Editorial Note: This is the second part of a Lariam Odyssey by Dr Sam Ramsay Smith. The first part ran last week - Lariam Hell. Like most good stories this one involves expediency, hegemony, immorality, greed and even scientific bias, blindness and dishonesty all in the quest for power and money at the national and international levels. At the personal level there is a range … [Read more...] about The Strange History of Lariam
Lariam Hell
Editorial Note: This post and the following one on the strange story of the Birth of Lariam come from Dr Sam Ramsay-Smith who has some questions he wants answered. In October, ‘The Independent’ printed the news that the US Armed Forces had banned the use of the anti-malarial drug mefloquine, otherwise known as Lariam. To many this may mean little or nothing, but to quite a few … [Read more...] about Lariam Hell
Nearly Invisible: Drug Traffic Accidents
Editorial Note: Many years ago, Moyra Peralta lost her eldest son in a Road Traffic Accident. As she put it, she flipped out. She spent several years afterwards working with homeless people on the streets of London. Out of this she created an extraordinary "book", Nearly Invisible - see Worldly Goods - covering lives lived on the street. Nearly Invisible is about the … [Read more...] about Nearly Invisible: Drug Traffic Accidents
E-Patients: No Free Lunch?
Editorial Note: Ken Spriggs is one of our regular contributors. This is cross-posted from his blog where he takes on all issues Crohns. The original post comes complete with all references mentioned here. [It's no longer available at http://diyehr.com/e-patient-boundaries-and-the-publishing-profiteers/] In recent months, the BMJ have trumpeted the patient power revolution … [Read more...] about E-Patients: No Free Lunch?
Accutane: 30 Years of Trading our Sex Lives for Clear Skin
Editorial: Bill G. Sex and skin There are an ever-increasing and disturbing number of young people claiming their sex lives have been permanently ruined from taking the acne drug, isotretinoin, commonly referred to by its former brand-name, Accutane. Often these affected young men and women, many in their teens and early 20s, cannot overcome their embarrassment to report … [Read more...] about Accutane: 30 Years of Trading our Sex Lives for Clear Skin
Keeping an Eye on the Ball: Visual Problems on SSRIs
Editorial Note: The author of this report wants to remain anonymous for important reasons not contained in this report. He comes from the Newcastle area, where if you are a fan of sports and think of someone who was good at keeping his eye on the ball and scoring extraordinary goals, you are likely to think of Alan Shearer. So AS it is. For sheer persistence that eventually … [Read more...] about Keeping an Eye on the Ball: Visual Problems on SSRIs
The Right Stuff – The RxISK Stuff
Editorial Note: The RxISK Report function on RxISK has been streamlined. We want you and everyone who can to fill reports, take them to your doctor pharmacist or nurse prescriber and report back to us. There are two reasons to do so. First, you are getting $150.00 worth of RxISK Report for free - it seems a shame to leave it sitting on your computer doing nothing. Second, … [Read more...] about The Right Stuff – The RxISK Stuff
Fragile Doctors: Iatroporosis
Editorial Note: This post is from Sara Bostock, who was one of the originators of the SSRI Stories concept and a key player in putting pressure on FDA to put in place Suicide Warnings on Antidepressants. So she is far from the average in her determination - although to look at her she looks just like the rest of us. Tough though she is, this post brings out just how difficult … [Read more...] about Fragile Doctors: Iatroporosis
I’m not pre-pregnant. I just have a womb.
Editorial Note: Two months ago we were deep in a controversy about Antidepressants and Birth Defects. (See The Dark is for Mushrooms, not for Women, Preventing Precaution and Mumsnet). Many women hearing a message that they should be wary about antidepressants and the risk of birth defects hear that they are being regarded simply as wombs rather than women. Others hear pharma … [Read more...] about I’m not pre-pregnant. I just have a womb.
Let’s Do The AbbVie Again
Slightly over three months ago, the idea of an AbbVie was born. She was named after the pharmaceutical company AbbVie - until recently Abbott Laboratories. She was born from the union of a legal action taken by AbbVie in the European Court against the European Medicines Agency’s (EMA) data access policy. As a result of Peter Gøtzsche’s efforts in 2010 the European ombudsman … [Read more...] about Let’s Do The AbbVie Again