11-11 An Announcement

 

We all see repeating numbers. Are they just coincidental, or is something else at play here? 

Today is November 11th or 11-11. To most people, it's just another day on the calendar. That's what Don Williamson initially thought, too. Williamson is the main character in my fictional book, No Other Man, which has been accepted for publication and will be released this spring. 

Fiction writing is a step outside my comfort zone, given I usually research and write about the real-life horrors of big pharma and government agencies. This new book has been a labor of love, rewritten and restructured over the last seven years, which was a slow but necessary process.

The book centres on Williamson, Karen Crawford, and Angie Jakobs. Williamson struggles to deal with the void left by a recent relationship breakup when he discovers that a poem he wrote in 2001 inadvertently encrypted a hidden code that the Vatican is trying to crack. Karen Crawford, a Hollywood celebrity who now lives in London, has known for many years that a unique man will come into her life. Her psychic medium friend, Angie Jakobs, told Karen he would be like no other man she had ever met. Neither lady knew when and where this man would appear, but both knew someday he would.

Soon they learn that the poem's secret code is buried deep within the text, pointing to an astronomical event witnessed on an Idaho ranch. The event sparks a hunt for the threesome, an expedition in which the Pope himself participates.

Under the protection of guardian angels, the chosen three must avoid Vatican officials and evil forces at work--fallen angels who have misguided the living for many years.

My publisher recently provided the front cover (above), and it's just how I envisioned the scene when writing it. I'm pleased the book will be available in bookshops and online this spring.

Bob Fiddaman

Glendale Woman Files Suit Against Gardasil Manufacturer

 

Catherine Boss of Glendale, California was just 16 years-old when she received her first Gardasil shot, after which she experienced significant fatigue, headache, shortness of breath, hypotension, and abdominal pain. Episodes of syncope (fainting), as well as migraine with visual loss, vomiting, and intermittent panic attacks pursued some months later. Despite this, Catherine received her second dosage of Gardasil in early 2017.

Months later, she was evaluated by a cardiologist who noted frequent episodes of orthostatic light-headedness, panic attacks, fatigue, abdominal pains, and syncope. The physician performed orthostatic vital signs, and his assessment included “frequent dysautonomia symptoms, possibly postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome.”

Over the next year or so she experienced continued dizziness, difficulty sleeping, decreased appetite, severe menstrual cramps, lethargy, chills, shortness of breath and headache.

One would think these bodily injuries would have raised a red flag for Catherine, her mother, Kathleen, and their treating physician, however, on November 6, 2017, Catherine received her third Gardasil shot.

Now 22, Catherine walks with a cane that doubles as a seat when she can no longer stand. She struggles to overcome all her Gardasil related conditions, which include, but are not limited to:

• POTS

• Dysautonomia

• Gastroparesis

• Migraines

• Syncope

• Pain disorder

• Endometriosis

From the onset of Catherine's first Gardasil shot, both she and her mother were told Gardasil was safe and effective for preventing cervical cancer. Considering the doctor’s recommendations, Catherine’s mother, Kathleen Boss, consented to her daughter being injected with the “cervical cancer vaccine,” Gardasil.

Furthermore, it is alleged Gardasil manufacturers, Merck, actively concealed the fact that Gardasil can cause a constellation of serious adverse reactions and bodily injuries. According to filed complaints, According to the complaints, Gardasil contains numerous hazardous ingredients, including at least one ingredient that Merck failed to disclose to regulators and the public. Studies have shown that one of Gardasil’s ingredients, Amorphous Aluminum Hydroxyphosphate Sulfate (AAHS) binds to non-vaccine proteins, triggering autoimmune disorders and other serious conditions.

It is also alleged that Merck designed its clinical trial studies to purposefully conceal evidence of chronic conditions such as autoimmune diseases while exaggerating the vaccine’s purported efficacy.

Baum Hedlund Aristei & Goldman have now filed a lawsuit (Case 2:22-cv-06993) on behalf of Catherine Boss, one of many previously filed (see links below).

To date, Merck, who are headquartered in New Jersey, have been found guilty of numerous violations and fined a total of $10,467,155,581. Those violations include, drug or medical equipment safety violation, safety-related offenses, healthcare-related offenses, off-label or unapproved promotion of medical products, and kickbacks and bribery.

Further information about Catherine's plight and injuries caused by Gardasil can be found here.

Bob Fiddaman

Related

Baum Hedlund Take a Stand Against Vaccine Maker

Californian Law Firm Lead the Way in Gardasil Litigation

Fifth Gardasil Vaccine Lawsuit Filed

Gardasil Vaccine Can Cause Infertility, New Lawsuit Alleges

Gardasil Lawsuits Continue

Vaccine Manufacturer Used "Spiked" Placebo to Hide Injuries Between Vaccine and Control Groups, Lawsuit Alleges

The Gardasil Vaccine Lawsuits Keep Piling Up

"I don’t want this pain for other kids." ~ Victoria Trevisan, Gardasil Victim

Merck & Co Face Uphill Battle as Gardasil Lawsuits Consolidated

Parents of 13-year-old Boy File Wrongful Death Lawsuit against Vaccine Manufacturers, Merck

Judge Appoints Four Attorneys For Plaintiffs Damaged by Vaccine

Toxic Baby Food Trial Set for 2023

 

The lawsuit alleges Noah Cantabrana, after consuming high quantities of baby food products, developed autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

The following companies, it is alleged, knowingly sells baby foods that contain dangerous levels of arsenic, lead, and mercury:

• Beech-Nut Nutrition Company of New York
• Gerber Products Company of Michigan
• Hain Celestial Group, Inc. (Earth’s Best Organic) of New York
• Nurture, Inc. (Happy Family Organics and HappyBABY) of New York
• Plum PBC (Plum Organics) of California
• Sprout Foods, Inc. of New Jersey
• Walmart, Inc. (Parent’s Choice) of Arkansas

Melissa Cantabrana, Noah's mother, said, "We as parents have the right to know what is in the foods we give our kids." Adding, "These companies deprived us of that right by not properly labeling their products to warn about the presence of heavy metals. It’s shameful and they need to be held accountable."

Consumer attorneys Pedram Esfandiary and R. Brent Wisner from the law firm of Baum Hedlund Aristei & Goldman, intend to show, through a series of experts in the areas of epidemiology, toxicology and neurology, the association between exposure to heavy metals and ASD/ADHD

Back in 2019, a report in which 'Healthy Babies, Bright Futures' tested 168 foods purchased from major baby food manufacturers found 95% of store-bought baby food contained lead, 73% contained arsenic, 75% contained cadmium and 32% contained mercury.

