This fascinating and eye-opening article explains the flawed logic in the serotonin hypothesis and the FDA's role (or perhaps more accurately, slackfest) in regulating direct-to-consumer-advertising.
From Serotonin and Depression: A Disconnect between the Advertisements and the Scientific Literature by Jeffrey R. Lacasse, Jonathan Leo:
With direct proof of serotonin deficiency in any mental disorder lacking, the claimed efficacy of SSRIs is often cited as indirect support for the serotonin hypothesis. Yet, this ... reasoning “backwards” to make assumptions about disease causation based on the response of the disease to a treatment) is logically problematic—the fact that aspirin cures headaches does not prove that headaches are due to low levels of aspirin in the brain.Thanks to Mind Hacks for leading me to this article.
...there is no such thing as a scientifically established correct “balance” of serotonin.
...
The incongruence between the scientific literature and the claims made in FDA-regulated SSRI advertisements is remarkable, and possibly unparalleled.
Technorati tags: anti-depressants, SSRIs, FDA regulation of direct-to-consumer-advertising, Serotonin and Depression: A Disconnect between the Advertisements and the Scientific Literature, depression, serotonin theory
In the UK at least, Depression is now the THIRD biggest reason to visit a GP and yet, outside of the medical field, very few people understand what Depression is all about.
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From everything I've read (far more than the one article I mention in this post), there doesn't seem to be much consensus regarding depression within the medical field either.
ReplyDeleteA Chemical Imbalance
ReplyDeleteNeither GlaxoSmithKline or the MHRA can give answers as to what constitutes a proper chemical imbalance of serotonin in the brain - weird because Seroxat is prescribed for this 'disorder'
The only thing that I can see is that Seroxat actually causes the chemical imbalance rather than rectifies it - A genius piece of marketing by GSK.
Prescribe a drug
Let the patient get hooked on the drug
Play down the risks by producing clinical trial studies beneficial to GSK
Employ ghost writers and patient support groups to back up the benefits of taking Seroxat
Robustly deny Seroxat causes aggression, suicidal tendancies etc
Always settle out of court for any litigation
Infiltrate the Medicines Regulatory Agency with former employees of GSK
Fund the government
Financially secure to research and market more SSRi type drugs
Credit where it is due, the marketing team at GlaxoSmithKline are without doubt highly skilled at manipulating doctors and the general public.
They don't even klnow how Seroxat works - they are just pleased that it does work. Cases where it hasn't worked - infact quite the reverse, seem to go unoticed - until the invention of the internet that is.
The MHRA are proud of the Yellow Card system - Why?
It is a completely flawed system and they only act on less than half of the Yellow Card reports.
A more robust system would be for the MHRA to employ a person or persons with a basic grasp of internet seaching. Then, they will see the REAL suffering from the REAL people.
Alas, they have ties to GlaxoSmithKline, namely Alistair Breckenridge and Ian Hudson. If they see GlaxoSmithKline have duped the public then they themselves have been duped by messrs Breckenridge and Hudson and that would cast a serious dark shadow on the MHRA's integerity.
They (The MHRA) have been investigating GlaxoSmithKline for nigh on four years now - my guess is they are waiting for a 'busy news day' until they release their findings. This way the story will be pushed to some small article in the tabloids.
It is utterly shameful of any human being to cause human suffering. Both GlaxoSmithKline and The MHRA have continued to deny Seroxat is harmful in the adult population - forget the clever spin 'dangerous in young adults'.
GlaxoSmithKline are currently being sued through the courts both here in the UK and in the United States. It now needs a firm of solicitors with huge balls to sue the MHRA. There is enough evidence I'm sure to successfully bring them to trial.
It will happen
Bob
Seroxat Sufferers
http://fiddaman.blogspot.com
Thanks for your in depth comment, Bob.
ReplyDelete(For other readers, Seroxat is called Paxil in the US.)
I just read a really interesting article in the New York Times which talks about how SSRIs work and are responsible for the withdrawal symptoms people experience when they try to get off their antidepressants. The article is here.
As I'm sure you'd guess, the drug companies don't call it withdrawal but "discontinuation syndrome." Bah!