7 replies to this topic

[Wagtail]

I can't believe it ..they have just reported on the news here in Australia that they are using PROZAC to help stroke victims !!!!...
I don't know what to think but fear for these poor people ... Not just the side effects but the withdrawals would probably kill them ..

[fishinghat]

You are right Wagtail. Prozac isn't as bad as Cymbalta but it sure isn't a picnic!!

 

They are just looking for another way to market their medicine.

[thismoment]

Hi Wagtail

 

Hope you are having a good day!

 

The use of antidepressants for stroke victims was studied some years ago in the US, and there was some conflict-of-interest issues that arose at the time. Here is some history on that, and once again, it's helpful to know who funded the research. The concept for marketing antidepressants to stroke victims has surfaced again with a recent French study (funded by BigPharma, as was the first study).

 

Undisclosed Financial Ties: JAMA (Journal of American Medical Association) editor hoodwinked once again. (You can google this).

 

"The lead author of this study, Dr. Robert Robertson of the University of Iowa Medical Centre focussed only on a comparison between the drug and a placebo, but not problem-solving therapy-- which proved equally beneficial compared to the placebo. He promoted the commercially valuable, partial findings of the study, encouraging the media to hype the use of antidepressants."

 

Dr. Robert Robinson has served as a consultant to Hamilton Pharmaceutical Company and Avanir Pharmaceutical Company. He serves on the speakers bureau for Forest Laboratories. Forest Laboratories manufactures the antidepressant used in the NIMH study- Lexapro.

 

Dr. Robinson was also listed on the speakers bureau for Forest and Pfizer (who makes Zoloft).

 

This new study selling Prozac (Eli Lilly) was conducted by Francois Challet MD of France. Dr. Challet works for Pierre Fabre Laboratories which markets Eli Lilly and Pfizer products in Europe. Dr. Robert Robinson is also linked to this study, and has commented positively on the new French study.

 

It all stinks, and the media needs to do its homework before putting this crap on TV as though it were real science- it's really just a fast-talking advertisement dressed up in a white lab coat. Also, it wouldn't surprise me if the network that reported the study is funded by BigPharma.

[FiveNotions]

At one point, a few months ago, I tried to do some research on the connections/relationships between pharma and media executives and, primarily, boards of directors... I wasn't feeling well enough to pursue it....but maybe I'll give it another go.....we now know the incestuous relationship between politics and media.....husbands in the White House staff, wives in media (jay carney/Clare shipman sp) are just one example....I'm sure that a bit of poking...even with a very short stick...will turn up similar incestuous ties between pharma and media....

:-(((

[thismoment]

There's a lot of money to be made selling drugs.

[FiveNotions]

Well, I watched a lawyer I knew get very wealthy as a big pharma lobbyist....he was one of the dumbest most obnoxious SOBs I've ever encountered.....

[xman]

Will that is just rich. I didn't realize Prozac was a Lily drug. So they are using Prozac to treat crapalta withdrawal/discontinuation syndrome. I could just scream due to frustration and all the damage this drug his caused so so very many people.

[gail]

Xman, I did not know either. To say that it stinks, is putting it mildly.