The Drug Being Pushed on Nursing Home Residents
From Next Avenue: The drug Nuedexta has only been approved for patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). However, the maker of...
Challenges in Measuring Low-Value Healthcare
Differences in patient-centric versus service-centric measures make quantifying low-value care difficult.
Replacing Pain with Pain: Hazards of Antidepressant Use for Chronic Pain Relief
The paradox of relieving chronic pain with an antidepressant (and a new set of symptoms).
The Most Promoted Drugs are Those with Little Therapeutic Value, Study Finds
Majority of top-selling and most promoted drugs in Canada are rated as having very limited safety and efficacy.
Inappropriate Use of Antipsychotics on Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
One-third of adults with an intellectual or developmental disability are dispensed antipsychotics, despite having no existing psychiatric diagnosis.
Ethical Failings in Experimental Drug Safety Trials
Leading human subjects ethics researcher questions exploitation of uninsured minorities in experimental drug trials.
Increased Risk of Movement Disorders From Antipsychotics in Persons with Intellectual Disabilities
Large cohort study demonstrates that those with an intellectual disability are at an increased risk for movement disorder side effects of antipsychotics.
Mental Health, Inc.
From Kirkus Reviews: In his new book Mental Health, Inc., Art Levine reports on the dire state of the U.S. mental health system.
"The author delivers the...
Researchers Identify Patterns in Antidepressant and Long-Term Benzodiazepine Use
The researchers found that, of those who were initially prescribed both antidepressants and benzodiazepines, approximately 12% went on to engage in long-term benzodiazepine use.
Study Investigates Physicians’ Beliefs About Placebo and Nocebo Effects of Antidepressants
Surveyed doctors overestimate pharmacological effects of antidepressants and underestimate placebo effects.
Moral Enhancement Technologies are Reportedly Ineffective, Impractical, and Unwise
A new paper published in Bioethics assesses proposals to “enhance morality” through neuropharmacological and neurotechnological interventions.
Restricting Pharma Reps Contact with Docs Decreases Prescriptions
Implementing policies that regulate pharmaceutical sales representatives’ interaction with physicians may reduce prescription of promoted drugs.
We Need to Talk About Frankie
In this piece for The Cut, Dyan Neary details the story of Frankie Perry, a man whose life was forever altered by being prescribed an...
Veterans with both PTSD and Dementia More Likely to be Prescribed Antipsychotics
Researchers found that veterans with both conditions had higher odds of being prescribed second-generation antipsychotics than those presenting with just PTSD.
Reducing Overuse of Low-Value Treatments
Researchers provide an action-planning framework to engage providers in the reduction of low-value healthcare.
Direct-to-Consumer Pharmaceutical Advertising Linked to Dangerous Overtreatment
A new study links direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising to increased testosterone treatment, even when patients do not have a diagnosable condition.
Two Thirds of Patients See Physicians Who Receive Payments From Pharma
Study finds more patients are visiting physicians who have ties to industry than previously thought.
Researchers Make Recommendations to Improve FDA Transparency
Organizations, advocates, scholars, and practitioners had a chance to give feedback regarding FDA processes.
Medical Students’ Racial Biases Lead to Failure to Adequately Treat Patients
False beliefs about biological differences between races are associated with a failure to provide recommended pain treatments to Black people.
Most Off-Label Prescribing of Antidepressants Lacks Strong Scientific Evidence
A new study, published in the British Medical Journal, investigates the prevalence of off-label prescribing for antidepressant medication in primary care settings.
Experts Concerned That Depression Screening Will Lead to Overdiagnosis
Behind the U.S. task force recommendation to screen all children and adults for depression.
New Data Show Lack of Efficacy for Antidepressants
An article published this month in the journal BMC Psychiatry suggests that there is a lack of efficacy for SSRIs and that they significantly increase the risk of serious side effects.
FDA Approved Drugs may Become Riskier
From the Center for Health Journalism: President Trump's plans to speed up the process of FDA drug approvals, in combination with the increase of off-label...
Youngest Children in Class More Likely to get ‘ADHD’ Drugs
The researchers suggest that developmental immaturity is mislabelled as a mental disorder and unnecessarily treated with stimulant medication
Children with ‘ADHD’ Commonly Prescribed Antipsychotics
Despite little evidence for benefit, and substantial risk of harm, antipsychotics are commonly prescribed to children diagnosed with ADHD
