Hickie Getting Picky With Lancet

Aussie Psychiatrist Ian Hickie

Oh, I do love it when a professional spits his dummy out of the pram, particularly when that professional is a psychiatrist who has ties to the pharmaceutical industry.

Professor Ian Hickie, whom I've wrote about numerous times on this blog, is in a tizz, it seems, with Richard Horton, the editor of The Lancet. You see, Hickie wrote a review that appeared in The Lancet last year, a review that drew some scathing criticism from fellow psychiatrists. Hickies review was, in essence, bigging up the use of Valdoxan [agomelatine] an antidepressant marketed for the treatment of major depressive disorder. Hickie was chastised by his critics for not revealing his ties to Valdoxan manufacturer, Servier.

Now, it seems, the editor of The Lancet has joined in the fun and games. Hickie is accusing Horton of defamation because of tweeting an opinion about the review.

So, Hickie has come out fighting. A full response to Horton's tweet can be viewed on the crikey.com website where Hickie writes:

Sadly, tweeting has not only replaced the academic journal itself as the major source of credible information — the new social media is perceived to be the place where people say what they really believe. Any allegation in cyberspace is instantly assumed to be true and relayed extensively throughout the social network that is modern media.

Do I sense a mild form of paranoia here? "Any allegation in cyberspace is instantly assumed to be true and relayed extensively throughout the social network that is modern media."


Oh lighten up Prof, get down off that pedestal you climbed up upon. You really are not that important.

Hickie, in typical fashion, skirts over the issues of conflict of interest [of which he has many not just Servier] and goes on to tell everyone how hard done by he is]

**Diddums

He further writes:

My professional colleagues who conduct original research, our institutions, health journalists and many of the editors of Australia’s major medical and mental health journals, are well used to receiving these social media missives from the same small band of local anti-medicine or anti-psychiatry warriors.

If it were such a small band of  local anti-medicine or anti-psychiatry warriors then why is Hickie getting so upset about a piddling little tweet?

Hickies professional colleagues include Patrick McGorry, an Australian psychiatrist who drives around town in a DeLorean predicting futures for children. He has a unique ability to spot signs of early psychosis in children - no x-rays, no blood samples, no PET or MRI scans or even urine samples - just a series of interviews and forms with boxes. I've also wrote about McGorry before.

Another of Hickie's professional colleagues is Professor Graham Burrows, who recently hit the news down under for prescribing experimental psychiatric drugs to his patients, a lawsuit against Burrows is pending.

Hickie has every right to come out and defend his name, quite why he would though is baffling. Personally, I believe the God factor has come into play here. Hickie et al have been group back-slapping for so many years now that they cannot see that having financial ties to a product is a conflict of interest. They cannot see how they can be criticised by academics and anti-psychiatry warriors. I've news for Hickie, there's a whole bunch of feisty anti-drug writers out here in cyberspace, most of whom have been harmed by the very same drugs he and his cronies dish out, many of whom have had children harmed by drugs he and his cronies dish out.

The anti-psychiatry warriors, as Hickie puts it, are here to stay. If Hickie does not like opposition or if he is feeling the heat then it may be wise for him to step out of the kitchen and take a good look at himself in the mirror - the image bouncing back is, it appears, living in that great Egyptian river [De Nile]

For the record - I wear a Tarzan-like loin cloth, have a bone through my nose and carry spears, arrows and other weaponry in my ruck-sack - That, I guess, makes me some sort of warrior in Hickie's eyes.

Oh, I regularly tweet too.

Hickie's full response to Twittergate can be read in full HERE, it's already creating a lot of responses, most of which continue to slam him. Will these psychs ever learn. TUT-TUT.

More about Hickie and his professional colleagues below:


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

The Defence of Prof. Ian Hickie

Australian Psychiatrist Ian Hickie's Lancet Paper Heavily Criticised

Hickierie Dickory Doc - McGorry Turns Back the Clock

Australian Psychiatrist Graham Burrows Denies Any "Wrongdoing"

Professor Graham Burrows - The "Cosmetic Psychiatrist?"




