NAVY Vet Told To Leave Hospital Over 'Cocaine' Actually Needed Emergency Surgery

dailycaller
Jonah BennettNational Security/Politics Reporter
12:28 PM 01/14/2018

U.S. Navy veteran Eric Walker was told to go home and take care of his cocaine addiction when he went to the emergency room at the Dorn Veterans Hospital in South Carolina over serious stomach pains.

It turns out 47-year-old Walker, who served in the Navy during the first Iraq War, had gall stones and gall bladder and pancreas disease. He’s now suing the Veterans Administration, The State reports.

When Walker first entered the emergency room in May 2015, medical staff at the Dorn VA apparently asked for a urine sample in response to complaints about stomach pain.

After an hour, staff told him he tested positive for cocaine and stated that “his stomach pains were a direct result of ingesting multiple illegal drugs, in particular, excessive cocaine,” notes a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court of Columbia.

Moreover, Walker says staff told him to head home and get rid of his cocaine addiction.

Walker’s condition got worse and after a few days, his neighbor had to drive him to Lexington Medical Center, where his attorney Todd Lyle said Walker was “promptly diagnosed and rushed to emergency surgery for gall stones and disease of the gall bladder and pancreas.”

Walker recovered from the surgery, and now he’s seeking damages from the VA to recover costs from his treatment at Lexington and for pain and suffering. His lawsuit claims his urine was switched with someone else’s at the hospital, and was the reason for the cocaine abuse misdiagnosis.



Thank You Mr Bennet and the DC

Horror Show: VA Hired Health Care Workers With Revoked Medical Licenses For Years

townhall
Matt Vespa
Posted: Dec 23, 2017 1:00 PM

Well, there was more bad news for Veterans Affairs yesterday. Apparently, the VA had hired workers with expired medical licenses for the past 15 years. USA Today reported there was a crossing of the legislative wires in which a 2002 law gave local entities the ability to hire workers as long as they had a valid license in one state. Yet, a 1999 federal law prohibits any health care worker from working at a VA facility if his or her medical license had been revoked in any state. Of course, members of Congress are concerned, with one member saying that the VA appears to be a “dumping ground” for these sorts of individuals in the health care industry. The publication added 31 House members and 14 U.S. Senators have sent letters to VA Secretary David Shulkin expressing their concern. Shulkin has ordered a compete re-writing of the hiring practices for the VA, along with a nationwide review to find if there are any other health care professionals with revoked licenses working in the VA system (via USA Today):


The Department of Veterans Affairs has allowed its hospitals across the country to hire health care providers with revoked medical licenses for at least 15 years in violation of federal law, a USA TODAY investigation found.

The VA issued national guidelines in 2002 giving local hospitals discretion to hire clinicians after “prior consideration of all relevant facts surrounding” any revocations and as long as they still had a license in one state.

But a federal law passed in 1999 bars the VA from employing any health care worker whose license has been yanked by any state.

Hospital officials at the VA in Iowa City relied on the illegal guidance earlier this year to hire neurosurgeon John Henry Schneider, who had revealed in his application that he had numerous malpractice claims and settlements and Wyoming had revoked his license after a patient death. He still had a license in Montana.

[…]

The USA TODAY investigation published earlier this month found that in addition to hiring Schneider, VA hospitals have knowingly hired other health care providers with past license discipline. In some cases, they have gone on to harm veterans.

[…]

USA TODAY reported that the malpractice claims against Schneider included cases alleging he made surgical mistakes that left patients maimed, paralyzed or dead, and that his veteran patients in Iowa already have suffered complications. One of those patients, 65-year-old Richard Joseph Hopkins, died from an infection in August after four brain surgeries by Schneider in a span of four weeks.

[…]

Schneider denied in an interview that he had provided substandard care and blamed poor patient outcomes on other providers or unfortunate complications that can occur in neurosurgery.

Hopkins’ daughter Amy McIntire told USA TODAY this week that she is furious Schneider was hired in the first place and floored by the national policy that allowed it.

