On January 22, Britain's Medicines Regulator convened a meeting on consent to Isotretinoin (Accutane, Claravis), whose dynamics map straight onto Prima Facie. Families whose children died from Isotretinoin triggered suicide, or whose sexual function is potentially wiped our forever have clamored for reform for over a decade. In 2023, MHRA rewrote the Rules of Evidence on … [Read more...] about Isotretinoin and Safety – Destiny or Mirage?
Human rights
Guilty Until Proven Innocent – Prima Facie
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOQ7YsxkVUQ Prima Facie - on the face of it - it is clear who the legally guilty party is - until (perhaps) it is proven otherwise. Prima Facie is a play by Suzie Miller. She tells the story behind it and the changes to the law around sexual assault it has brought about, along with her Australian and legal background in this Women's … [Read more...] about Guilty Until Proven Innocent – Prima Facie
Tylenol and Autism, Cause and Effect
Shag Rock (Rapanui) at Sumner Christchurch February 2008 Bob Eregli, from Christchurch Library A floodtide of extraordinarily heated opinion pieces has recently swept in and swirled around treasured landmarks in the healthcare landscape – much the way Spring Tides once swept around Shag Rock at the entrance to Christchurch Harbor in New Zealand on which Shags (cormorants) … [Read more...] about Tylenol and Autism, Cause and Effect
American Psychiatric Association and FDA
See American Psychiatric Association Request for Assistance Dear Commissioner Makary, On behalf of the American Psychiatric Association (APA), the largest medical specialty society representing more than 39,200 physicians who specialize in the treatment of mental illnesses, including substance use disorders, we appreciate the agency’s attention to maternal mental … [Read more...] about American Psychiatric Association and FDA
Withdrawal Syndromes: Lost in Translation
Understanding Antidepressant Withdrawal © Coral Smith 2025 This post by Harriet Vogt follows on from her recent Ruptures in Clinical Care post The members of Shane Cooke and Mary Hennessey’s antidepressant withdrawal peer support group decided there was more to explore together after our first meeting. They wanted to dig deeper into their experiences of protracted … [Read more...] about Withdrawal Syndromes: Lost in Translation
The Future of Health App-ointments
Several of the many people who write or track RxISK posts, have had input to this one, which dovetails with Harriet Vogt's post last week Repairing Ruptures in Clinical Care and the work of Shane Cooke and Mary Hennessey in getting health systems to listen to the voices of those harmed by treatment. The post, maybe, casts an ominous light on our abilities to get medicine to … [Read more...] about The Future of Health App-ointments
Repairing Ruptures in Clinical Care
Better Times Will Return © Josie Russell 2017 This post is by our warzone correspondent Harriet Vogt from frontline trenches. A few weeks ago I was invited to join an online discussion with a group of experts on iatrogenesis who have an in-depth knowledge of antidepressant withdrawal and the risks of polypharmacy. These highly informed, articulate, empathic medical … [Read more...] about Repairing Ruptures in Clinical Care
Restoring the Magic to Healthcare
The Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SRI) story starts in 1969 with Arvid Carlsson (above) who created Zelmid, the first SRI, after listening to people on antidepressants. He linked an anxiolytic effect some older drugs have to the serotonin system. The SRIs aimed at exploring that effect - Normality and Antidepressant Dysregulation. Fluoxetine (Prozac). sertraline (Zoloft). … [Read more...] about Restoring the Magic to Healthcare
Deciphering the Web We Have Woven
Three people who got in touch recently, one with a problem, one with an idea, and one 'outraged' contributed to this post. The problem and idea illustrate what happens when doctors take Probity Blockers. The outrage tells you almost everything you need to know about the Web we are enmeshed in. Using the problem, idea and outrage, this post gives a punchier version of the … [Read more...] about Deciphering the Web We Have Woven
It is Hard for Thee to Kick Against the Pricks
The title of this post by Peter Selley comes from the Acts of the Apostles. It captures the moment where the Divine is advising Paul to stop persecuting Christians. Acts 9:5 (KJV). An if you can't beat them, why not join them moment. The words lend themselves to the situation of anyone attempting to grapple with the growth of a new RSV religion in more than one sense. Among … [Read more...] about It is Hard for Thee to Kick Against the Pricks