Fid


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Political Asylum...Down Under

"As I was decreasing the dose of (my medication) there were severe and urgent symptoms, mostly ongoing, and strong nausea," - Senator Mary Jo Fisher. [Image: The Australian]

Australia has been in the news quite a lot lately with regard to prescription medication of the antidepressant kind.

First we had Patrick McGorry and his band of DeLorean driving merry men who laid claim to the find of the century, a crystal ball that could see into the future and diagnose you, and your children with a mental disorder before you, or your children, actually got it! I have wrote about McGorry many times on this blog, if you Google the search term 'Fiddaman + McGorry' you will find the majority of posts.

In a nutshell, McGorry has convinced the Australian government to throw money at his early intervention program. It would appear the Australian government, or at least some of it's MP's, are finding out for themselves just how brutal psychiatric medication can be.

This from The Australian [Sept 8 2011]

One in five politicians is on medication for depression, claims Andrew Robb

LIBERAL frontbencher Andrew Robb claims 20 per cent of those in federal parliament are using antidepressants.

The opposition finance spokesman, who suffers a form of depression, said yesterday in Adelaide the high pressure of political life caused depressive illnesses

"I do know that at least 20 per cent of the parliament are taking some sort of antidepressant medication," he said. "I don't know who they are, but I know they are. I certainly think for people who are under a lot of stress, like politicians or senior ministers, a lot thrive on that. But others who get a lot of stress, well that can cause a depressive condition."

Full story HERE

Next we have the story that an Australian Senator, Mary Jo Fisher, is up on a charge of grocery theft and assault. Her defence, once again highlighted in The Australian [Sept 9 2011]

Senator Fisher says she hit rock bottom at time of alleged grocery theft and assault

Senator Fisher said she was in the middle of changing her medication after being diagnosed with chronic depression in 2009 and was "zoning in and out"
.
"As I was decreasing the dose of (my medication) there were severe and urgent symptoms, mostly ongoing, and strong nausea," Senator Fisher said.

"(My medication) was not getting me out of the pits of despair."

Full story HERE

I think it safe to say that this should come as a warning to those government officials who back McGorry's early intervention program. If the steak is poisoning people now then imagine what that steak could do to the future of Australian children.

Fisher's defence is not unheard of, to me it appears she is describing akathesia, ["severe and urgent symptoms, mostly ongoing."] This is a common side effect of most psychiatric medication, an adverse reaction that is played down by the psychiatrists who prescribe it, the watchdog that regulate it and the pharmaceutical companies that manufacture it. [The Psychopharma Monopoly]

This is a wake-up call for the Australian government, I'm merely a blogger from Birmingham who has experienced the devastating effects of an SSRi, there are literally hundreds of thousands of others who have experienced the same, if not worse than I.

If stopping or changing medications can cause your own Senator severe side effects...then just imagine what drugs like these can do to your children. If McGorry has his way, he'll hook them up before they get the "illness"

Ball is in your court Australia.



Fid 


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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.

Fid

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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.

Biederman's Antics Throw Spanner Into McGorry's DeLorean

Joseph Biederman and 'best buddy', God

Self-proclaimed "2nd to God" psychiatrist, Joseph Biederman, has had his ass severely kicked this week. The Godly one, along with two of his colleagues, Thomas Spencer and Timothy Wilens, said they were "sorry" for an 'honest' mistake - the  mistake being they forgot to declare the millions of dollars they received from drug firms.

Biederman and his two partners in this 'honest' form of forgetfulness were paid the millions by various pharmaceutical companies, money that promoted dubious research and mislead the public.

Harvard Medical School and the Massachussetts General Hospital issued the three naughty boys with a stern telling off. 'Naughty, naughty boys.' Apparently they were made to stand in a corner for the duration of their lunch break.