“I’m appalled by the ineptitude at the VA,” said McIntire, a registered nurse who noted that an agency so large has numerous staff to write policies and ensure they comply with federal law. “For it just to be ignored, it’s crazy.”

Nearly 50 members of Congress have called on the VA for answers since USA TODAY’s story ran.

Rep. Mike Coffman (R-CO) said, “The dumping ground for all these folks is the VA.” The issues plaguing this agency have been lingering for years. It led to the resignation of former VA Secretary Eric Shinseki under Obama. The waiting times issue was appalling, with the VA Inspector General claiming that hundreds of thousands of veterans may have died as a result of the appointment fiasco. In Los Angeles, nearly 100 veterans died waiting for health care between October 2014 and August 2015, though the report does not explicitly say that the wait times were the reason these patients died. There’s also another report that links veteran suicides to neglect. Some reforms have been enacted, but we still have a ways to go.


Thank You Mr vespa and Townhall.

Marine Veteran Denied VA Care After Waiting Over A Year For Treatment

freebeacon
Natalie Johnson
December 22, 2017 10:00 am

Retired U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Rick Disney had served in the military about a year when he fell from a repel tower and broke his heel in Norfolk, Va., during a 1999 training exercise.

In the years that followed, Disney was deployed overseas to carryout anti-terrorism operations, where he endured the wear-and-tear of an active duty service member, suffering neck, back, and leg pain that has persisted for more than a decade after he transitioned to the inactive reserves in 2002.

He first visited the Veterans Affairs hospital in Tampa, Fla., to receive care in 2013. He recalls a chaotic process, running around the facility's campus for six hours in an attempt to file a claim for treatment.

Disney then waited nine months to receive his first appointment. He spent another six months undergoing medical tests, but never received treatment. A year later, Disney received a letter rejecting his claim for benefits, asserting his injuries weren't sustained on active duty.

"When I got the denial claim in the mail I was disappointed, but I didn't expect much," Disney told the Washington Free Beacon. "The staff's treatment throughout the whole ordeal set it up where I wasn't surprised when I was turned away. It was just a long, drawn-out process, and for the veterans who are in immediate need for care, that's a life or death issue."

Lawmakers over the past year have floated several bills to give veterans the option to seek private-sector medical care if the VA is unable to provide a patient with an adequate healthcare team in a timely manner.

Though varying in detail, all three pieces of legislation would overhaul the private-sector Veterans Choice Program created by Congress in response to a 2014 scandal regarding over manipulated wait times at federal facilities that led to the deaths of dozens of veterans. The program was intended to temporarily provide veterans with greater flexibility to visit care providers outside of the VA's network of healthcare facilities.

With government funding set to run out Friday and a lack of consensus on those bills, VA secretary David Shulkin has urged lawmakers to pass a temporary stopgap measure "to ensure our veterans receive uninterrupted care."

Disney, who now works as a senior field director at the conservative Concerned Veterans for America, has advocated for a Senate measure that would increase access to private care "rather than relying on the VA bureaucracy to determine eligibility criteria." CVA has endorsed the bill, cosponsored by Republican Sens. John McCain (Ariz.) and John Moran (Kans.).

"I know veterans who are no longer here who needed immediate action, they needed immediate response, they needed help sooner, and then they self medicated and now they're dead," he said. "If they had the opportunity to go to any doctor and use their VA benefits elsewhere, there's a possibility that something different would have happened if they didn't have to wait for care." 

This entry was posted in Issues and tagged Veterans, Veterans Affairs. Bookmark the permalink.

Thank You Ms Johnson and Free Beacon.

The Trump Administartion Is Making Progress On Veterans Affairs

American Thinker
By Larry Alton
Dec 10, 2017

Whether you’re on the right, left, or squarely in the middle, we can all agree that veterans aren’t treated nearly as well as they should be in this country. In fact, they’re blatantly disrespected in many ways. But how is President Trump, who made lots of campaign promises to veterans, doing on this issue after roughly a year in office?

Where Trump Found Things

When Barack Obama entered office in 2009, he found the veterans of this country in the middle of a decades-long plight, which he promised to fix many times during his campaign for the presidency.

