This post links intimately with The Standardization of Psychiatry - you might even call it A Necessary Shadow. Standardization was a lecture on psychiatry given in the Royal Society of Medicine on October 5. To find out what's going on you need to read the Back Story to Standardization. Back in 2013, I was asked to review Necessary Shadow and Strictly Bipolar by Literary … [Read more...] about The Nature and Meaning of Psychiatry
Medical kidnap
Prescribed Harms and Vaccine Hesitancy
In 2015, there was a series of posts on davidhealy.org Pharmaceutical Rape, Pharmaceutical Rape is not a Metaphor, Pharmaceutical Rape: Cast of Characters, Pharmaceutical Rape: The Good Patient, Pharmaceutical Rape: Doctors Still Know Best, Pharmaceutical Rape: Discrimination, Pharmaceutical Rape: Ending our Tolerance. The following year GlaxoSmithKline lawyers deposed me in … [Read more...] about Prescribed Harms and Vaccine Hesitancy
Mandates for Vaccines
Vaccine mandates feature prominently in the news at the moment. These are contentious for some health personnel, nurses and doctors among others, who are refusing to be vaccinated and willing to lose jobs if need be. France and the United States, countries not typically associated with an authoritarian approach, have made Covid vaccines compulsory. Some countries have … [Read more...] about Mandates for Vaccines
From The Little Mermaid to Buffy the Vampire Slayer
This post was triggered by the reactions of women to recent posts here and here. It has a partner in Escape from a Prescription Drug Maze. It fits with a relaunch of the RxISK Facebook Page, where the theme of how do we stop ourselves being silenced is one that will be developed. Tracey whose story featured in What's a Life Worth didn't quite say in the post - but has in … [Read more...] about From The Little Mermaid to Buffy the Vampire Slayer
What Happened to Britney Spears can Happen to You
Britney Spears has eloquently put an issue on the plate for all of us - listen Here - an issue that can affect all of us. Jim Gottstein has devoted a lifetime to grappling with this issue and recently wrote The Zyprexa Papers a book that features Bill Bigley, who was in a very similar position to Britney. Jim has written the post below. Britney Spears' very public … [Read more...] about What Happened to Britney Spears can Happen to You
Ghosts in the Clinical Trial Machine
This is the first part of a two part series on clinical trial fraud from Johanna Ryan, with part 2 next week. Jo is RxISK's clinical trial and shoddy clinical practice sleuth - see The Maintenance Man. Recently the U.S. Department of Justice called attention to a small but worrisome crime wave. Health care fraud is a familiar feature of American life that may account for … [Read more...] about Ghosts in the Clinical Trial Machine
Medical Assistance in Dying: A Personal Perspective
I have personal experience of seeking help with Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD). I also have personal experience of considering taking my own life by suicide. These instances have been as a result of feeling physically and mentally distraught, and with a fear that there may be no realistic potential for improvement in my condition. Presently, I am enjoying … [Read more...] about Medical Assistance in Dying: A Personal Perspective
Antidepressants: Education and Disability Certificates
This post covers difficulties primarily on antidepressants that medicines can cause to people in schools or universities who end up unable to study or do course-work, as well as the difficulties people can have trying to get off medicines, a process that can be pretty disabling. The materials linked to this post are being put in your hands to run an experiment and hopefully … [Read more...] about Antidepressants: Education and Disability Certificates
M. A. D. and Treatment Resistant Depression
MAiD is Medical Assistance in Dying. That little 'in' is doing a lot of work. The recent MAiD in Canada: Treatment Resistant Depression post attracted the following comment from Gus - book28@telus.net - that was just too good to leave as a comment. Let's DisGus Are you people for real? Is this MD for real, saying “Essentially none failed to recover. Even the most severe … [Read more...] about M. A. D. and Treatment Resistant Depression
MAiD in Canada: Treatment Resistant Depression
See accompanying MAiD in Canada and Sex. Illustration: Meds © created by Billiam James The provision of Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) is under review in Canada with debate about access for patients with mental illness. An amendment to the draft legislation eliminating the exclusion of people with mental illness was proposed by Senator Stan Kutcher, arguing mental … [Read more...] about MAiD in Canada: Treatment Resistant Depression