Where Harvard Medical School and the Massachussetts General Hospital failed in their pathetic disciplinary procedure, the Australian authorities may show them how it's done.

The Australian newspaper has an enlightening article today. Australia's National Health and Medical Council have been waiting patiently for the outcome of this investigation, in fact they have been waiting since 2009.

The Australian writes:

Australia's National Health and Medical Council held off approving the draft guidelines for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder issued in 2009 as it awaited the outcome of the US conflict-of-interest investigation.

Ouch! I'm guessing this could have serious ramifications for Australian psychiatrist, Patrick McGorry's early intervention program, a program devised to predict if a child will fall foul of a 'mental disorder' in future years, a disorder such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

It's a brave move by The National Health and Medical Research Council, seeing as the Australian government have already thrown McGorry millions of dollars for his time-travelling DeLorean machine.

The Boring Old Man blog has been following the demise of Biederman closely and has some fantastic articles up for your perusal. Stephany Newman, who writes the Soulful Sepulcher blog, has also been keeping dibs on Biederman since news broke of his faux pas.

Is the tide turning? Will this mean that fewer children will be given mind-blowing drugs because they are basically going through the motions of being a child?

Joseph Biederman has a lot to answer, maybe when it's his day of judgement, he can answer to his good buddy, God.

I'm thinking of an elevator ride... going down?

You can read more about Biederman over at Evie Pringle's Catalogue of Articles blog.

As for more background info on McGorry, just Google McGorry + Seroxat Sufferers

Here's God's best buddy Joseph Biederman and his, now infamous, God quote.

Fid


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Good Morning Australia - Want to know about Aropax?

The past 24 hours has seen 49% of my web traffic come from Australia, more than likely looking for the latest information on psychiatrist Graham Burrows, whom I highlighted here, here and here.

Seeing as many are tuning in for the first time to Seroxat Sufferers I'd like to make them aware of the antidepressant drug they know as Aropax - Known as Seroxat in the UK and Paxil in the US and Canada.

Rather than write a long post, I'm uploading 7 videos from Panorama, a UK flagsship current affairs programme.

If you...or you know anyone who is struggling to taper off Seroxat, contact GSK and ask them for help. If they refer you to your doctor then please feel free to drop me a line at fiddaman64 [at] blueyonder.co.uk.

In the meantime, watch and learn how you have been kept in the dark by GlaxoSmithKline...

















Related - The Marketing of Aropax in Australia and the A Plus Project



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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
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Patrick McGorry & Co Under Fire

Martin Whitely, a Western Australian politician and former school teacher, is concerned about Patrick McGorry & Co, he has every right to be.

It would appear that McGorry has been zipping around Australia in his time travelling DeLorean promoting his early intervention program, a program that can "diagnose" not only if your child has a mental disorder but if they will get one in the future!

Whitely recently gave a speech to the Western Australian Legislative Assembly where he voiced his concerns at the government money being thrown at McGorry's projects.

His edited speech can be read HERE

I'll be adding another Back to the Future cast member to this blog soon, Whitely mentions him in his speech. Prof Ian Hickie.


Fid

Back stories on Patrick McGorry:

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


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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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The Box Ticking Nation

Image: Google Images

Now this IS an educational video.



Read the new book, The Evidence, However, Is Clear...The Seroxat Scandal

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

"We don't need no education,
We don't need no thought control."
Pink Floyd - Another brick in the wall.


Former Australian of the year Patrick "DeLorean" McGorry has come back in time - to next week as it happens.

While he's speaking at the American Psychiatric Association annual conference blowing smoke about early psychosis, his British cohort British psychiatrist, Prof. Robin "Marty McFly" Murray, will be attending an "Infant Mental Health" Conference in Perth, W. Australia.

The infant mental health conference is part of the World Infant Mental Health Association whereby guest speakers talk about psychosis and things like cannabis increasing the risk of schizophrenia.