A 2021 Congressional report found that most baby food manufacturers did not test their finished products at all. Instead, they tested only individual ingredients and used those results to estimate the toxic heavy metal levels in their finished products.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has come under fire for not acting quick enough to reduce the levels of arsenic, lead, cadmium and mercury in baby foods. Their 'Closer to Zero action plan' aims to evaluate the scientific basis for "action levels" or standards for toxic metals in various baby foods. These proposals and finalized decisions are expected to happen through at least 2024.

The Noah Cantabrana complaint can be read, in full, here.

Here's a fascinating interview with Consumer attorney, Pedram Esfandiary, where he speaks about the manufacturers of baby food knowingly selling products with dangerously high levels of toxic heavy metals.

Bob Fiddaman

YoungMinds ~ Kudos Where It's Due

 

Back in 2017, I highlighted how YoungMinds, the UK’s leading charity championing the wellbeing and mental health of young people, had posted a booklet on its website that claimed the following:

It’s rare for a mental illness to occur out of the blue, it usually builds up over time and comes to a point where people need professional help. The causes are wide  ranging and include a  chemical imbalance in the brain.  Medication can help to address chemical imbalances and make someone feel more ‘normal’"

I recently brought this to their attention and, surprisingly, they have addressed it. Not only have YoungMinds removed the content, they have issued an explanation and an apology. For that, I must give them kudos.

Their statement came via Twitter and reads:

We endeavour to ensure our information is accurate and in line with the latest science, and value feedback where it is not. On this occasion, it seems as though we did carry misleading information on our website, but it has since been amended. We apologise for any confusion.

— YoungMinds (@YoungMindsUK) October 27, 2022

This, to me at least, is a very positive move by the charity and, to my knowledge, it's the first time anyone has publicly apologised for once claiming mental illness is caused by a chemical imbalance, moreover, medication can address that imbalance.

It's a start and, I believe, kids who use their services or visit their website will be safer for it.

I applaud this approach.

Bob Fiddaman

Judge Appoints Four Attorneys For Plaintiffs Damaged by Vaccine

 

Merck, the manufacturers of the HPV vaccine Gardasil decided to guilt trip parents back in 2016 with the following promotional ad.

Fast forward 6 years and a press release provided today by the hugely successful Los Angeles based law firm, Baum Hedlund Aristei & Goldman.

"A federal judge overseeing the Gardasil MDL (multidistrict litigation) appointed four attorneys to serve on the litigation leadership for plaintiffs who allege the Gardasil HPV vaccine caused them severe side effects."

It's estimated that hundreds of claims will soon be filed in the MDL, none of these injuries were mentioned in the promotional ad above, such as; Autonomic Dysfunction, Premature Ovarian Failure, and Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome.

The press release also states: "Merck took steps to mask and downplay these risks; and Merck was also negligent in the way it conducted its clinical trials and post-marketing pharmacovigilance." Furthermore, "Plaintiffs further allege that, in its direct-to-consumer advertising to patients and parents, Merck misrepresented and overemphasized Gardasil's efficacy while concealing Gardasil's serious risks."

To read about some of those risks and who was harmed see the links below.

Vaccine manufacturers and co-conspirators will always be held accountable at some point in history. These Gardasil cases are just the tip of the iceberg. Personally, I hope Merck take a huge hit which will, in turn, upset their shareholders. Remember, Merck's target audience was children.

Litigation is a powerful tool in getting never seen before documents into the public domain, unless, of course, the accused decide to make a settlement. With the evidence stacked against them, I suspect Merck's legal team will try every trick in the book to get these cases overturned...and then, maybe, strike a deal to settle out-of-court.

I, for one, am hoping to see how Merck manipulated the Gardasil clinical trials by spiking the placebo with amorphous aluminium hydroxyphosphate sulfate (AAHS) and the vaccine’s other additives, which resulted in approximately equal numbers of subjects in the vaccine group and the placebo group suffering adverse reactions thus giving the impression that Gardasil was just as safe as taking a placebo.

More about Gardasil side-effects here.

Bob Fiddaman

Baum Hedlund Take a Stand Against Vaccine Maker

Californian Law Firm Lead the Way in Gardasil Litigation

Fifth Gardasil Vaccine Lawsuit Filed

Gardasil Vaccine Can Cause Infertility, New Lawsuit Alleges

Gardasil Lawsuits Continue

Vaccine Manufacturer Used "Spiked" Placebo to Hide Injuries Between Vaccine and Control Groups, Lawsuit Alleges

The Gardasil Vaccine Lawsuits Keep Piling Up

"I don’t want this pain for other kids." ~ Victoria Trevisan, Gardasil Victim

Merck & Co Face Uphill Battle as Gardasil Lawsuits Consolidated

Parents of 13-year-old Boy File Wrongful Death Lawsuit against Vaccine Manufacturers, Merck

'Chemical Imbalance' FOIA - "Psychiatry adopted the 'chemical imbalance' term"

It took longer than normal but the MHRA have finally responded to a FOIA I sent to them earlier this year.

The request strove to seek information regarding SSRI patient information leaflets, moreover, the terminology written on them that pertains to a "chemical imbalance".

I asked the MHRA when the marketing authorisation holders (MAH) of five SSRIs changed the labelling and patient information leaflets with regard to any reference referring to a "chemical imbalance" and what was the reason/evidence for this change.

For those that don't know, a systematic umbrella review regarding the serotonin theory of depression was widely publicised in journals and the mainstream media. The review found there is no evidence to support the idea that depression is caused by disturbance of the brain’s serotonin system.

This is something I've known for quite a long time, I even raised this lack of evidence for supporting the 'chemical imbalance' theory in my 2012 book, 'The Evidence, However, Is Clear, The Seroxat Scandal'.

After the review, authored by Joanna Moncrieff, Ruth E. Cooper, Tom Stockmann, Simone Amendola, Michael P. Hengartner & Mark A. Horowitz, hit the mainstream news, many psychiatrists took to social media to announce that they've never believed the chemical imbalance was true.

I found this surprising given the blog, 'Demand Chemical Imbalance Redaction' highlights many psychiatrists who still publicly refer to mental illness being caused by a chemical imbalance. Adrienne Nagy, who is the board president of NAMI Athens, Ohio, for example, said in 2020, "What that means is education about mental illness. We're continually trying to educate the public to know that mental illness is an illness like any other illness—it's a biochemical imbalance in the brain. It's no different than diabetes or heart failure."

This wasn't just a throwaway comment from Nagy, this was actually publicised in The Post, an independent, award-winning student-run news publication on Ohio University’s campus.

