Patrick McGorry's Delorean Proposal...FAIL

A recent poll undertaken by Psychiatry Update, an e-newsletter and website with the latest psychiatry news from Australia and overseas, has shown that almost 60% of psychiatrists think the Federal Government’s focus on Patrick McGorry's Early Psychosis Prevention and Intervention Centre [EPPIC] (1) is inappropriate. Over 50% of psychiatrists who took the poll also believe that EPPIC puts young people at risk of being over medicated.


Out of the 222 who took the survey, 121 were psychiatrists, almost half of whom also left comments

Psychiatry Update writes:

Among the non-psychiatrists, the biggest group was GPs (23.8%), followed by psychologists (21.8%) and then mental health nurses (12.9%).When asked about the risk of over-medication in EPPIC, 52.1% of psychiatrists thought it would put young people at risk of being over-medicated, with 14.9% “strongly agreeing” it would.A similar proportion of nonpsychiatrists also agreed.

This latest opposition to McGorry's DeLorean machine comes hot on the heels of a proposed clinical trial by McGorry.

McGorry, with the financial assistance of Seroquel manufacturer Astra Zeneca, wanted to carry out a clinical trial [of sorts] with children, among others, who had not yet been diagnosed with a psychotic illness. In other words, he wanted, it appears, to trial out Seroquel, a powerful antipsychotic, on subjects who, for all intents and purposes, had nothing wrong with them.

Psychiatrists, psychologists and researchers from all over the world lodged a complaint when they heard of the planned trial.

McGorry pulled the trial and now denies that the complaint had anything to do with his decision.

The planned trial, which was apparently 'ethically approved' is shrouded in mystery.

On Aug 16 2011, the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry [ANZCTR] showed that the planned study had NOT received approval from at least one ethics committee. Yet 6 days later the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry had been mysteriously amended and showed that the planned trial HAD received approval from at least one ethics committee.

Here's the rub, the icing on the cake if you will. McGorry pulled the trial, so he claims, in June 2011, almost two months before the ANZCTR showed that the planned study had NOT received approval from at least one ethics committee. Maybe the flux capacitor in his time travelling DeLorean was playing up or maybe the ANZCTR had been altered? It's fair to assume something smells here, isn't it?

I'm surprised none of the major Australian newspapers picked up on this 'faux pas'

Melbourne Health said its mental health research ethics committee was "satisfied the process and the decision to give ethics committee approval of the study were appropriate".

The health organisation said the study had been abandoned by the research team for "logistical reasons".

I wonder if they asked why the ANZCTR had miraculously changed overnight to show McGorry's planned trial had received approval?

It will be interesting to see if McGorry and his soothsaying henchmen respond to the Psychiatry Update poll. They have, in the past, slammed their critics and labelled them as an odd mix of armchair critics, conspiracy theorists and Scientologists.

The response from McGorry and Co should prove interesting, I anticipate that it will be published... 6 days ago and appear 6 days later - such is the power of the DeLorean posse.

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(1) The Early Psychosis Prevention and Intervention Centre (EPPIC) is an integrated and comprehensive psychiatric service aimed at addressing the needs of people aged 15-24 with emerging psychotic disorders in the western and north-western regions of Melbourne.

Related articles:


Patrick McGorry Responds to Criticism by Allen Frances

Psychiatrist Patrick McGorry Slams His Critics [Diddums]

The Defence of Prof. Ian Hickie




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Patrick McGorry's Headstrong DeLorean Posse Part I

Image: mycharity.ie

One only has to spend a few minutes browsing the Internet these days in search of resources regarding mental health before they stumble across time-travelling DeLorean psychiatrist, Patrick McGorry. You'd normally have to land on pages from McGorry's country of residence, Australia, so, as you can imagine, I was kind of surprised to see him sitting proudly on the board at Headstrong, the national centre for youth mental health...in Ireland!

That DeLorean certainly has clocked up some miles.

The vision of Headstong is : "...an Ireland where young people are connected to their community and have the resilience to face challenges to their mental health."