Murray and McGorry were co-authors of a psychosis study published last month. They claimed there are "brain structural abnormalities" in schizophrenics! They studied 102 people "at high risk of developing schizophrenia" (The DeLorean theory again) who were from the Personal Assessment and Crisis Evaluation Clinic [PACEC] in Melbourne, Australia. The clinic is operated from the Orygen Youth mental health centre... which just happens to be run by McGorry, in fact he is the Director of the centre.

Murray [Marty McFly] has received honorariums for speaking at meetings organised by most major producers of antipsychotic drugs, and his research group has received funding from Eli Lilly and Astra Zeneca.

So, what is the infant mental health conference all about? Well, according to the conference organizers, Sapmea, it's this:

The theme of the conference ‘Growing up solid: Integrating emotional and mental health throughout infancy, childhood and adolescence’ has never been more relevant. Mental health disorders cause the highest burden of disease in the 0-18 years age group, yet services to this group remain underfunded, fractured and piecemeal. The AAIMHI and RANZCP Faculty of Child Psychiatry are delighted to host a joint conference, reflecting our commitment to the integration of understanding and treatment of mental illness from infancy to adulthood.

This event is being promoted with artwork of the aboriginal type, it depicts a baby dreaming. Nice touch you guys.

The conference program sees an array of sessions that will take place, they range from eating disorders in infancy to Cannabis and Schizophrenia and management of psychosis. The AAIMHI & FCAP Conference – Preliminary Program can be downloaded HERE.

I've written about Paddy 'DeLorean' McGorry and his early intervention program numerous times on this blog, a program that he wants to go global. So, why is a British Professor [Sir Robin Murray] attending the event? Well he is a firm believer that cannabis can cause the onset of schizophrenia:

"It is one of ten prospective studies all pointing in this same direction. In short, it adds a further brick to the wall of evidence showing that use of traditional cannabis is a contributory cause of psychoses like schizophrenia."

[SOURCE]

So, why attend an event in Western Australia? Well, the event, it could be said, is going to target the indigenous population, known to enjoy a reefer or two. Hey, first let's rape their land, second we will tell them that what they have been doing for thousands of years can give them a mental disorder!

I am particularly stupefied with the following quote from Murray, taken from the BBC news on April 30 2007. Here he was speaking of cannabis use:

"Proving a long-term effect was extremely difficult, as it was not ethical or feasible to stimulate long-term psychosis in volunteers. If something has an active effect in inducing the symptoms of psychosis after one dose, then it would not be at all surprising if repeated use induced the chronic condition."

"HELLO, MCFLY... ANYBODY AT HOME?"

So, cannabis can cause psychosis but don't worry it can be treated with anti-psychotic medication - no problem with meds of that nature causing psychosis, right?

Don't get me wrong, I'm not a fan of cannabis, the UK has a huge problem, many teenagers can't seem to get enough of the bud and regular morning trips on public transport sees school kids puffing away whilst talking like a gangster from a hip hop music video...and that's just the white British kids!

You cannot treat one brain fuck up chemical with another brain fuck up chemical. Hey, let's treat alcoholism with...ummmm... alcohol, while we're at it.

PATIENT: "Doctor, I am drinking a bottle of Vodka a night"

DOCTOR: "Here, take this" [Doctor hands patient bottle of Whiskey]

Yes, there is a huge cannabis problem here in Blighty but there is an even bigger problem in binge drinking and sniffing of powder [of the white variety] We also have a problem much bigger than booze and cocaine, we have doctors prescribing brain altering chemicals to children, a regulator [MHRA] who bury their heads in the sand citing "We told doctor's it's not recommended for children." Oh, thank you MHRA, thank you so much for sending out letters. You really do care doncha!

As comedian Chris Rock once said, the government don't want you to take YOUR drugs, they want you to take THEIR drugs.