If Nagy is telling students in a widely read campus publication that mental illness is a biochemical imbalance in the brain, then, to me, that suggests Nagy wants those students to believe that what she is saying is true and factual.

NAMI, by the way, is the acronym for the National Alliance on Mental Illness, the USA's largest grassroots mental health organization.

So, back to the FOIA:

I asked the same question for all SSRI patient information leaflets (PILs)

The MHRA response throws up a rather interesting reply with regard to 'the psychiatry scientific literature'. Remember, most psychiatrists claim to have never used the 'chemical imbalance' theory when talking to patients.

Here's the MHRA response in full. You'll note that they are boxing clever here. They seem to be saying the term 'chemical imbalance' is rarely used in PILs but other references to imbalances and low serotonin are. They seem okay with that. They are also saying the terms used are for patients to understand the literature, which they suggest is 'complex'.

I don't know about you but being told I have a chemical imbalance, low serotonin or a disturbance of chemistry in my brain kind of tells me that my brain is broken and thus needs fixing. I think this would apply to anyone confronted with this terminology.

It appears, the MHRA are, indeed, suggesting scientific literature from the field of psychiatry adopted the 'chemical imbalance' term.

We all know who they adopted it from, right?

On the MHRA's summary response, let's take a closer look at what the PILs say:

1/ Cipramil "is a Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI) and belongs to a group of medicines known as antidepressants. These medicines help to correct certain chemical imbalances in the brain that are causing the symptoms of your illness"

2/ Escitalopram: "These medicines act on the serotonin-system in the brain by increasing the serotonin level. Disturbances in the serotonin system are considered an important factor in the development of depression and related diseases."

3/ Fluoxetine: "Everyone has a substance called serotonin in their brain. People who are depressed or have obsessive-compulsive disorder or bulimia nervosa have lower levels of serotonin than others. It is not fully understood how Fluoxetine and other SSRIs work but they may help by increasing the level of serotonin in the brain."

4/ Paroxetine: "Everyone has a substance called serotonin in their brain. People who are depressed or anxious have lower levels of serotonin than others. It is not fully understood how Paroxetine and other SSRIs work but they may help by increasing the level of serotonin in the brain."

5/ Sertraline: No mention of how and why they work but a strong warning of what they may cause.
"If you experience agitation, confusion, diarrhoea, high temperature and blood pressure, excessive sweating and rapid heartbeat. These are symptoms of Serotonin Syndrome."

Source - The electronic medicines compendium (emc) 

Bob Fiddaman

Remember, Never Forget How You Were Treated

 

On October 1st, A Twitter user, Freedom World, posted three videos that highlighted the pushback from A & B-list celebrities during the COVID experimental jab campaign.

I feel, for prosperity reasons, these three videos should be archived across the world.

Today, I'll start by archiving them on my blog. I hope others do too.

To my knowledge, none of these people were ever 'fact-checked'. None of these people have ever retracted their statements, and none of these people have ever apologised.


Bob Fiddaman

Parents of 13-year-old Boy File Wrongful Death Lawsuit against Vaccine Manufacturers, Merck

 

Photo courtesy of Baum Hedlund Aristei & Goldman

Writing about the death of a child is something I've come accustomed to over the years I've been blogging about drug safety. It still pains me to dive into the why's and how's, particularly when these deaths could have been avoidable if profit wasn't such a pull for drug companies, particularly if we had a robust regulatory system in place who cared more about patients than the funding they receive from said drug/vaccine manufacturers, particularly if health care professionals didn't receive kick-backs to promote products they know very little about, particularly if PR firms didn't ghost-write about products without first seeing actual raw data from clinical trials.

This is the story of Noah Foley who received his first and only Gardasil injection on May 7, 2018, just two days after his 11th birthday.

His parents, Clifton and Kelli Foley, were driven to allow their son to be vaccinated with Gardasil after reading and watching Merck's promotional ad campaigns across the US.

According to a press release, “Around the time Noah received Gardasil, Merck’s advertising intimated that you are a bad parent if you do not vaccinate your child with Gardasil to protect them from getting cancer,” says Baum Hedlund attorney and shareholder, Stephanie Sherman. “What the advertising left out is there isn’t a single study to support Merck’s claim that Gardasil prevents certain types of cancer. On the contrary, studies have found that Gardasil may be more likely to cause cancer than prevent it.”

Prior to Noah's Gardasil injection on May 7, 2018, he was your typical 11-year old boy, hunting and fishing with his dad, playing games with his younger sister, building Legos, and playing his drum set. 

Noah had no autoimmune diseases, and no autonomic issues. He was extremely healthy, having received a clean bill of health at his 11-year medical check-up.

The promotional push by Gardasil manufacturers, Merck, convinced Noah's mother that Gardasil was a safe and effective vaccine for preventing not only neck, mouth, penile, and anus HPV-related cancers, but also prevented cancers that could be widely sexually transmitted.

Approximately two weeks after his shot, Noah experienced fevers, going as high as 102.9 degrees. His symptoms continued and one week later, his blood was checked to rule out Mononucleosis or other causes for the ongoing fevers. This continued throughout 2018.

On October 10, 2018, Noah's mother took him to hospital where it was found that his inflammatory markers were elevated. After a referral, it was found that Noah’s white blood cell count had tripled in two weeks.

Days later, a swollen lymph node was found which turned out not to be cancer.

Months later, (May 7, 2019) still suffering with fevers and fatigue and now weight loss, the past year had seen him lose over 20lb.

More from the press release: 

"On September 29, 2020, at approximately 12:45 p.m., Noah’s left leg went numb. On his way to the emergency room, his face and tongue went numb. By the time he arrived at the ER, Noah vomited, and by 6:00 p.m., Noah was completely non-responsive. He was transported to Duke University Medical Hospital, where his condition rapidly declined.

"On September 30, 2020, Noah was almost completely brain dead. On October 8, 2020, Noah passed away four hours after his breathing tube was removed. He was 13 years old."

The cause of death was recorded as encephalitis caused by an autoimmune/autoinflammatory dysregulation process, which his parents believe was caused by Merck's Gardasil vaccine.

Yesterday, Attorneys from Baum Hedlund Aristei & Goldman filed a wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of Noah's parents.

The lawsuit alleges:

 - Merck regularly risks the lives of patients with full knowledge of Gardasil’s limited efficacy and severely harmful and sometimes fatal dangers.

 

 - Merck has made conscious decisions to not warn or inform the unsuspecting public and medical providers of such risks of injury and sometimes death.

 

 - Merck engaged in a relentless propaganda campaign aimed at frightening and guilting parents who failed to inoculate their children with Gardasil.

