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Prozac Nation: Revisited

Broadcast starting week of March 26, 2008

This week on The Infinite Mind, Prozac Nation: Revisited.

In the wake of new high-profile violent acts by people taking anti-depressant medications, including the recent Northern Illinois University shootings, and new research on antidepressant medications and their possible link to "suicidality," we look at the science on the connection between antidepressants and violent behavior. Is there a link between antidepressants and suicide? The answer may surprise you.

Joining us are Nada Stotland, president of the American Psychiatric Association; Peter Pitts, a former FDA official who participated in the administration’s labeling of antidepressants as dangerous, who is now director of the Center for Medicine in the Public Interest and a public relations consultant to pharmaceutical companies; and Andrew Leuchter, director of the Laboratory of Brain, Behavior, and Pharmacology and Senior Research Scientist at UCLA, who has studied how press coverage and public alarm about antidepressants affects the nation’s health and willingness to be treated for real, life threatening illnesses.

Note: At the time this show was produced, we were unaware that Mr. Pitts is currently engaged in public relations activities for pharmaceutical companies. The Infinite Mind regrets this omission from the original program.

Update: November 24, 2008: This program was the subject of a November 22, 2008 New York Times article ("Radio Host has Drug Company Ties"). The article detailed that from 2000 to 2008 the show's host, Dr. Fred Goodwin, accepted over $1.2 million in fees to speak on behalf of GlaxoSmithKline, a manufacturer of anti-depressants, and called Dr. Goodwin's objecivity on the subject of the relationship between anti-depressants and suicide into question.

Additionally, guest Dr. Nada Stotland, who was at the time of the program the President-Elect of the American Psychiatric Association, previously accepted fees to speak on behalf of pharmaceutical companies, and guest Dr. Andrew Leucheter has received research funding from pharmaceutical companies unrelated to the specific topic of this program.

For more on the research regarding antidepressants, suicidality and violence, review the following links:

Tabloid Medicine, The Washington Times, by Peter Pitts and Robert Goldberg

State Survey Finds FDA “Black Box” Warning Correlates with Curtailed Antidepressant Prescriptions

Drops in SSRI Prescription Rates May Coincide with Increases in Youth Suicides

Youth Suicides on Rise—Question Is Why?

U.S. Youth Suicide Rates Lower in Counties with High SSRI Use

New NIMH Research Strives to Understand How Antidepressants May Be Associated with Suicidal Thoughts and Actions

Benefits of Antidepressants May Outweigh Risks for Kids

Seriously Depressed Teens Respond to Combined Therapy

Three New Studies Add Important Facts to Debate About Antidepressant Drug Treatments and Teen Suicide Risk

Lawyers Solicitations May Harm Your Health, The Providence Journal, by Sherman Joyce Victor Schwartz, January 25, 2008

Blinded By Science: How 'Balanced' Coverage Lets the Scientific Fringe Hijack Reality

Journalism 2.0 on Science 2.0: How the Web is Shaping the Next-Generation Reporting

 

 

 

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