Sky News: Drug Dependence - concerns societies are becoming 'over-medicalised'.

Some long-term antidepressant users determined to get off their medications but avoid withdrawal symptoms, have become kitchen chemists and are following online advice to ween themselves off the medication.

Beverley Thomson delves into whether antidepressants are effective, given 8.6m Brits take them.

Over 3 million Australians take antidepressants daily, but the experience of trying to stop taking them can be terrifying.

It's estimated as many as one in seven Australians are taking antidepressants. There's a growing push from doctors in Australia and the UK to re-think dispensing rates, and also ways of safely taking people off the medications.

Iceland is known for its stunning landscapes, sparse population, long winters - and high use of antidepressants. Pills are about seven times cheaper than therapy and easier to access, contributing to the country having Europe's highest rate of antidepressant use. But locals say medication isn't a panacea, with deeper issues within Iceland's society and mental health system remaining unresolved. In this special series on mental health approaches around the world, Mindset meets Icelanders to understand the impact of antidepressants and those turning to community, self-enrichment, and old traditions in search of relief.

The BBC's Anton Ferrie investigates the impact of antidepressants on the minds and bodies of the thousands of young people who take them. While some say these drugs have saved their lives, others say they've changed it permanently.

Purdue Pharma introduced the opioid painkiller OxyContin in the 1990s and promoted it aggressively as non-addictive. United States government lawyers argued that the company's owners, the Sacklers, knew how their medication was being abused widely, but doubled down on production - and profits. Recently a lawsuit was settled for $6bn. Barry Meier, the author of Pain Killer (soon to be a Netflix series), started writing about the opioid epidemic 20 years ago when it was killing about 20,000 people yearly. He tells host Steve Clemons how corporate greed and government dithering have led that number to exceed 100,000 deaths last year alone.

Mark Horowitz is co-founder of a company aiming to help people safely stop unnecessary antidepressants in Canada. He is an (unpaid) associate of the International Institute of Psychiatric Drug Withdrawal (IIPDW) and a member of the Critical Psychiatry Network.

For decades, scientists have believed depression is linked to lower levels of serotonin in the brain. But a new study suggests that may not be the case.

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A bombshell new study proves that Big Pharma has been lying, anti depressants don't help with depression.

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Prescriptions for the three most common antidepressants jumped by around 10 per cent last year and one of them is now among the top prescribed drugs.
But as demand rises, there's growing concern about how difficult it is to stop taking them.

David Carmichael took his 11-year-old son's life, after an adverse reaction to a common prescription medication.

Drug manufacturer Johnson & Johnson and three distributors have agreed to pay $26bn to resolve thousands of claims over their role in the US opioid epidemic. State and local governments brought the lawsuits which accused the companies of helping drive a nationwide deadly opioid epidemic. US pharmaceutical distributors, McKesson Corp, Cardinal Health Inc and AmerisourceBergen Corp, are to pay a total of $21bn; while Johnson & Johnson is expected to pay $5bn. The crisis has taken about half a million US residents' lives. Al Jazeera's Gabriel Elizondo reports from New York, the US.

The pharmaceutical giant, #JohnsonandJohnson, has agreed a 230 million dollar settlement just days before the start of an important trial. Johnson and Johnson is one of several companies being sued by the state of New York. They're accused of fuelling an opioid epidemic in the United States.

BBC South Today looking at anti-depressant withdrawals.

The death of a young man in Brisbane has sparked calls to improve warnings about the life-threatening risks of prescription medications. When 22-year-old Isaac Reis died in August 2019 he was taking a cocktail of 10 different drugs including opioids, benzodiazepine and an antidepressant.

Purdue Pharma - the makers of OxyContin - is to face charges for its role in the United States opioid epidemic, according to Justice Department officials.
OxyContin is a powerful prescription painkiller. Government officials said Purdue Parma will plead guilty to three federal criminal charges as part of a settlement of more than $8bn dollars. It is the biggest result from a US government investigation into the country's opioid crisis - linked to nearly half a million deaths.