 

 - Merck’s conduct, including its false promotion of Gardasil and its failure to issue appropriate warnings concerning the severe risks of Gardasil, created a substantial risk of significant harm to children and patients who were being injected with Gardasil, and therefore warrants an award of punitive damages.

Up until the COVID "vaccine" rollout, Gardasil had more reported adverse events than any other vaccine.

Here's a short video of Noah. I doubt if this will in anyway move any person associated with Merck. Experience tells me that Noah, and others like him, are just part of business for these multi-billion dollar pharmaceutical companies. They are fuelled by greed and lack in morality and compassion. As for their marketing departments, I cannot think of any other superlatives to describe them apart from heinous and callous.

Noah Tate Foley's obit can be read here.

Rest in peace, little guy.

Bob Fiddaman

To learn more about Gardasil and Merck's promotion of it, I highly recommend a deep dive into the Baum Hedlund website here.

You can read about other Gardasil lawsuits here:

Baum Hedlund Take a Stand Against Vaccine Maker

Californian Law Firm Lead the Way in Gardasil Litigation

Fifth Gardasil Vaccine Lawsuit Filed

Gardasil Vaccine Can Cause Infertility, New Lawsuit Alleges

Gardasil Lawsuits Continue

Vaccine Manufacturer Used "Spiked" Placebo to Hide Injuries Between Vaccine and Control Groups, Lawsuit Alleges

The Gardasil Vaccine Lawsuits Keep Piling Up

"I don’t want this pain for other kids." ~ Victoria Trevisan, Gardasil Victim

Merck & Co Face Uphill Battle as Gardasil Lawsuits Consolidated

Zantac - The Heartburn Medication on Trial

 

There's been much talk about the popular heartburn medication, Zantac (ranitidine) causing cancer after independent laboratory testing found that one ranitidine 150 mg tablet produced 304,500 nanograms (ng) of a cancer-causing substance called N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), an amount that greatly exceeds the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) daily acceptable intake limit of 96 ng.

After learning this, the FDA, in April 2020, requested Zantac be removed from the market.

Zantac is manufactured by many pharmaceutical companies, several of whom have recalled it, citing "safety concerns."

The following types of cancers have developed in some people who took the Zantac:

Bladder cancer

Esophageal cancer

Gastric cancer / stomach cancer

Liver cancer

Pancreatic cancer

Prostate cancer

Breast cancer

Lung cancer

Colon cancer

On September 15, 2022 , Baum Hedlund Aristei & Goldman, attorneys headquartered in Los Angeles, California, filed Zantac lawsuits on behalf of thousands of people throughout the country who allege exposure to ranitidine causes cancer. The filing of 88 complaints on behalf of 7,291 claimants is one of the largest on behalf of Zantac cancer victims in 2022.

Allegations against the defendants, namely, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), Pfizer Inc, Patheon Manufacturing Services LLC, Boehringer Ingelheim, and Sanofi, include:

Failure to Warn 

Manufacturing Defect 

Negligent Product Design

Negligent Manufacturing

Negligent Misrepresentation

Baum Hedlund's press release states, "...the defendants knew that Zantac (ranitidine) could degrade into a potent human carcinogen, NDMA, in the regular course of transport and storage, and within the human body, but failed to take any action to prevent consumers from being exposed." Furthermore, they add, "...lawsuits maintain that Zantac’s manufacturers made billions selling a product they knew posed an unreasonable risk to consumers. If the drug manufacturers had disclosed and disseminated the cancer risks associated with Zantac and OTC ranitidine products, the plaintiffs say they could have avoided the risk of developing cancer by instead using alternative medications that do not pose the same risk."

Baum Hedlund's Brent Wisner also said, he believes the defendants in the Zantac litigation “deliberately misled consumers because they knew that full disclosure of Zantac’s risks would limit the amount of money they could make selling the drugs.” Adding, "They knew that concealing the truth would protect profits. Their deception led to an epidemic of cancer in this country, and we intend to hold them accountable.”

History shows that, between them, the defendants, above, have made settlements for various violations over the years of more than 20 billion dollars. Pfizer top that list with fines/settlements of over 10 billion dollars whilst GSK run a close second with fines/settlements of over 8 billion dollars.

It remains to be seen if those figures will be increased during or after these Zantac lawsuits.

Bob Fiddaman

CHEMICAL IMBALANCE - PATIENT INFORMATION LEAFLETS FOIA TO MHRA

 

For the record, I emailed the MHRA earlier with the following request:

To whom it may concern,

According to UK legislation, [Regulation 267 of the Human Medicines Regulations 2012] it requires that marketing authorisation holders (MAH) of UK MAs and article 126a authorisations inform the competent authority of all changes to the labelling and patient information leaflets which are not connected with changes to the Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC).

With this in mind, I hereby request the following information:

1. When did the marketing authorisation holders (MAH) of citalopram change the labelling and patient information leaflets with regard to any reference referring to a "chemical imbalance" and what was the reason/evidence for this change.

2. When did the marketing authorisation holders (MAH) of escitalopram change the labelling and patient information leaflets with regard to any reference referring to a "chemical imbalance" and what was the reason/evidence for this change.

3. When did the marketing authorisation holders (MAH) of fluoxetine change the labelling and patient information leaflets with regard to any reference referring to a "chemical imbalance" and what was the reason/evidence for this change.

4. When did the marketing authorisation holders (MAH) of paroxetine change the labelling and patient information leaflets with regard to any reference referring to a "chemical imbalance" and what was the reason/evidence for this change.

5. When did the marketing authorisation holders (MAH) of sertraline change the labelling and patient information leaflets with regard to any reference referring to a "chemical imbalance" and what was the reason/evidence for this change.

Sincerely,

Bob Fiddaman

Do Antidepressants Save Lives?

 

I find the whole 'antidepressants saved my life' thing quite strange. I'm sure some think this to be true but what leads them to this conclusion? How do they know they wouldn't be alive right now if it wasn't for taking medication? To question this one is seen as a 'pill-shamer' or accused of stigmatizing.

Now, on the other side of the fence we have those who have been harmed by antidepressants. The 'lucky' ones are alive to tell their stories, many have died as a result of the antidepressant inducing suicide. This is plain to see and one doesn't need to assume if this or that may happen. It's already happened. 

There are physical signs of antidepressant harm too, Akathisia and other central nervous system injuries are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to compiling a list of injuries that antidepressants can cause.

So, why does there seem to be a push back whenever anyone on social media chooses to describe their personal experiences of antidepressant harm?

Why are stories like this met with "they work fine for me", "they help millions of people world-wide", "they saved my life"?

Antidepressants can cause a lack of empathy, and what I see playing out here is people, who genuinely believe antidepressants help them, are refusing to acknowledge the harm antidepressants have caused others.