“Caring for those who serve -- and for their families -- is a fundamental responsibility of the Commander-in-Chief,” Obama said in a 2007 campaign speech. “It is not a separate cost. It is a cost of war. It is something I've fought for as a member of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs. And it is something I will fight for as President of the United States.”

Perhaps Obama did fight, but he certainly didn’t get any results. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is in worse shape than it’s ever been. Scandals, abuse of funds, and a toxic workplace culture are just a few of the issues plaguing the VA, and they all seemed to be exacerbated under the Obama administration.

Even something as seemingly simple as trying to locate and receive military documents that are needed in order to apply for things like VA mortgages, retirement benefits, and employment is nearly impossible to do on your own. Most veterans end up using a service like DD214 Direct to streamline the process.

This isn’t an article about Obama’s failures -- of which there are plenty -- but it’s important to understand where things stood when Trump entered office. Not to give the Trump administration excuses, but rather to show why the VA was such a big priority during the campaigning season and continues to be today.

Is Trump Making Headway?

With so much in disarray, President Trump had his work cut out for him entering office. However, he promised to make the VA a focal point, so it’s fair game to hold him accountable and see how he’s doing. And if you cut through all of the media noise and BS, you’ll see that he’s actually making some headway. Here are just a few examples of small wins and steady steps in the right direction:
With so much corruption in the VA, Trump signed into law legislation that paves the way for the firing of employees who engage in misconduct. It also helps protect the whistleblowers. In what Trump once called “the most corrupt agency in the United States,” these new standards have already led to the firing of a whopping 1,163 employees and suspension of an additional 387 (as of early November).
In May, the White House proposed a 6 percent increase to the VA budget, which included an increase of $13 billion for the “choice” program that allows veterans to opt for private healthcare coverage.
One of Trump’s campaign promises was a private hotline to the White House to field complaints 24/7. While it’s been a bumpy road, the administration has followed through on this promise with a soft launch.
In August, Trump signed legislation to give veterans an additional $3 billion for educational assistance over the next decade. Forever GI, which is actually a combination of more than a dozen different bills, allows spouses and children of service members killed on duty to qualify for scholarships (or have tuition reimbursed.

This isn’t to say Trump has fixed the VA. He hasn’t even solved some of its biggest problems yet. What his slow, steady progress does show is that he’s making the VA a priority.

There’s a long way to go. Privatization of the VA is probably the only permanent solution to the longstanding plight of veterans in the U.S., but that’s an enormous battle that would likely require a two-term presidency. If the VA is ultimately fixed, it’ll be thanks to big changes like this. But if you want to know where a president should start, just look at what Trump is doing right now. You start with small wins, build trust, and then execute more sweeping reforms.

It’s Too Early to Judge

Why is it that the Left is so quick to judge the Trump presidency as a failure when he’s completed, at a very minimum, just 25 percent of his term? Who says he has to live up to every promise within the first year? What would we have said about Obama, Clinton, and Carter if they had only been given a year to enact their policies?

History will ultimately determine whether the Trump presidency was a success or failure. It’s impossible to do so in the moment (especially when it’s only a fraction of the way complete). However, as we begin to see what sort of leadership style Trump has adopted as president, it’s clear that he’s not nearly as impulsive as most thought he would be. Sure, the tweets are still questionable (at best), but his actual decision-making is rather poised.

On the topic of veterans affairs, Trump hasn’t lived up to every promise he made during the campaign, but he has at least three years left. He has, however, made progress in some key areas and laid promising foundations in others. While the media will continue to bash him for breathing, the reality is that he’s already done more to benefit veterans than Obama accomplished in eight years.



Thank You Mr Alton and American Thinker.

VA Hired Doctors With Malpractice Claims, Felony Convictions Against Them

dailycaller
Jonah BennettNational Security/Politics Reporter
4:56 PM 12/03/2017

The Department of Veterans Affairs has carried on with the practice of hiring doctors with malpractice claims and felony convictions in their backgrounds.