Purdue Pharma, which makes the powerful painkiller, OxyContin, is set to plead guilty to criminal charges as part of an $8.3bn settlement for helping trigger an opioid crisis in the United States. Purdue Pharma has admitted it paid doctors and pharmacists to prescribe OxyContin widely, sometimes without a valid medical reason. But some state prosecutors say the company has got off lightly and the agreement does not hold it fully accountable for setting off an addiction epidemic that has killed more than 400,000 Americans in the last 20 years. Al Jazeera's Shihab Rattansi reports.

Sky news discusses dependence on prescription drugs and the soon to be released Public Health England review. Interviewed are Professor John Read and therapist Marion Brown.

US opioid crisis: Oklahoma calls drug makers 'greedy': The first trial in the US against pharmaceutical companies blamed for contributing to the opioid crisis is under way in the state of Oklahoma. Drug-makers are accused of downplaying the addictive risks of their drugs, as opioid overdose deaths shoot up nationwide. Michael Botticelli, the executive director of the Grayken Center for Addiction at Boston Medical Center and former Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy speaks to Al Jazeera.

The first trial in the US against pharmaceutical companies blamed for contributing to the opioid crisis is under way in the state of Oklahoma. It is a test case to see if individual states can hold pharmaceutical companies responsible for widespread addiction. Millions of Americans are hooked to painkillers doctors prescribed which resemble other opiates such as morphine and heroin. But some companies are choosing to settle out of court. Al Jazeera's Andy Gallacher reports from Norman, Oklahoma.

Purdue Pharma has reached a multimillion-dollar deal to settle allegations it helped create a deadly opioid crisis in the US. Prescription opioids have killed thousands of Americans in recent years and hooked countless more.

Kim Witczak interview on BBC World News about FDA Approval of Nasal Spray Esketamine.

The heads of seven top pharmaceutical companies in the United States have been urged to do more to lower drug prices for consumers. The industry leaders were giving testimony before a Senate finance committee on the rising cost of medicines. It is expected to be a major issue in the 2020 presidential election campaign. Al Jazeera's Alan Fisher reports from Washington, DC.

Lucy challenges the language of illness & disorder in her Sky News response to the NHS report that states that 1 in 8 children & young people have a ‘mental disorder.’

Marion Brown and Ann Kelly interviewed about Prescribed Drug Dependency. Interviewer: Hugh Pym, BBC Health Editor.

Sky News interviews Professor John Read about antidepressant withdrawal and a new study which shows that more than half (56%) of people who attempt to come off antidepressants experience withdrawal effects and nearly half (46%) of people experiencing withdrawal effects describe them as severe.

Jess opens up about her experience with anxiety and her tumultuous relationship with anti-depressants.

A former UA hedge fund manager once known as "America's most hated man" has been jailed for seven years for fraud. Martin Shkreli became notorious after investing in a pharmaceutical company and then increasing the price of a life-saving drug used to treat HIV-AIDS by over 5,000 percent. Shkreli was also ordered to forfeit seven million dollars in assets, including a one-of-a-kind Wu-Tang Clan album that he had bragged about buying. Al Jazeera's Kristen Saloomey reports from New York.

A growing list of top drug makers in the US appear to come down with an alleged case of collusion. Prosecutors in nearly all 50 states have accused companies of illegally working together to fix the price of critical drugs.

After Donald Trump declared the opioid crisis a US national emergency a pharmaceuticals billionaire has been arrested on charges of bribing doctors to prescribe his firm's opioid painkiller.

Congress weakened the DEA's ability to go after drug distributors at the height of the opioid epidemic.

US President Donald Trump has called the opioid crisis a 'national emergency'.
There are also calls for pharmaceutical companies to share more of the blame.
At least 41 states including New York have now joined together to investigate big pharma. Some have already filed legal cases alleging deceptive marketing practices. Al Jazeera's Kristen Saloomey reports from New York.

In 2004 David Carmichael, suffering from psychosis, killed his 11-year-old son. He believes that his psychosis was caused by the SSRI antidepressants he was taking at the time.