The 5 Empathy Skills:

To see the world as others see it, or perspective taking.

To be non judgemental.

To understand another person's feelings.

To communicate your understanding of that person's feelings.

Mindfulness (paying attention)

So, whenever I read anything on social media from someone harmed by antidepressants and this is followed with replies such as 'they saved my life' - I'm reminded of how antidepressants can remove the 5 empathy skills (above) - I know, because whilst taking Seroxat (Paxil) most, if not all of the 5 empathy skills, didn't exist in my world. It was only after withdrawing (19 month taper) empathy came flooding back.

Antidepressants are designed to blunt emotions and a lot of what we see on social media from those taking them shows that design is working. I see very little of the 5 empathy skills from those who oppose people posting about antidepressant harm. Shouting how they save lives doesn't help the person posting about the harms caused.

This whole area has been massively emphasized, of late, by COVID vaccine injuries. Many of those who opted to take the jabs will skip past the horrific injuries caused by the jab that are posted on social media on a daily basis. If they are not skipped, they are answered with the classic, "all drugs/vaccines carry a risk." Again, this does not help a mother or father wanting support because they now have a child suffering, for example, myocarditis, or a brother or sister distraught at losing a family member as a result of an adverse reaction to the vaccine.

I'm not aware that the COVID vaccine strips people of empathy but there's a very high percentage of people who have taken the jabs who show a complete lack of empathy.

Like antidepressants, or rather people that take them, we see the same scenario playing out with regard to the 'life-saving' comments.

"If it wasn't for the vaccine, I'd be a lot worse", or "the vaccine saved my mother from dying".

Again, people who claim this are speaking of possible future events, just as people who make the same claim with antidepressants.

This does nothing for those harmed or those grief-stricken.

I'm almost certain, in fact I'll bet my left nut on it, that this post will be picked up on Twitter by those firmly in the "antidepressants saved my life" camp and I'll be accused of either pill-shaming or stigmatizing ~ I can live with that, even though it's not true, because, as I mentioned above, I am well aware that antidepressants kill empathy.

As for the professionals who make the 'saves lives' claims, they have a possible ulterior motive. If you take away antidepressants then psychiatrists are only left with their communication tools and from what I've witnessed on social media platforms, particularly Twitter, communication skills are severely lacking in this field.

Finally, if you are taking an antidepressant and you believe it is keeping your head above water, that's great. I'm genuinely pleased for you. One, however, would need a time-travelling DeLorean to predict that without them you'd be dead.

Bob Fiddaman

Merck & Co Face Uphill Battle as Gardasil Lawsuits Consolidated

 

Last Thursday, the United States Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML) issued an order consolidating Gardasil human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine lawsuit claims. The order, according to a press release, allows the cases to move into coordinated discovery and pretrial proceedings.

When cases, like these Gardasil lawsuits, are complex, it is requested that they be moved to one district court. That one court can then handle all discovery and pretrial proceedings for the lawsuits. 

Multidistrict Litigation is handled by just one judge during the pretrial and discovery process where it is hoped parties will reach a settlement. If no settlement is reached then cases are sent back to their original courts.

Merck & Co will now have to submit written answers to some very tough questions regarding the number of claims made by plaintiffs.

On granting the consolidation of Gardasil human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine lawsuit claims, the United States Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation said, "These personal injury actions present common questions of fact arising from allegations that plaintiffs, or their minor children, developed postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) and various other injuries as the result of an autoimmune reaction to the Gardasil vaccine…"

Baum Hedlund Aristei & Goldman, are representing young men and women across the country who allege they suffered serious injuries as a result of Gardasi, injuries that include but are not limited to:

Autonomic Dysfunction (Dysautonomia)

Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS)

Premature Ovarian Failure (POF)

Fibromyalgia

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis / Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS)

Orthostatic Intolerance (OI)

Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS)

By July 28, 2022, 48 cases were pending with at least 100 more to be filed in federal courts nationwide. You can read about some of these cases below:

Baum Hedlund Take a Stand Against Vaccine Maker

Californian Law Firm Lead the Way in Gardasil Litigation

Fifth Gardasil Vaccine Lawsuit Filed

Gardasil Vaccine Can Cause Infertility, New Lawsuit Alleges

Gardasil Lawsuits Continue

Vaccine Manufacturer Used "Spiked" Placebo to Hide Injuries Between Vaccine and Control Groups, Lawsuit Alleges

The Gardasil Vaccine Lawsuits Keep Piling Up

"I don’t want this pain for other kids." ~ Victoria Trevisan, Gardasil Victim

Bob Fiddaman

Finally, the Chemical Imbalance Myth Has Been Put to Bed

There is no evidence that depression is caused by lower levels or reduced activity of serotonin in the brain, according to a recent analysis of 17 previous studies. 

The analysis, carried out by Joanna Moncrieff, MD, a professor of psychiatry at University College London, and her colleagues, tells us pretty much what we've known all along. The chemical imbalance marketing myth has been used as an indicator that people need antidepressants.

The response to this analysis, by many psychiatrists at least, has been eye-opening.

The Science Media Centre (SMC), whom I've wrote about before on this blog, were rolling out their 'experts'.

Dr Michael Bloomfield, Consultant Psychiatrist and UKRI Principal Clinical Research Fellow, Translational Psychiatry Research Group Head, UCL, said:

"The findings from this umbrella review are really unsurprising. Depression has lots of different symptoms and I don’t think I’ve met any serious scientists or psychiatrists who think that all causes of depression are caused by a simple chemical imbalance in serotonin."

Bloomfield really needs to brush up on his research skills. Just two years ago, Adrienne Nagy, Board President of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), America's largest grassroots mental health organization, had this to say:

"We're continually trying to educate the public to know that mental illness is an illness like any other illness—it's a biochemical imbalance in the brain. It's no different than diabetes or heart failure."

Other examples of psychiatrists promoting the chemical imbalance theory can be viewed here.

Another SMC 'expert', Prof David Nutt, Edmond J Safra Chair and Head of the Centre for Neuropsychopharmacology, Imperial College London, seemed to be digging his heels in when reacting to the Moncrieff analysis with:

"It is only recently that we have developed the technology to measure serotonin release in the living human brain and in the first study of this type (currently under review) we did find decreased serotonin release capacity in people with depression. So, to dismiss the serotonin hypothesis of depression at this point is premature."

Nutt has, in the past, received grants and personal fees from Lundbeck and GSK and personal fees from Lilly, BMS, Otsuka, Servier, and Pfizer, the majority of whom market and manufacture SSRI's, the very same types of drugs promoted to correct a chemical imbalance. I think it's no coincidence that Nutt still wants to hold on to the serotonin hypothesis of depression.