A USA Today investigation has found that the VA’s hiring process for physicians may not be as thorough as it seems. The hiring process entails license verification and reference-checking, but it appears as though VA officials have some amount of discretion when they discover medical licensing problems, malpractice or felony convictions.

In other words, VA officials can simply disregard sordid pasts and approve hiring of questionable doctors, anyway.

For example, in one case USA Today uncovered, a VA hospital in Muskogee, Oklahoma, brought on a psychiatrist in 2013, despite knowing he had a history of actions taken against his medical license for sexual misconduct, among other things.

This psychiatrist, Stephen Lester Greer, ended up having a sexual relationship with a patient at the VA. In August, he pleaded guilty to trying to persuade the patient to lie about the relationship.

Another psychiatrist started work at a VA clinic in 2014 in Lafayette, Louisiana, although he had felony convictions on his job application. The VA overlooked those convictions, but then ran a background check more than a year after his firing. Officials discovered eight arrests, some of which involved drug dealing and burglary.

This unnamed psychiatrist was still allowed to practice until a couple of years ago., at which point the VA was inundated with complaints about patient mistreatment. He was finally fired earlier in 2017.

Infamous psychiatrist David Houlihan, who worked at the Tomah VA in Wisconsin and was known by veterans as the “candy man” for doling out copious amounts of drugs, took on the job in 2002 and then became chief of staff in 2004. The VA ignored the fact that the Iowa Board of Medicine had stated he became involved with a patient inappropriately and also that he had taken patient medications home.

He was fired in 2015.

Curt Cashour, VA press secretary, told USA Today that the department will examine whether any doctors were hired who should not have been hired.

“We will take the same prompt removal action with any other improper hires we discover,” Cashour said.

The USA Today investigation comes on the heels of a Government Accountability Office report, which determined that the VA failed in 90 percent of cases to report doctors who may be dangerous to a national database.

Follow Jonah Bennett on Twitter

Thank You Mr Bennett and The DC. 



the VA failed in 90 percent of cases to report doctors  

Surprising, . . . Nobody.

Veterans Are Dying From Painkiller Overdoses At Twice The Rate of The US Population

dailycaller
Steve Birr Vice Reporter
3:30 PM 11/10/2017

The opioid epidemic is claiming a record amount of lives annually in the U.S., but the death rate from painkiller abuse among veterans is nearly double that of the broader population.

The Department of Veterans Affairs is stepping up its effort to treat military veterans who get hooked on the dangerous pills, but are struggling to stay ahead of the crisis. While VA doctors have treated roughly 68,000 veterans for addiction to opioid painkillers since March, service members continue to die from painkiller overdoses at twice the rate of the non-military population, reports Reuters.

Former Democratic Rep. Patrick Kennedy, who recently served on President Donald Trump’s White House commission on opioid abuse, is critical of the lack of action on this issue from Congress, saying Friday, “our veterans deserve better than polished sound bites and empty promises.”

Republican Sen. John McCain is currently working to pass a bill that will fund research into ways VA doctors can mitigate the use of opioids in treatment. McCain noted that as well as overdose deaths, opioids may be contributing to the high suicide rate among the veteran population, which is 21 percent higher than the rate among average U.S. adults.

“The Veterans Administration needs to understand whether overmedication of drugs, such as opioid pain-killers, is a contributing factor in suicide-related deaths,” McCain told Reuters Thursday.

President Donald Trump declared the opioid epidemic a “public health emergency” on Oct. 26, giving states hit hard by opioid addiction flexibility on how they direct federal resources to combat rising drug deaths.

Data from the National Institute on Drug Abuse released Sept. 7 predicts that the addiction epidemic in America will continue to deteriorate, pushing drug deaths to an estimated 71,600 in 2017. If the estimates prove accurate, 2017 will be the second year in a row that drug deaths surpass U.S. casualties from the Vietnam War.

Follow Steve on Twitter


Thank You Mr Birr and the DC.

OIG Report: Over 100 Veterans Died Waiting For Care At Los Angeles VA

weaselzippers



When are the VA horrors going to end?

