From PR Newswire: On May 16th, a $2 million verdict was issued in favor of Stanley and Marianne Truskie, whose son died from toxic levels of Celexa and Cloziral. Their son’s psychiatrist was proven to have ignored two critically important FDA Safety warnings regarding Celexa.
“Truskie believes there are several valuable lessons psychiatrists and psychiatric clinics should learn from this important case including the following:
- Patients, and caregivers, must be informed of the side effects of the psychiatric medications being prescribed;
- Warnings from physician instructions accompanying the medications, and FDA warnings regarding the prescribed medications must be communicated to patients, and caregivers;
- Treating psychiatrists should ensure that periodic health exams are scheduled and completed for their patients, such as heart monitoring, drug concentration measurements, liver enzyme testing and other appropriate tests, especially when multiple psychiatric medications with known, dangerous side effects are being prescribed;
- Referrals to appropriate specialists such as cardiac physicians, metabolic specialists, lipidologists, and nutritional counselors should be incorporated into the treatment plan of the patient;
- Patients/caregivers should be alerted to signs and symptoms such as toxicity, heart arrhythmia, and other life-threatening conditions when such side effects are indicated by the medications being prescribed, and further, they should be instructed on what to do in an emergency; and
- Managers and administrators of psychiatric clinics must ensure that policies and procedures are in place to guarantee these standard of care practices are in place and followed.”