The general consensus (from psychiatry) of this new analysis seems to be, 'So what, we've known all along that it was just a theory'. I think they're either missing the point or being deliberately obtuse.

Samei Huda, author and consultant psychiatrist, Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust, went one further. 

Here's a screenshot of his tweet which implies Moncrieff and her colleagues have "right-wing associations."

Huda is well-known to members of the #PrescribedHarm community on Twitter, he is also well known for baiting Twitter psychologists and others with accusations of racism or right-wing associations, myself included.

I find his above tweet was specifically constructed to be inflammatory. Huda can be followed here. I blocked him a couple of years ago.

The point many psychiatrists, on Twitter at least, seem to be missing is patients have been sold a lie. Not one single psychiatrist has been able to answer the following, Is the patient, taking SSRIs, at risk or is increasing serotonin in the brain deemed safe?

These days, Twitter psychiatrists tend to block patient accounts who raise concerns, or even questions such as mine above.

The reaction has been eye-opening particularly when you contrast it with 'expert' reactions to the Cipriani 2018 study that claimed antidepressants work and are effective. Not only were 'experts' gushing over Cipriani's study, some were even calling for more antidepressants to be prescribed.

Professor Carmine Pariante, spokesperson for the Royal College of Psychiatrists, said of the Cipriani analysis "This finally puts to bed the controversy on antidepressants, clearly showing that these drugs do work in lifting mood and helping most people with depression."

A year later, Pariante was interviewed by BBC's Angela Rippon. According to Pariante, his team "chemically induce brain cells in test tubes to mirror the state of depression. Antidepressant medication  is then added". Furthermore, according to Pariante, "There is no evidence that we are over prescribing antidepressants, yes more antidepressants are prescribed today than 10 years ago but, in fact, most people who need antidepressants are not receiving an antidepressant."

Yes, he really did say this.

You can watch the full show, Truth or Scare, here.

The SMC's 'expert' reaction can be viewed here.

Bob Fiddaman

"I don’t want this pain for other kids." ~ Victoria Trevisan, Gardasil Victim

 

Victoria Trevisan

At the age of 13, Victoria Trevisan, a straight A student, received her first dose of the Gardasil vaccine, a vaccine said to prevent cervical, vulvar, and vaginal infections and precancers caused by all seven cancer-causing HPV types. She received the second and third doses of Gardasil in February of 2016 and July of 2016.

Immediately after receiving her third shot, Victoria fainted and hit her head on the window in the examination room at her doctor’s office. Just two days later, One month later, she became severely short of breath after five minutes of a soccer game and had to stop playing. Further, around a month later, Victoria went to a cardiologist to evaluate her myriad of symptoms which included, but were not limited to, a shortness of breath, chest pains, memory loss, and insomnia. Abdominal pain and nausea, anxiety, and brain fog were added to the mix during the following two months.

Victoria was forced to drop out of high school thus giving up any hope of a career working in the field of forensic science.

Now 20, Victoria now suffers with Chronic fatigue, amongst other serious post-Gardasil adverse events that include Fibromyalgia, Mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), and Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), all of which she alleges were caused by the Gardasil vaccine.

In a press release, Victoria said, “I just want people to know that this happened to me, and it can happen to anyone,” Victoria says. “It is important for me to share my story to help make sure others understand that there are risks. There hasn’t been a day that’s gone by since I received the Gardasil vaccine that it hasn’t affected me. I don’t want this pain for other kids.”

Baum Hedlund attorneys Bijan Esfandiary, Michael L. Baum, Stephanie B. Sherman, and Monique Alarcon, along with co-counsel Robert F. Kennedy, Jr, who filed the lawsuit on behalf of Victoria, say Merck’s conduct, including its false promotion of Gardasil and its failure to issue appropriate warnings concerning the severe risks of Gardasil, created a substantial risk of significant harm to children and patients. Furthermore, Baum Hedlund attorney and shareholder Stephanie B. Sherman poses the question if Merck should be "trusted on Gardasil after causing one of the worst drug recalls in history with Vioxx, not to mention Fosamax and NuvaRing?" adding, "...evidence says no, they shouldn’t be trusted on Gardasil either,"

Up to 2019, the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) have received than more 64,000 HPV vaccine adverse event reports.

You can read more about Victoria's lawsuit here.

Bob Fiddaman

Previous Gardasil Blog Posts

Thursday, August 20, 2020 - Baum Hedlund Take a Stand Against Vaccine Maker

Thursday, September 17, 2020 - Californian Law Firm Lead the Way in Gardasil Litigation

Friday, January 22, 2021 - Fifth Gardasil Vaccine Lawsuit Filed

Thursday, February 04, 2021 - Gardasil Vaccine Can Cause Infertility, New Lawsuit Alleges

Friday, April 02, 2021 - Gardasil Lawsuits Continue

Monday, April 19, 2021 - Vaccine Manufacturer Used "Spiked" Placebo to Hide Injuries Between Vaccine and Control Groups, Lawsuit Alleges

Thursday, July 22, 2021 - The Gardasil Vaccine Lawsuits Keep Piling Up

Filing a Gardasil claim ~ What You Need to Know

 

There's much confusion from those injured by the HPV vaccine, Gardasil. Many questions, often not even known by medical professionals or government officials in the US.

Luckily, Californian based attorneys, Baum Hedlund Aristei & Goldman, PC, have uploaded a Gardasil Injury Compensation Guide to their website.

Baum Hedlund has filed over a dozen lawsuits thus far against Merck on behalf of young men and women who allege their injuries were caused by the Gardasil vaccine and they continue to evaluate new potential Gardasil cases and get them on the path for compensation.

I've covered some of the plaintiff stories on this blog (links at the bottom), many of which sees both women and men now unable to live normal lives due to severe adverse injuries caused by Merck's HPV vaccine. All of those reached out to the team at Baum Hedlund who, in turn, listened to their heart-breaking experiences before filing lawsuits on their behalf.

Baum Hedlund have been standing up for victims of pharmaceutical wares for many years now, more recently they were victorious against the giant corporation, Monsanto, who, knowingly, marketed and manufactured 'RoundUp', used by farmers, gardeners, maintenance workers, agricultural workers, and many others as an all-purpose weed killer.

To date, they have negotiated over $10.9 Billion Monsanto Roundup Settlements for victims who developed varying cancers after coming into contact with the toxic weed killer.

They've also recently filed a lawsuit against Gerber, Hain, Walmart, and other major baby food companies for knowingly selling infant and baby food products containing dangerous levels of arsenic, lead, cadmium, and mercury.