So, while editor in chief of The official journal of the International Early Psychosis Association (IEPA) [Patrick McGorry] is giving it some in the US at the American Psychiatric Association annual conference, Prof Robin Murray, who just happens to be on the editorial board of the "official journal of IEPA", will be 'giving it large' in Perth from May 12 to 14th 2011.

These people see a social problem and they pounce on it. Before you know it there will be drugs given to football hooligans or people who express their freedom by protesting.

McGorry was voted Australian of the year in 2010.

Murray was knighted in the 2011 New Year Honours for services to medicine.

Thank you Maam.

Fid


Jimmy Barnes - We Could Be Gone (F and W)


You and me are from different tribes
Never learned to talk, so we learned to fight
Communication like water spilled
What we can't take in was lost or killed

We learned to live where we bore each child
Every step we took lost another mile
Came the day we were face to face
Didn't understand so our instincts raced

If we don't get together at all, we lose it
Get to the table and talk, we'll choose it
Forget what's been said before, confusing
Out of the heart of it all our future's born
If we don't look inside our souls, we could be gone

Forty thousand years underneath your belt
Now you have to pray where the white man knelt
You've been ridiculed because of what you felt
Tried to crucify you, but you fought like hell

The dreams that lead your every move
Full of stories you could never prove
If god is part of the written word
There are stories that your god ain't heard

If we don't get together at all, we lose it
Get to the table and talk, we'll choose it
Forget what's been said before, confusing
Out of the heart of it all our future's born
If we don't look inside our souls, we could be gone

J.Barnes/J.Neill/T.Brock

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Patrick McGorry - Torn Asunder Down Under

Is time catching up with Australian psychiatrist Patrick McGorry?

Talk about timing. No sooner had I blogged about Australian psychiatrist Patrick "DeLorean" McGorry, another gem of an article pops up on the Internet.

Meet Martin Whitely, a former school teacher turned politician, who, it seems, is not quite happy with the way Patrick McGorry seems to be running the whole mental health system in Australia.

Whitely, unlike Halifax, Nova Scotia politician Stan Kutcher, is opposed to McGorry's early intervention program and pre-drugging children so this blog post is not about another politician in cahoots with McGorry, in fact it's quite the opposite.

Whitely is the author of, 'Speed Up and Sit Still', a book that challenges the science, marketing and politics of Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. [ADHD] He first became concerned about ADHD child drugging in the mid 1990s. His job back then as a teacher gave him the opportunity to witness the alarming number of boys in his class who were medicated for ADHD but were unnaturally quiet and compliant.

His campaigning started before he became a politician and more recently he has been questioning the ethics of former Australian of the year Patrick McGorry.

On May 4 Whitely posed the question on his website, "Is Patrick McGorry’s and the Independent Mental Health Reform Group’s $3.5b blueprint for Australian mental health the way forward, or a prescription for more ‘psychiatric disorders’, ‘off label’ prescribing and youth suicide?"

The article was sent to McGorry for his response, that response is now up on Whitely's page. It's interesting reading, particularly as McGorry has failed to answer some important questions put to him by Whitely.

In McGorry we have a believer in pre-drugging children before they fall ill, that's pretty much the nuts & bolts of it. The Aussie government are, it appears, in agreement with McGorry's time travelling program and earlier this month McGorry's HEADSPACE was given a pledge of $3AUS MILLION from the Australian government. The money will go toward 10 new sites for the Headspace youth mental health service, each receiving $AUS 300,00.

This is practically peanuts compared to what McGorry has asked for.

In December 2010 Australian Minister for Mental Health, Mark Butler, appointed Professors McGorry and Hickie as members of a Mental Health Expert Working Group. Shortly after being appointed McGorry and co established the Independent Mental Health Reform Group. Last month [March 2011] the same Independent Mental Health Reform Group released its blueprint for mental health.

The figure? A staggering $3.5 Billion Australian dollars!

With this in mind, Whitely posed some questions for McGorry to answer. To be honest I was surprised that McGorry even responded but fair dinkum, he did.