Ed; When was the last time Government got rid of Any of its jackass 'better ideas'?

President Trump and every pubbie who rode in on his coat tails rode in promising to Repeal ObamaCare.

The voters, who are having their backs broken by O'care's hellish costs, haven't forgotten.

Via Free Beacon:

More than 100 veterans died while waiting for care at a Veterans Affairs hospital in Los Angeles, Calif., over a nine-month span ending in August 2015, according to a new government report.

The VA Office of Inspector General found in a recent healthcare inspection that 225 veterans at the VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System facility died with open or pending consults between Oct. 1, 2015 and Aug. 9, 2015. Nearly half—117—of those patients died while experiencing delays in receiving care.

The inspector general reported that 43 percent of the 371 consults scheduled for patients who ended up dying were not timely because of a failure by VA employees to follow proper procedure. The report was unable to substantiate claims that patients died as a result of the delayed consults.

Keep reading…

Thank you Nick and Free Beacon. 

VA Fires Embattled Director Amid Scandal, Secret Wait Lists

weaselzippers

New sheriff in town.

Via Fox News:


The director of the beleaguered Shreveport VA hospital in Louisiana has been fired following a three-year tenure filled with scandal — including accusations of covering up a secret wait-list, creating severe staffing shortages and refusing to buy essentials like vital signs machines, linens or mattresses.

Toby Mathew, who became director of Overton Brooks VA Medical Center in June 2014, was fired on April 13 due to “charges related to general misconduct, and failure to follow policy and provide effective oversight of the Center’s credentialing and privileging program,” said an internal VA memo obtained by Fox News.

This is the highest-profile employee removal since Secretary Eric Shinseki left in May 2014 following news of the massive wait-list scandal at the Phoenix VA hospital. Last week, President Trump signed an executive order creating an office within the VA to make it easier to fire bad employees – an issue that Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., had championed for several years. Trump also fired two employees in the Caribbean on his second day in office.

Keep reading…

Thank you Fox and Dapandico

Trump Signs Bill Allowing Veterans To Seek Care Outside Broken VA System

weaselzippers



That makes me happy that finally some of the VA issues may be addressed. But there’s still a lot more to do.

[Ed; Agreed, but at least Someone has finally Done Something, a Major Something, that's a correct, Something.]

Via Washington Examiner:

President Trump signed legislation Wednesday that will dramatically expand a program at the Department of Veterans Affairs that lets patients seek care from private doctors if they want to bypass the troubled VA system.

The Veterans Choice Improvement Act removes barriers that Congress placed around the original “choice” initiative and eliminates an expiration date that would have shuttered the program in August.

Lawmakers created the choice program in 2014 after a massive scandal involving wait time cover-ups at more than 100 VA facilities around the country. It was initially structured as a two-year pilot program that limited when and where veterans could choose to see private doctors. Patients could only use the choice program if they lived more than 40 miles from the nearest VA hospital or if they could not get an appointment from their local VA facility within 30 days.

Keep reading…


Thank You Wash Ex, Nick,  and Mr President..

Proposed GOP Replacement For ObamaCare Released

weaselzippers

This should be rich. They've had How many decades to make the VA work, . . . 

NAVY Veteran Takes His Own Life After VA Denied Him Full Disability Benefits

but This Time, . . . they'll get Government Medicine to actually work?

Via Fox News:

House Republicans have released the text of their long-awaited ObamaCare replacement bill.

The legislation, called the American Health Care Act, can be read online at readthebill.gop.

The sweeping legislation would repeal ObamaCare certain taxes and subsidies, along with the so-called individual and employer mandates.

The legislation would allow state insurance exchanges to exist for now, and would preserve protections for those with pre-existing conditions.

Keep reading…

Thank You Fox and Nick. 

Yo, Pubbies; you were elected to Repeal it, not send it to the ER, give it a haircut and send it back out covered in band aids re-branded with an R instead of a D.