They are renowned globally for litigating high-stakes cases against major corporations, particularly in the commercial transportation, pharmaceutical drug, and consumer product industries.

With vaccine injuries poo-pooed by mainstream media, it's great to see a team of passionate advocates doing the right thing. They've always put clients first, I should know, I've followed their work since the early 2000s when they successfully negotiated a deal for plaintiffs who suffered debilitating withdrawal problems at the hands of GSKs Paxil.

I've even seen them in action when I went to Chicago for the Wendy Dolin v GSK Paxil Suicide trial.

They are friends for life.

The Gardasil Injury Compensation Guide answers many questions for those seeking help with their injuries and with Baum Hedlund there is no financial risk in pursuing a Gardasil injury claim.

It's a win/win for those seeking help.

Here is a link to the guide

And if you want to print off the guide to show to someone you may know injured by Gardasil, go here.

Bob Fiddaman

--

Gardasil Stories Covered On This Blog

Thursday, August 20, 2020 - Baum Hedlund Take a Stand Against Vaccine Maker

Thursday, September 17, 2020 - Californian Law Firm Lead the Way in Gardasil Litigation

Friday, January 22, 2021 - Fifth Gardasil Vaccine Lawsuit Filed

Thursday, February 04, 2021 - Gardasil Vaccine Can Cause Infertility, New Lawsuit Alleges

Friday, April 02, 2021 - Gardasil Lawsuits Continue

Monday, April 19, 2021 - Vaccine Manufacturer Used "Spiked" Placebo to Hide Injuries Between Vaccine and Control Groups, Lawsuit Alleges

Thursday, July 22, 2021 - The Gardasil Vaccine Lawsuits Keep Piling Up

Toxic Baby Food, the Subject of Lawsuit

 

7-year-old Noah Cantabrana

The Honourable Amy D. Hogue, a California state court judge issued a ruling on May 24 in favour of the parents who allege their seven-year-old son developed severe neurodevelopmental disorders after consuming baby foods that contain dangerous amounts of heavy metals. Moreover, it was ruled that Plaintiffs experts’ opinions that heavy metals are capable of being a substantial factor in causing ASD and ADHD are admissible.

Baum Hedlund Aristei & Goldman filed the first baby food lawsuit in California and possibly the nation against several baby food companies alleging they knowingly sell products tainted with arsenic, lead, cadmium, and mercury.

Lorenzo and Melissa Cantabrana's 7-year-old son, Noah suffers from neurodevelopmental disorders after consuming substantial quantities of baby foods from the following baby food manufacturers:

It's alleged that the above knowingly sold tainted baby food to unsuspecting parents.

Noah was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder ASD when he was a 2-year-old. He also shows signs of ADHD. 

Noah has outbursts and meltdowns that can last for hours, has social interaction and communication issues, and often has trouble sleeping through the night.

“My son is facing lifelong challenges because he ate foods that we believed were safe,” says Melissa Cantabrana. “If the labels said anything about heavy metals, I never would have fed them to Noah. Parents have a right to know what is in the foods we put on the dinner table for our kids. These companies deprived us of that right. It’s shameful and they need to be held accountable.”

Baum Hedlund attorneys, Pedram Esfandiary and R. Brent Wisner, who represent the Cantabrana's

“It is clear to us that the baby food industry does not care about the health of young children,” says attorney R. Brent Wisner. “By continuing to sell their poisonous foods to unsuspecting parents, these companies are willing to put the most vulnerable segment of our population at risk for severe neurodevelopmental disorders.”

“The industry could make this heavy metals problem go away with relative ease if they sourced better ingredients and adequately screened their products before they reached store shelves,” adds attorney Pedram Esfandiary. “The reality is these companies will not change their behavior without decisive government and legal action. We can’t just sit around and wait around for that to happen, so this litigation will have to be the tip of the spear when it comes to protecting children’s health”

Key findings from a 2021 U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy, Committee on Oversight and Reform Report showed that several major manufacturers knowingly sell baby foods containing as much as 180 parts per billion (ppb) inorganic arsenic, 6441 ppb lead, and 10 ppb mercury. They also manufacture their products using ingredients containing as much as 913.4 ppb arsenic, 886.9 ppb lead, and 344.55 ppb cadmium. 

Being interviewed on Spotlight on America, Melissa Cantabrana said,“I was just like blown away, It made me really angry…to think that these heavy metals are in baby food. And I immediately thought we don't have autism in our family. I instantly knew this is it. This is what I'm talking about.” Cantabrana told Spotlight on America that she sought legal help from Baum Hedlund’s Pedram Esfandiary and R. Brent Wisner, attorneys with first-hand knowledge of litigating cases against large corporate defendants like Monsanto Company (see Monsanto Roundup Lawsuit)

The Honourable Amy D. Hogue's ruling now means the case can move into the discovery phase, which allows for internal documents from the defendant companies to be released to the plaintiffs.

You can read more about this case and more potential lawsuits here.

Bob Fiddaman

Akathisia Awareness Rolls Out on The Tube

New adverts on the London Underground fuelled a Twitter storm about akathisia and related psych drug harms. The campaign is sponsored by MISSD, a non-profit that raises awareness of akathisia. MISSD was founded in 2011 by Wendy Dolin after the tragic death of her husband, Stewart, who died six days after taking Seroxat (called Paxil in the US). Akathisia isn't a garden variety "side effect." Akathisia can precipitate your death. 

The current campaign consists of more than 1,000 train posters informing passengers that antidepressants and antipsychotics can cause akathisia which can cause self-harm, violence, and suicide. It's fitting that these adverts are on the Tube, given that both akathisia and the London Underground System have been around for more than 100 years. Tube trains rolled out in 1863, and akathisia was first identified in 1902. Yet, judging by recent tweets, it seems that several psychiatrists have been asleep longer than Rip Van Winkle when it comes to akathisia awareness. (More on this below.)

More importantly, the Tube is an appropriate place for these posters because Tube stations close to psychiatric hospitals tend to have a higher incidence of suicide (Farmer et al., 1991; O'Donnell and Farmer, 1994). Suicide prevention charities, like the Samaritans, are probably aware of this since they also run Tube adverts. It's quite poignant then that these adverts, rigorously scrutinized by the advertising company's review team that works closely with Committees of Advertising Practice (CAP), are running on the Tube. 

Spot the Difference 

The original Tube advert MISSD submitted to the advertising review team/CAP is not the same as today's advert. You can spot the differences below. 