Whitely's questions, McGorry's right of reply and Whitely's last word can be read here. The correspondence is long so grab yourself a cup of tea, sit comfortable and don't touch that flux capacitor!

On a footnote, Whitely's article coincides with a paper published in the British Medical Journal [BMJ] yesterday. The author, Ray Moynihan, writes about the The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders [DSM], in particular its conflict of interests and the way it defines "disease." You can read it here.

It's a cracking read and both Whitely's and Moynihan's work marry well. You should read them both.

For a concise background on Patrick McGorry read the following articles from CCHR:

The Brave New World of Pre-Drugging Kids: Patrick McGorry & Psychosis Risk Syndrome

Australian Psychiatrist Patrick McGorry Wants His Pre-Drugging Agenda to Go Global

If that isn't enough for you to digest, you can read this, "Psychiatrist Patrick McGorry Slams His Critics [Diddums]" - written by yours truly.

Fid






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Early Intervention, McGorry, Politics & TV Shows

PART I - Early Intervention - Patrick McGorry

I cannot browse the Internet these days without reading about Australian psychiatrist Patrick "Dr. Emmett Brown" McGorry.

Whatever I seem to be researching these days leads me to McGorry.

McGorry was voted Australian of the year in 2010, an award given for the achievement and contribution of eminent Australians.

McGorry is an international researcher and clinician who bangs the drum loudly for the youth mental health reform agenda. He is Executive Director of Orygen Youth Health (OYH), an organisation for the prevention and treatment of mental illness. OYH apparently targets the needs of young people with "emerging" serious mental illness, including first-episode psychosis.

First episode psychosis, according to the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health [CAMH] is the first time a person experiences a psychotic episode, the 'episode' being a loss of contact with reality, in which people have trouble distinguishing between what is real and what is not.

Medication used to treat this 'illness' is varied

Typical antipsychotic medications that are commonly used include:

Thorazine/Largactil [chlorpromazine]
Depixol/Fluanxo [flupenthixol]
Modecate/Permitil/Prolixin [fluphenazine]
Aloperidin/Bioperidolo/Brotopon [haloperidol]
Loxapac/Loxitane [loxapine]
Etrafon/Trilafon [perphenazine]
Orap [pimozide]
Mellaril/Novoridazine/Thioril [thioridazine]
Navane [thiothixene]
Eskazinyl/Eskazine/Stelazine [trifluoperazine]
Cisordinol/Clopixol/Acuphase [zuclopenthixol]

Atypical antipsychotic medications include:

Clozaril/Zaponex [clozapine]
Zyprexa [olanzapine]
Seroquel [quetiapine]
Risperdal [risperidone]


I've included the brand names in the list to avoid any confusion.

So, where does McGorry fit in? Patrick McGorry has claimed that nearly half the Australian population will experience mental ill-health during their lifetime. His early intervention program, based on a series of box ticking forms, diagnoses people, many of them children, before they develop a "mental disorder" - to nip this "illness" in the bud [before the patient actually gets it] drugs, such as the ones listed above, can be used.

McGorry has received grant support from Eli Lilly, Janssen-Cilag, Bristol Myers Squibb, Astra-Zeneca, Pfizer, and Novartis. He is also a paid consultant for, and has received speaker’s fees from all or most of the above.

When requests, under the Freedom of Information Act, were requested regarding McGorry's dealings with the pharmaceutical industry, he screamed that he was the victim of Scientologists, a worn out defence psychiatrists and the pharmaceutical industry often use when backed into a corner.

PART II - Politics

McGorry often turns up at symposiums [that's seminars to you and I] to discuss, rather than debate, his program.

It should come as no surprise that fellow supporters/psychiatrists also attend these seminars.

Psychiatrist turned Liberal candidate for Halifax, Nova Scotia, Stan Kutcher, is one such person.