US opioid addiction: Pharmaceutical companies sued. Addiction and deaths as a result of opioid drug overdoses are skyrocketing in the United States. So much so, a growing number of local governments are suing pharmaceutical companies. They accuse drug makers of downplaying the risks of their products. Al Jazeera's Kristen Saloomey reports from Long Island in New York.

Dr. Breggin, who was hired by the defense, testified about the effects of antidepressants on the brain.

The growing problem with prescription drugs - medicines to combat depression and anxiety are effective but extremely addictive.

Could the prescription drug addiction problem sweeping the United States be replicated in the UK? Here we speak to people who have struggled with addiction - and those offering help and support.

Pharmaceutical companies around the world are getting some bitter medicine from regulators for charging exorbitant rates, colluding to fix prices and cheating customers in other ways.

The 21st century cures act sounds very nice, the same way that the patriot act, or the affordable health care act sounded. The 21st century cures act is supposed to accelerate the pace of cures in America, by streamlining the drug and device development process. Find out how big pharma just landed a big victory that may give a whole new meaning to the phrase 'FDA Approved'.

People who say their lives have been ruined by commonly prescribed antidepressants, known as SSRIs, are taking their case to Parliament on Wednesday. Claire Hanley says she tried to take her own life after taking them.

Once thought to be a problem of the young, opioid addiction is becoming more common among elderly Americans. When asked who should have stopped it, he says it should have been the doctors. "I was just doing what the doctors told me to do." It is not just doctors under scrutiny. Two counties in California are suing the five major opioid drug manufacturers for "waging a campaign of deception."

A British corporate investigator who was jailed in Shanghai in relation to a massive corruption case against British pharmaceuticals giant GlaxoSmithKline -- has told the BBC he was shocked that he and his wife received a custodial sentence -- while senior GSK staff convicted of more serious charges -- did not. In an exclusive interview, Peter Humphrey also told our China Editor Carrie Gracie that the British government must educate companies to the risks they face in China.

Use can cause serious repercussions if patient is not clinically depressed. Watch Jenna Lee talk about Depression and Mental Health on Happening Now.

From 700 Club Canada, CBN News Dr. Peter Breggin & Karen Jacobs talk about the dangers of Anti - Depressants.

Anti-depressants are some of the most widely prescribed drugs in America. Millions of doctors and their patients appear to like these drugs, but there is a darker side.

A case in Chicago federal court has the potential to change the prescription drug landscape, per NBC 5 Chicago. This video tells the story behind lifelong Chicagoan Stewart Dolin's alleged Paxil-induced suicide, and his wife's subsequent lawsuit against the maker of Paxil, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK).

The perpetrators of a raft of school shootings, mass murders and other violent incidents in recent years have been taking SSRIs. Find out more about the correlation between SSRIs and mass murder in this edition of the BoilingFrogsPost.com.

Commonly referred to as the psychiatric diagnostic "bible," the APA's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders has always generated controversy. How are disorders diagnosed? What criteria are used to establish disorders in the first place? Are the categories subjective? Do they reflect cultural biases? Find out more about the DSM and big pharma influence over the modern psychiatric profession in this edition of the Boiling Frogs Post Eyeopener report.

Senior correspondent John Miller reports on an employee for pharmaceutical giant Ranbaxy, who exposed massive fraud in the company.

Pharma company Johnson & Johnson has agreed to pay over $2.2 billion to resolve criminal and civil allegations in the US that it promoted powerful psychiatric drugs for unapproved uses in children, seniors and disabled patients. The allegations include paying kickbacks to doctors and pharmacies to recommend and prescribe Risperdal and Invega, both anti-psychotic drugs, and Natrecor, which is used to treat heart failure.

In July 2012 British drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline agreed to plead guilty to criminal charges and pay $3 billion in fines for promoting its best-selling antidepressants for unapproved uses and failing to report safety data about a top diabetes drug.

Peter Breggin is an American psychiatrist and critic of biological psychiatry and psychiatric medication. In his books, he advocates replacing psychiatry's use of drugs and electroconvulsive therapy with humanistic approaches, such as psychotherapy, education, and broader human services.