2007 Study: Off-Label Use of Antipsychotic Medications In The Dept of Veterans Affairs Health Care System.

The last summary of the VA's patient population we had, from Ed at Pharmalot, put the total at 530,000 patients.

So, you do the math, and figure out your own percentage of VA consumers being poisoned with these drugs.

Off-Label Use of Antipsychotic Medications In The Dept of Veterans Affairs Health Care System.

And remember, we're not talking about One A Day Vitamins here, unlike the Quacks peddling them.

 
Abstract:

"This study aimed to determine the prevalence of prescribing antipsychotics to adults without schizophrenia or bipolar disorder and to identify factors associated with such off-label use. Patients with at least one prescription for an antipsychotic medication from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) during fiscal year (FY) 2007 were identified in national VA administrative databases. Rates of off-label antipsychotic use were determined along with average doses. Multivariate logistic regression models identified sociodemographic and clinical characteristics associated with off-label use. Of the 279,778 individuals in FY 2007 who received an antipsychotic medication, 168,442 (60.2%) had no record of a diagnosis for which these drugs are approved. The most common mental illness diagnoses among patients given prescriptions for antipsychotics off label were posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD, 41.8%), minor depression (39.5%), major depression (23.4%), and anxiety disorder (20.0%). Among VA patients with mental illness other than schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, the proportion who received prescriptions for antipsychotic medications ranged from a low of 9.1% among patients with adjustment reaction; to about 20% for those with depression, dementia, or PTSD; and to a high of 40.7% among patients with other psychoses. Doses were low, with over half of patients who received off-label quetiapine, risperidone, or first-generation antipsychotics receiving doses below those recommended for schizophrenia. In logistic regression models, patients diagnosed as having other psychosis or dementia had the highest odds of receiving an antipsychotic medication off label. Off-label use of antipsychotic medications was common. Given that these drugs are expensive, have potentially severe side effects, and have limited evidence supporting their effectiveness for off-label usage, they should be used with greater caution."

Read the entire study or download a free pdf of it at the link. 

Days Into Trump Administration, Corrupt VA Employees Already Being Fired

weaselzippers

Terrific! Replace all the ones who stopped veterans from getting proper care. 

Via Daily Caller:

Days into Donald Trump’s administration, heads are finally beginning to roll at the Department of Veterans Affairs. Two notoriously corrupt employees in Puerto Rico were fired this week, indicating that more may be on the way.

One is the hospital’s CEO, DeWayne Hamlin, who offered an employee $305,000 to quit after she played a role in exposing his drug arrest.

“Mr. DeWayne Hamlin was removed from federal service effective January 20, 2017”–inauguration day–the VA said.
Keep reading…

Thank You DC and Nick.

4 Resign From VA Facility After Oklahoma Veteran Dies With Maggots In Wounds

weaselzippers


Just despicable.

TALIHINA, Okla. – Four staff members have resigned from a southeastern Oklahoma veterans facility rather than face the possibility of getting fired, after a resident was found to have maggots in a wound.

Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs executive director Myles Deering said the maggots were discovered while the patient was alive at the facility in Talihina, about 130 miles southeast of Tulsa. Deering said the maggots were not the cause of his death.

Deering said the veteran came to the center with an infection and died of sepsis, the Tulsa World reported.
The agency said a physician’s assistant and three nurses, including the director of nursing, resigned after an investigation was conducted. Spokesman Shane Faulkner said all four chose to resign before the termination process began.

Keep reading…

Thank You Foxnews and Nick.

VA Dentist May Have Infected 592 Patients With Hepatitis and/or HIV

townhall
Katie Pavlich
|
Posted: Dec 01, 2016 11:45 AM

For years veterans across the country have languished in VA hospitals, with thousands dying waiting for care. Suicide hotlines go unanswered and at least one hospital in Illinois, dead bodies were left in the morgue for months. Other hospitals are filled with black mold and roaches. Since the VA scandal broke two years ago, wait times haven't improved. At some hospitals wait times are now double what they were in 2014.

