her more than $238,000 in that period.
Grassley has now discovered that vast sums from drug-makers accounted for about 30 percent of the American Psychiatric Association’s $62.5 million budget last year. Reportedly, drug advertisements in psychiatric journals and exhibits at the annual meeting account for about half of the monies. The other half is used to sponsor fellowships, conferences and industry symposiums at the annual meeting. Grassley is asking the APA to justify this financing.
You may read the New York Times article here Psychiatric Group Faces Scrutiny Over Drug Industry Ties
See a June 8, 2008 New York Times article Researchers Fail to Reveal Full Pay
See also my articles Psychiatric diagnoses of children and Autism Diagnoses | Epidemic or not?
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