Original Poster

CAP Approved Poster 

MISSD has run mass transit adverts in the US without ever needing to change the copy for approval. But the UK's rules and regulators are different from those in the US. If MISSD didn't make the changes, these akathisia awareness posters would never run on the Tube. The changes include:

1. Target antidepressants and antipsychotics by explicitly naming them;

2. Add the word "rare," and;

3. Remove the phrase "Nobody is immune to akathisia." 

The specific mention of antidepressants doesn't bother me. SSRIs harm thousands of people, and SSRIs often induce akathisia. Withdrawal akathisia is also one of many components people can experience when suffering from Protracted Withdrawal Syndrome. 

But what does trouble me is baseless censorship by the powers that be. We'll never know who comprises the advertising review team/CAP. Are medical professionals reviewing the adverts? If so, what institutions are they from, and do they have financial or ethical conflicts of interest with the pharmaceutical industry?  

Many different drugs do cause akathisia. Psych drugs aren't the only culprits. Could the advertising review team/CAP explain to these moms why the akathisia risks posed by Roaccutane are less worthy of publicizing?

While they're at it, maybe the advertising reviewers can also explain what research they used to insist on the word, rare. Most logical people would not state that 50% and 80% are rare occurrences.

While MISSD prefers their standard advert that runs in the US, the non-profit decided it was better to run the current London campaign, which directs viewers to MISSD.co for more info, than no England awareness campaign. I agree. Medical organizations, suicide prevention charities, and many doctors have worked to keep akathisia risks in the dark. (Kind of like the recent sodium valproate story, a controversy that broke a few days ago yet has been known by British drug regulators for many years.)

Twitter Storm and Feigned Concern 

The majority of tweets sparked by the MISSD advert supported the awareness campaign. One advocate on Twitter who supports MISSD's mission did share her discomfort regarding the word "violence." But honest discussions about iatrogenic harms should include violence when it is a drug-induced effect. The parents of these 22 children who died in a school bus crash in Switzerland could share their thoughts on SSRI-induced violence. So, too, could the surviving relatives of these ten families. 

I suspect pharma has settled SSRI homicide cases out of court, but we'll never hear about those. However, one case that was made public was against GSK (then SmithKline Beecham). Donald Schell, 60, took two Paxil tablets before shooting his wife, their daughter, his granddaughter and himself to death on Feb. 13, 1998. A jury returned the following verdict:

Speaking of pharma brings me to this photo taken by Professor Anthony David, who saw MISSD's poster when he was riding on the Victoria line. David tweeted the adverts are "not helpful and should be removed." 

In 2018, David was appointed Director and Sackler Chair of the new UCL Institute of Mental Health. The Sackler Trust is the "charitable giving" arm created by the Sackler family--the same family responsible for Purdue Pharma's "uncharitable taking" of hundreds of thousands of lives lost due to the company's illegal opioid promotion.

Given the immense harm the Sackler family yielded for profit, it's inconceivable that UCL continues its financial relationship with the Sackler Trust. Moreover, I can't help but wonder if David is proud to carry the "Sackler Chair" title? Is he also proud of all the other money he's taken from other pharmaceutical companies who prescribe the types of drugs that can cause akathisia? They include Janssen, Eli Lilly, and Novartis.

Judging from his tweet, it's challenging to believe David cares about akathisia awareness and prescribed harm any more than the universities that continue taking Sackler's blood money and advertising their crime family partnerships. 

David's tweet invoked many responses from akathisia experts by experience and families whose relatives died avoidable akathisia-induced deaths. The tweet has had more than 230 responses, 99% of which criticise David's proclamation that the adverts should be removed.

One of David's colleagues at UCL, Prof Robert Howard, opined the poster was "Uninformative, confusing and frightening." Howard added the defamatory comment, "There's generally some kind of grift accompanying this kind of health disinformation. Calling it secondary gain would be too kind."

For those who don't know, 'Grift' is slang for "a group of methods for obtaining money falsely through the use of swindles, frauds, dishonest gambling." (UPDATE AT END OF POST)

Howard also tweeted that MISSD's website has "a lot of disinformation," but when asked to point out what was disinformation, he failed to respond. Further, neither Howard nor David have ever explained why they feel the poster is uninformative, unhelpful, and should be removed. They also haven't suggested ways their profession can increase awareness of this critical adverse drug effect. Howard's defamatory comments remain on Twitter today. 

Another Psychiatrist, Robertas Strumila, really scraped the bottom of the barrel when he responded to David's original tweet with this:

Strumila, based in Montpellier, France, later deleted his tweet after a backlash of comments from the prescribed harm community, many of whom have experienced debilitating side effects from antipsychotics. Strumila has never apologised, and Howard and David have never condemned his tweet.

Former Royal College of Psychiatrist President Wendy Burn, also tweeted about MISSD's adverts. Burn criticised them and tweeted, "Most people don't know what akathisia is." 

Um, FYI: Awareness-raising means making people conscious of a problem or issue. This fact, however, seems lost on Burn.

There are four types of akathisia, one of which is actually called Withdrawal Akathisia. MISSD covered this when presenting to RCPsych's International Congress in 2019, a conference session in which Burn herself introduced MISSD to the audience. Withdrawal akathisia has also been discussed in medical journal articles and research papers. The onset of akathisia can start when the dose of the drug is increased or decreased or the drug is stopped. That Burn didn't know you can suffer from akathisia after stopping these drugs is likely one of the reasons she states she hasn't seen it in her practice. Maybe her time needs to be "carefully balanced" between Twitter and taking the 1-hour MISSD Akathisia 101 course that can help her better recognize akathisia.

That assumes, of course, that Burn and other doctors want to recognize and warn patients about akathisia and other adverse drug effects. Lest we forget that in 2020, Burn made a startling revelation to Equally Well UK, an initiative that states it seeks to promote and support collaborative action to improve physical health among people with mental health challenges. 

According to the field of psychiatry, psychotic disorders are severe mental disorders that cause abnormal thinking and perceptions.

Answer me this, what can be more abnormal than one human failing to warn another human that a product may cause harm or, even death?

UPDATE: Prof Rob Howard decided to remove the defamatory post and has now issued a fauxpology on Twitter.

Bob Fiddaman

Poster Ad story in the media

Press Release - New Adverts on the London Underground Are Increasing Akathisia Awareness to Reduce Suicide

Express - Akathisia: Charity warns condition can be a rare side effect of anti-depressants

Telegraph - Should you warn about serious mental health issues in a Tube ad?

Remember, akathisia can be caused by many different categories of drugs, not just antidepressants and antipsychotics, but also antibiotics, anti-hypertensives and many others.

If you are a doctor, pharmacist, coroner, journalist, or member of the public, and you wish to learn more about akathisia, take the FREE online accredited course here.