But it gets worse. According to a local news report from WEAU News 13, as many as 600 veterans may have been infected with life threatening, lethal and incurable diseases due to a lack of following basic health protocol at a Wisconsin VA hospital. Adding insult to injury, the allegedly responsible dentist wasn't fired but instead moved to an overpaid, administrative desk job where he likely continued to pay little care to veterans needing help.
The Tomah VA says it's in the process of notifying 592 veterans that they may be infected with Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, or HIV after they received care from one particular dental provider.

Acting Medical Center Director Victoria Brahm said the dentist was using his own equipment, then cleaning it and reusing it, which violates the VA's regulations.

The Tomah VA says it uses sterile and disposable equipment.

The VA says he did this for one year, from October 2015 through October 2016.

It came to light when someone filling in for his assistant noticed what was going on and reported it.

That dentist has been removed from patient care and is now working in an administrative role.

The VA also referred the case to the inspector general for assessment of any criminal charges.

"It was purposeful that he was violating VA regulations," Brahm said. "During all of the orientation, he used all of our equipment. He used it appropriately, so it was very purposeful from what we found in our investigation that he knew exactly what he was doing, and preferred to use his own equipment against procedure."

This horrifying story is just another example of a lack of accountability plaguing the VA system and the consequences are lethal. How did this guy get through 592 patients before someone said anything? And why the hell was he shifted to a desk job instead of immediately fired and investigated for putting people's lives at risk?

President-elect Donald Trump is currently vetting candidates for VA Secretary. Army veteran Pete Hegseth, who has been a VA reform advocate for years, is on his short list. 


Thank You Ms Pavlich and Townhall.

Veterans Group Wants Congress To Wait For Trump To Pass More Aggressive VA Reform Bill

weaselzippers



The Department of Veterans Affairs needs a cleansing from top to bottom.

Via Stars and Stripes:

A massive veterans reform bill backed by the Department of Veterans Affairs will face resistance in Congress’ lame-duck session starting Tuesday from a group intent on letting the new Republican-controlled Senate and President-Elect Donald Trump have a say in how expeditiously VA employees can be fired.

With only a couple of months left as VA Secretary, Bob McDonald is making one final appeal to Congress to pass the reform bill that’s the culmination of his two-year tenure. The 400-page Veterans First Act contains dozens of provisions to streamline the appeals process for disability compensation, allow more leeway in disciplining employees and grant VA medical staff the ability to work flexible hours, among other things.

“We worked to design a new law. We’ve given a new law to Congress, and we’ve asked Congress to pass that new law,” McDonald said Thursday during an event at The Washington Post. “I’m hoping it gets passed in the lame-duck session.”

But the legislation has garnered opponents, and one veterans service organization — conservative-leaning Concerned Veterans for America — is planning a major campaign starting Tuesday to thwart efforts to move it through the Senate.

‘Power of the presidency’

The bill was authored by the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs chairman Sen. Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., and ranking member Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn. In the months after its introduction, six large veterans service organizations came out in support of it: Vietnam Veterans of America, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Paralyzed Veterans of America, The American Legion, Disabled American Veterans and AMVETS.

Concerned Veterans for America says the legislation is “watered down.”

With Trump elected president, Congress should wait to pass a stronger bill that would give the next VA Secretary more power to immediately fire employees, said CVA leader Dan Caldwell.

Keep reading…


Thank You Stars and Stripes and Dapandico. 

Obama's had almost 8 years to fix the VA's lethal dysfunction.

It's an utter disgrace.

H4640: Congressman Jolly's Bill: Veteran Suicide Prevention Act

Introduced earlier this year by Congressman David Jolly


 
Are you electing advocates of buying More of the suicide and violence causing agent (mental health drugs and psychiatric/psychological bullshit)? 

Get Vets hooked up with other Vets who've been there, done that. The track record of Mental Health Professionals is beneath contempt. 

