Psychiatry Defends Its Antipsychotics: A Case Study of Institutional Corruption
Jeffrey LIeberman and colleagues have published a paper in the American Journal of Psychiatry stating that there is no evidence that psychiatric drugs cause long-term harm, and that the evidence shows that these drugs provide a great benefit to patients. A close examination of their review reveals that it is a classic example of institutional corruption, which was meant to protect guild interests.
Restricting Pharma Reps Contact with Docs Decreases Prescriptions
Implementing policies that regulate pharmaceutical sales representativesā interaction with physicians may reduce prescription of promoted drugs.
Lancet Psychiatryās Controversial ADHD Study: Errors, Criticism, and Responses
Amid calls for a retraction, Lancet Psychiatry publishes articles criticizing the original finding and a response from the authors.
Scott Gottlieb Confirmed as Head of the FDA
FromĀ Pacific Standard: This past Tuesday, the Senate confirmed Scott Gottlieb as head of the Food and Drug Administration.
"Although some Senate Democrats had worried about...
From Protoscience to Proper Science
FromĀ The Guardian: The field of psychology is fraught with fundamental problems in its research practices, from publication bias to data corruption. The field must...
Introducing the Doing the Right Thing Award
FromĀ STAT:Ā STAT has recently awarded the first-ever Doing the Right Thing (DiRT) Award to the American Diabetes Association and its flagship journal,Ā Diabetes, for championing correct...
Brain Stimulation Research Lacking in Reproducibility and Scientific Integrity
Questionable research practices and poor reproducibility in electrical brain stimulation (EBS) studies.
Dear Scott Gottlieb: Add New Warnings to Paxil Labels
FromĀ STAT: Scott Gottlieb, Trump's pick to lead the FDA, should consider pursuing a stronger warning label for the antidepressant Paxil. Paxil's label currently does...
Phony Peer Review: The More we Look, the More we Find
FromĀ STAT: Publishers are increasinglyĀ finding previously published studies that need to be retracted due to fraudulent peer review processes. Springer recently announced the retraction of...
New Review Highlights Dangers of Electroconvulsive Therapy
Data shows that over a third of users experience permanent memory loss and that approximately half report not receiving adequate information about the risks from their doctors.
Anticonvulsant Implicated in Birth Defects in up to 4,100 Children, French Study Finds
Between 2,150 and 4,100 children suffered from severe malformations connected to valproate prescription.
New Tool Will Make it Easier to Spot Conflicts of Interest
FromĀ Vox: PubMed, a search engine for medical abstracts, has begun displaying conflict of interest data in search results. The abstracts now include a Conflict...
Big Pharma Funds “Independent” Advocacy Groups
FromĀ The Intercept: Several seemingly independent advocacy groups have recently published advertisements opposing newly proposed legislation that would lower drug prices.Ā In fact, theĀ organizations have undisclosed...
Selling Adult ADHD: NPR Coverage Helps Advance Drug Industry
FromĀ HealthNewsReview: NPR recently reported on a study claiming that a test of just six simple questions can reliably diagnose adults with ADHD. Unknown to...
Up in Smoke: Speculative Claims about Smoking Cessation Drug
FromĀ HealthNewsReview: A recent news release from Florida Atlantic University has urged wider use of Chantix, a prescription medication for smoking cessation. The release made...
Could ‘Treatment Resistance’ be an Effect of Antidepressants?
Previously taking antidepressants could make individuals less likely to respond to treatment for bipolar II depression.
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.
The Changing Role of the Pharmaceutical Representative
From theĀ Center for Health Journalism: Due to drug safety scandals and risingĀ drug prices, pharmaceutical representatives are increasingly being criticized by physicians, medical schools, and...
Researchers Question Link Between Genetics and Depression
A new study, published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry, found no link between genetics and the occurrence of depressive symptoms.
Swiss Giant Novartis Likely Bribed Thousands in Greece
FromĀ Medical Xpress: According to Greece's justice minister Stavros Kontonis, itĀ is likely that the pharmaceutical company Novartis has bribed thousands of medical professionals andĀ state officials...
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.
Trump’s Pick to Oversee Big Pharma has Ties to Opioid Industry
FromĀ The Intercept: Newly released documents show that Dr. Scott Gottlieb, President Trump's nominee to lead the FDA, has received almost $45,000 in speaking fees...
TV Documentary Funded by Doctor with Industry Ties
FromĀ STAT: A new documentary, "The Painful Truth," chronicles the plight of several patients struggling to find treatment for their chronic pain, suggesting that physicians...
Danish Study Finds Better 10-year Outcomes in Patients Off Antipsychotics
Study finds that 74% of patients with a psychotic disorder off antipsychotics at end of 10 years are in remission.
Majority of Pediatric Antidepressant Industry Trials Considered Low Quality
Meta-analyses including studies that detail these trials could be presenting misleading information.
