A new book on pharmaceuticals and public health has been published by Health Action International (HAI) collaborators Charles Medawar and Anita Hardon.
The book Medicines Out of Control: Antidepressants and the Conspiracy of Goodwill uses the case of antidepressants to build its argument that pharmaceutical medicine is losing sight of health and lacks public accountability. The book highlights the role that enormous drug promotion, lax regulation, overprescribing and use of mood-regulating drugs including such big name medicines as Prozac and Seroxat/Paxil have played in creating a growing drug crisis.
UK Government’s Drugs Inquiry
In May 2003, the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency set up an expert group of the Committee on Safety of Medicines to review the safety of widely prescribed antidepressant drugs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors - SSRIs) including Seroxat, Prozac and related drugs in the UK. Particular emphasis is on withdrawal reactions and reported suicidal behaviour. The committee is expected to report its findings in May 2004.
More information on HAI website or visit the website of Social Audit Ltd for the complete table of contents and the introductory chapter.