Dr. Allen Frances, co-author of the previous version of the "Diagnostic and Strategic Manual of Mental Disorders" -- known as "the psychiatrist's bible" -- discusses new, controversial changes to the text. Frances is the author of a new book called "Saving Normal."

It's still early in the conversation, but a conversation is nonetheless taking place about a potential connection between SSRI anti-depressant drugs and mass shootings.

Antidepressants & Violence-Problems at the Interface of Medicine & Law.

US pharmaceutical firms have moved their operations overseas over the past decade. An increasing number of tests are being conducted on the poor in Russia, China, Brazil, Poland, Uganda and Romania. How is the clinical research done in India?

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In 2004, lawyers for Pfizer, the worlds largest drug company, promised it wouldnt break the law again. The attorneys were negotiating with federal prosecutors over charges that the corporation had been engaging in health-care fraud. But Bloomberg news now reports that Pfizer managers were breaking that promise even before the ink was dry on their plea.

ABC News Report. Most Americans on antidepressants have other symptoms, not depression.

The Big Story, FOX News. Big Story, Big Scandal. New England Journal of Medicine study findings.

News about the fact that antidepressants don't work better then placebo's. Shocking but true.

Government agencies are investigating drug company GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) for allegedly hiding suicide data that emerged in its clinical
trials of the antidepressant Paxil.

CBC news covers the recent studies showing that Antidepressants were found to be no more effective than Placebo. The questions were asked why were these Antidepressants approved if they were no more effective than the Placebo but yet they have harmful side effects.

Peter Breggin, MD talks about dangers of psychiatric drugs for children and adults and his new book, Medication Madness, now available at http://www.breggin.com. Learn more about Dr. Peter Breggin's work including scientific papers, weekly audio reports, and sign up for our newsletter at http://www.breggin.com

Dr. Breggin comments on the potential hazardous effects of SSRI antidepressants including increased violence and suicide. Peter R. Breggin MD, April 2007, CTV Television, Toronto, Canada, "Over the Edge".

CBC investigates the Canadian education systems mandating drugging children.

Antidepressant medications are being black boxed because of their tendencies to cause or contribute to suicide.

Kim Witczak interview ahead of 2006 FDA hearings invesitgating the possible link between antidepressants and suicide.

WBTV On Your Side. Two case studies of prescription drug induced psychosis causing fathers to kill their own children.

ABC PRIMETIME LIVE covered the issue of PAXIL ADDICTION on December 9th, 2004.

WCCO-TV 2005 I-Team Investigation reports on dangers of antidepressants and Tim "Woody" Witczak's Zoloft-induced suicide.

Discovery of suppressed clinical trial data on suicide and Paxil.

Hannity's America with Doug Kennedy on Antidepressants.

Both clinical trial and pharmacovigilance data point to possible links between these drugs and violent behaviours... Many jurisdictions appear not to have considered the possibility that a prescription drug may induce violence.

FDA Antidepressant Warning. 13 Billion in sales, Dr. Thomas Laughren, Dr. Harold Koplewicz.

Life school Gold Campus in Mesa, 50 Students on a hit list. was on Prozac in 2003 ABC 15 Mark Taylor, Ann Blake-Tracy.

Christopher Pittman on Paxil & Zoloft Ch 2 WCGH.

Chris Pitman Shot killed his grandparents and burned down their home while on the Antidepressant Zoloft & Jamie Tierney Prescribed Effexor she started having suicidal thoughts ( not approved for anyone under 18 years old) - WCNC 6 News.

Fox News On the RECORD with Ann Blake-Tracy www.drugawareness.org about Bad Medicine

Dr. Peter Breggin (breggin.com) has been the medical expert in countless court cases involving the use or misuse of psychoactive medications. This unusual position has given him unprecedented access to private pharmaceutical research and correspondence files, information from which informs this straight-talking guide to the most prescribed and controversial category of drugs: antidepressants.

Discussion on psychiatric drug danger... decades later, this has still not been addressed by pharma and is arguably worse than ever...