Last week I broke the news story that Kutcher had been featured in The Coast, a newspaper that serves the Halifax area of Nova Scotia. The story picked up momentum, particularly after Kutcher threatened to sue The Coast - they subsequently removed the article, apologised and made a donation in Kutcher's name to the Mental Health Foundation of Nova Scotia

The article cited Kutcher's involvement with the infamous Paxil 329 study, a study that has since been discredited by many peers and attorneys in court rooms across the US. Kutcher, for whatever reason, has stood by the study claiming that the article was "confusing opinion with science." In fact the whole study was ghostwritten by Sally K Laden, not to be confused with Bin Laden. The question we, as patient advocates, have every right to ask, is did Kutcher know the paper was ghostwritten or did he just take it on trust that what he was overseeing came from those listed as the authors?

Kutcher, just like McGorry, is a big fan of the early intervention program and has attended and given talks at many seminars where McGorry has been in attendance.

Source

Those that spoke out against Kutcher's involement in the Paxil 329 study, myself included, were...wait for it...labelled Scientologists. It is unknown whether Kutcher was aware that an anti-Scientology movement were orchestrating a smear campaign against one of those that spoke out against Kutcher. [More Here]

Update: Kutcher failed in his attempt to get elected.

Part III - TV Shows

Early today I was sent a link to a TV show aired in Ireland back in 2009. The show featured the parents of Shane Clancy, a young man who was prescribed Cipramil [Celexa in US] then weeks later, and totally out of character, went berserk with a kitchen knife, stabbing a young man to death, injuring two others before finally plunging the knife into his body 19 times.

His parents, Leonie and Tony, made the unprecedented step of going public about their son by appearing on a popular Irish show called 'The Late Late Show.'

The 24 minute video of the interview is a bit difficult to navigate to when accessing the RTE website. For those wishing to view the interview:

Go to - http://www.rte.ie/tv/latelate/20091002.html

Below the date 'Friday, 2 October 2009' you will see a large screen plus four small ones. Under the smaller ones click on 'More'

The video you are looking for is called 'The Clancy's'

During the harrowing interview, a number of doctor's in the audience offer opinion regarding SSRi drugs. One such doctor, Dr Harry Barry, refers to 'a visiting professor, "one of the world's experts on youth mental health" who gave a talk in Ireland.

That visiting professor was Patrick McGorry who according to Dr Barry described Ireland's young adult mental health services as non-existent.

Dr Barry, a best-selling Irish medical doctor based in County Louth, went on to say that "...in Australia they have managed to get around this problem by realising that young people are only mature [brain wise] at the age of 25. They brought in a system called *Headspace, which basically is scattered throughout Australia, which is allowing young people easy and free access to all of the mental health services they require."

*Headspace receives huge funding from the Australian government. In fact, only last month it was announced that $3AUS million had been pledged by the Federal Government who announced 10 new sites for the Headspace youth mental health service will begin operating by the end of the year. [Source ABC News Australia]

Dr Harry Barry is a board member of AWARE, a depression support organisation.

AWARE offers a diagnostic tool on its website, a three minute assessment for anxiety, depression, PTSD and bipolar disorder.

The tool, known as the M-3, was created by primary collaborators Robert M. Post, MD Head of the Bipolar Collaborative Network, Bernard M. Snyder, MD Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Georgetown University and a cognitive behavioral therapist, Michael L. Byer, President of M3 Information and Gerald Hurowitz, MD Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Columbia University and a clinical psychopharmacologist.

You can read more about the diagnostic tool here - they have even launched it on Apple iPad.

I'd love to know how McGorry's program actually works, indeed if either McGorry, Kutcher or Dr Harry Barry can tell me then I'd be most grateful. Pre-drugging a child simply because his parent, grandparents or great-grandparents had some form of mental illness is not science, it's guess work and it is wrong to treat guess work with powerful antipsychotic and Atypical antipsychotic medication.

Be careful what boxes you tick folks... you could be labelled as having a mental disorder - not now...but sometime in the near future.

Time for McGorry and co to fire up that old Delorean.