Their 2009 annual report sees their [then] Chair, Deirdre Mortell, speak highly of McGorry. The opening of the 2009 annual report reads:

Headstrong continued to advocate for better mental health services for young people, with a special focus on the need to intervene early. We were fortunate to have Professor Pat McGorry of Headstrong’s Board, on sabbatical in Ireland for six months. Pat, who is an international pioneer in youth mental health, used his time in Ireland to share his knowledge about the merits of developing a youth model with an early intervention focus.

6 months?

Mortell continues with: "We were pleased to end the year with a significant grant over the next three years from The Atlantic Philanthropies."

Significant is an understatement. In fact, Headstrong received a massive $1,509,350 from The Atlantic Philanthropies. [1]

Today's Headstrong website sees not only McGorry but also a change of Chair in Sheelah Ryan. Deidrie Mortell is listed as Co-Founder of The One Foundation. That's quite a sabbatical for McGorry. Maybe he keeps flicking the time dial on the DeLorean dashboard because he loves Ireland so much that he wants to remain there...be it in the future...or in the past.

What concerns me here is the stance taken by Headstrong regarding the 'merits' of developing a youth model with an early intervention focus. I suspect there will be DeLoreans at the dozen for Headstrong's board members.

2011

Sheelah Ryan (Chair) - Consultant to the Public Sector.

Dr. Ryan previously chaired the National Breast Screening Board and held this position until the creation of BreastCheck

What I am trying to mull around here is why a Dr, who was part of a breast screening program would now be Chair person of a mental health charity?

Ryan's role before chairing the National Breast Screening Board was chief officer of the Health Service Executive (HSE) West [2]

In December last year a new HSE inpatient facility for young people in crisis was opened in Merlin Park, Galway with plans of a similar unit in Cork in 2011. Would this be the reason why [in 2011] Sheelah Ryan is the Chair of Headstrong?

Headstrong's 2010 Newsletter announced Sheelah Ryan to their Board, adding:

Sheelah qualified as a doctor in NUI Galway and went on to specialise in Public Health medicine. After ten years as Director of Community Care services in the Midland Board, and a further five as Programme Manager of Hospital services in the North-East region, she became C.E.O of the Western Health Board (eight years), and oversaw the transition of the Board into the HSE. In parallel with this, she was the foundation Chair of Breastcheck and continued to Chair the three subsequent boards overseeing its transition into the National Cancer Screening Agency, until finally, the organisation was subsumed into the HSE on the 1st ofApril 2010. During her career, Sheelah was a member of many boards, including Bord Altranais, Comhairle na nOispideal and St Lukes’ Hospital. Since taking early retirement from the Health Services, she provides Consultancy services to the Public Sector on public health issues, organisation development, and governance.

Tony Bates, founder director of Headstrong, wrote in 2010: "...we are in a better position than ever to offer young people a welcome alternative to being admitted to adult psychiatric facilities." [3]

His article, "Good news for young mental health patients", goes on to 'big-up' the Orygen service in Melbourne, Australia, whose founder and clinical director is one Patrick McGorry.

Vroom vroom!

In fact McGorry was quoted, once again in the Irish Times, as early as 1998. In what can only be described as ridiculous and non-scientific, the article, entitled, "New drugs for schizophrenia enable more effective treatment" [4] reads:

New medications to treat schizophrenia are resulting in fewer and less severe side-effects, a leading US psychiatrist has told a medical conference in Dublin. Dr David Pickar, clinical professor of psychiatry at the University of Health Sciences, Maryland, said the new generation of medicines was enabling more effective treatments of all stages of the illness.

Addressing the St John of God/ Eli Lilly conference on schizophrenia (which affects one in every 100 people during their lifetime), Prof Pickar said new drugs were resulting in less social withdrawal, introversion and depression, invariably associated with older medicines.

The St John of God is a hospital in Stillorgan, Dublin, whose Adult Mental Health Research Committee proclaimed in 2009 that they were, "pleased to announce a one day conference with an international line-up of distinguished academics and clinicians. The conference will address important developments in service provision, treatment, outcome and diagnosis of early psychosis." [Fig A]

Fig A

Notice one of the key speakers in 2009? Our time-travelling friend, Patrick McGorry.