Psychiatrist Patrick McGorry Slams His Critics [Diddums]

Image: Patrick McGorry
globalinksnewswire.com

I had to laugh at the article from the Herald written last August.

It would appear that Australian psychiatrist Patrick McGorry [originally an Irish born lad] doesn't like it when he is brought to task regarding his early intervention claims [He can predict if a child can get a mental disorder in later years you know]

The article, written by Brigid O'Connell, lays claim that McGorry has become the target by the Church of Scientology after he and other psychiatrists spoke out against them. I think you will find that it's the other way around.

The Citizens Commission on Human Rights [CCHR] have, for a long time, been on McGorry's back. Where McGorry gets confused [bless him] is that CCHR is not the Church of Scientology. Okay, CCHR was founded by the Church [and actually also a psychiatrist Thomas Szasz, who no doubt wouldn't agree with your "early intervention" drugging kids fad either] but they are funded by Tom, Dick and Harry...that is, by anyone concerned enough about human rights.

CCHR have requested documents under the Freedom of Information Act. Documents that may or may not show McGorry's links to the pharmaceutical industry. We are not talking about a free dinner here, we are talking millions of Aussie dollars.

You see, McGorry has devised a program whereby it could be...um...guessed through early intervention if children would develop a mental disorder in later years. Your modern day DeLorean time machine if you will.

One would imagine that such a test would involve some sort of brain scanning machine or maybe a series of blood tests. Nope... just form filling or rather box-ticking. That's all the info the early intervention program needs to diagnose [stigmatise] a child...or rather "predict" if a child will fall foul to a mental disorder. Hey, and McGorry and friends know exactly how to treat this invisible futuristic illness too.

I find it odd that McGorry would cry victim, even more so that he would claim to be the target of "harassment." Would he do the same if Joe Bloggs requested information under the Freedom of Information Act or is he just pissed at CCHR? If the Catholic Church were to request such documents would McGorry & Co scream that they were being victimised?

For the record Paddy [McGorry], I'm not a great fan of yours either. I'd also like to see if you are funded by the industry and would ideally love to take a ride in your Delorean to predict now if I will get an ingrowing toenail when I'm 55. "Please Massa, show me the boxes to tick. I promise to be a gooooood patient"

Oh, I'm not a Scientologist either but have won two human rights awards from CCHR. Geez, they must have "brainwashed" me [which, by the way Paddy, only your drugs can do]...can your early intervention program undo what they have done to my brain? Can you give me some drugs please Paddy?

Come on Paddy, be a good little psychiatrist and show the world that you have nothing to hide...unless of course you have something to hide? Show the Aussie government the $3.5 billion "investment" plan for its kids you want to rip off the taxpayers isn't gonna be used to put them on antipsychotics that those drug companies which probably fund you are going to benefit from. Is this really why you feel harassed - you may not get your booty?

The only way people can seek the truth is by going through proper channels, namely by using the Freedom of Information Act. That's their given right, Paddy! Everyone has a right to use this tool be they Scientologists, a human rights movement, someone who claims to be from the planet Zog or someone who has delusions that Shania Twain will one day mattress dance with them.

Oh by the way, I walk under ladders as I'm not very superstitious - if I were to avoid walking under ladders I'm sure your profession would label me with some disorder, have me drugged to the eyeballs, restrained and injected with experimental drugs. Maybe you can tell me if I will walk under ladders in future years?

Face it, your crystal ball is no more effective than a fortune teller at the end of a seaside pier. At least she has the signs outside telling customers that she is paid for her crystal ball gazing.

It never ceases to amaze me that when psychiatrists are backed into a corner they scream victim. When their patients are backed into a corner, restrained, injected and/or force-fed psychiatric drugs they have no choice but to take it on the chin.

Your Delorean needs a new flux capacitator Paddy. CCHR are coming to getcha...and there are many who support their work.

Bob Fiddaman
Shania Twain fan.

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