Going back in our DeLorean we can see the 1998 Irish Times article,  "New drugs for schizophrenia enable more effective treatment", actually quotes McGorry:

Early recognition and treatment of schizophrenia have significant implications for the future psychiatric and social well-being of the patient, according to Prof Patrick McGorry of the University of Melbourne.

The average delay between the beginning of psychotic symptoms and treatment is about one year. "Everybody who works with or is involved with young people, such as parents, priests and educators, should watch out for consistent changes in behaviour and functioning," he said.

When doctors see young people who may be exhibiting changes in behaviour, they should continue to see them regularly and monitor them closely for emergence of psychosis, Prof McGorry said.

"This helps to reduce the delay before a referral to the appropriate service is made and treatment is started."

Hmm, treatment is started eh? And what of the sponsors of that 1998 conference,  Eli Lilly? Would it be safe to assume that they have/had a vested interest in improving the outcome of psychosis?

Call me a cynic if you want.

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[1] Headstrong Grantee Summary
[2] HSE makes new plans for hospice patients [Irish Times - Friday, April 15, 2005] Subscription Needed
[3] "Good news for young mental health patients" [Irish Times - Tuesday, December 7, 2010]
[4] "New drugs for schizophrenia enable more effective treatment" - [Irish Times - Saturday, October 17, 1998] - Subscription Needed

Related Articles:

Patrick McGorry: "Hey... Paddy... Leave Those Kids Alone"

Patrick McGorry - Torn Asunder Down Under

Early Intervention, McGorry, Politics & TV Shows

Psychiatrist Patrick McGorry Slams His Critics [Diddums]

Is Australia's "Number One Man" Misleading The Public?

Pre-Mental Disorder Screening & Drugging - THE PHARMACEUTICAL DELOREAN

Patrick McGorry's Delorean Pulls Over For New Passenger

Patrick McGorry & Co Under Fire

Hickierie Dickory Doc - McGorry Turns Back the Clock

Psychiatrist's Assessment of Patrick McGorry

Patrick McGorry's "Back to the Future" 2008 Study

Australian Doctor Magazine Sees Patrick McGorry Defend His Position

Australian Member of Parliament, Martin Whitely, also speaks out against McGorry's Headspace initiative HERE.

Good Morning Australia - Here's a Glimpse of Your Future

With the Australian government plowing billions of Aussie dollars into the mental health system and with a large chunk of that money going toward Patrick McGorry's early intervention program, I thought I'd show the Australian population just how their hard earned money is being spent.

Although the following 18 minute video is based in and around the US, it pretty much sums up how dangerous antipsychotic and atypical antipsychotics are when used on children.

Patrick McGorry not only believes in these drugs, he claims he can predict if your child will need them at some stage in their life.

The Australian government have backed McGorry so, in essence, they too are quite comfortable with the use of these drugs in children.

It would be nice to see some vocal action from Australian citizens on this issue, if only to ask McGorry for scientific proof that his early intervention program [DeLorean] is based on scientific data or it's merely guesswork.

This video is a look into the future for Australian parents, come jump on board my DeLorean and let me show you a glimpse of Australia in 3 or 4 years time.

Watch the full episode. See more Need To Know.

Thanks to Stephany for alerting me to this video.


Related Stories:

Patrick McGorry: "Hey... Paddy... Leave Those Kids Alone"

Patrick McGorry - Torn Asunder Down Under

Early Intervention, McGorry, Politics & TV Shows

Psychiatrist Patrick McGorry Slams His Critics [Diddums]

Is Australia's "Number One Man" Misleading The Public?

Pre-Mental Disorder Screening & Drugging - THE PHARMACEUTICAL DELOREAN

Patrick McGorry's Delorean Pulls Over For New Passenger

Patrick McGorry & Co Under Fire

Hickierie Dickory Doc - McGorry Turns Back the Clock

The Drugging of Children - Australian Style


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'THE EVIDENCE, HOWEVER, IS CLEAR...THE SEROXAT SCANDAL' By Bob Fiddaman
US & CANADA HERE OR UK FROM CHIPMUNKA PUBLISHING

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