We strongly recommend you contact your US Representatives asking them to support Congressman Jolly's Bill and your US Senators to support Senator McCain's Bill in this matter.

govtrack

The text of the bill below is as of Feb 26, 2016 (Introduced).
Source: GPO
114th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 4640

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

February 26, 2016

Mr. Jolly (for himself, Ms. Titus, Mr. Abraham, and Ms. Gabbard) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs

A BILL

To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to conduct a review of the deaths of certain veterans who died by suicide, and for other purposes. 1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Veteran Suicide Prevention Act. 2.

Department of Veterans Affairs review of certain veterans’ deaths by suicide (a)

Review required

Not later than 18 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall complete a review of the deaths of all covered veterans who died by suicide during the five-year period preceding the date of the enactment of this Act. Such review shall include— (1)

the total number of veterans who died by suicide during the five-year period preceding the date of the enactment of this Act; (2)

a summary of such veterans that includes the age, gender, and race of such veterans; (3)

a comprehensive list of the medications prescribed to, and found in the systems of, such veterans at the time of their deaths, specifically listing any medications that carried a black box warning, were off-label, psychotropic, or carried warnings that included suicidal ideation; (4)

a summary of medical diagnoses by Department of Veterans Affairs physicians which led to the prescribing of the medications referred to in paragraph (3); (5)

the number of instances in which the veteran who died by suicide was concurrently on multiple medications prescribed by Department of Veterans Affairs physicians; (6)

the percentage of veterans who died by suicide who were not taking any medication prescribed by a Department of Veterans Affairs physician; (7)

the percentage of veterans referred to in paragraph (1) with combat experience or trauma (including, but not limited to military sexual trauma, traumatic brain injury, and post-traumatic stress); (8)

Veteran Health Administration facilities with markedly high prescription and suicide rates of patients being treated at those facilities; (9)

a description of Department of Veterans Affairs policies governing the prescribing of medications referred to in paragraph (3); (10)

any patterns apparent to the Secretary based on the review; and (11)

recommendations for further action that would improve the safety and well-being of veterans. (b)

Public availability

Not later than 30 days after the completion of the review required under subsection (a), the Secretary shall— (1)

submit to Congress a report on the results of the review; and (2)

make such report publicly available. (c)

Covered veteran

In this section: (1)

The term covered veteran means any veteran who received hospital care or medical services furnished by the Department of Veterans Affairs during the five-year period preceding the death of the veteran. (2)

The term black box warning means a warning displayed within a box in the prescribing information for drugs that have special problems, particularly ones that may lead to death or serious injury. 


Thank you Congressman Jolly, govtrack, and Dr Hickey.

S 3410: Veteran Overmedication Prevention Act of 2016

Here's the text of Senator McCain's Bill,

to force the Veteran's Administration to study and publish the problems pointed out by Dr Hickey in his article at madinamerica: Psychiatric Drugs Causing Violence and Suicide among Veterans.

govtrack

The text of the bill below is as of Sep 28, 2016 (Introduced).
Source: GPO


II

114th CONGRESS

2d Session

S. 3410

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

September 28, 2016

Mr. McCain introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

A BILL

To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to conduct an independent review of the deaths of certain veterans by suicide, and for other purposes. 1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Veteran Overmedication Prevention Act of 2016.

Sec 2. Department of Veterans Affairs independent review of certain deaths of veterans by suicide (a)

Review required 

(1) In general

Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall seek to enter into an agreement with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine under which the National Academies shall conduct a review of the deaths of all covered veterans who died by suicide during the five-year period ending on the date of the enactment of this Act. (2)

Alternate organization (A)

In general

If the Secretary is unable to enter into an agreement described in paragraph (1) with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine on terms acceptable to the Secretary, the Secretary shall seek to enter into such an agreement with another appropriate organization that— (i)

is not part of the Federal Government; (ii)

operates as a not-for-profit entity; and (iii)

has expertise and objectivity comparable to that of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (B)

Treatment

If the Secretary enters into an agreement with another organization as described in paragraph (1), any reference in this section to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine shall be treated as a reference to the other organization. (3)

Elements

The review required by paragraph (1) shall include the following: (A)

The total number of covered veterans who died by suicide during the five-year period ending on the date of the enactment of this Act. (B)

The total number of covered veterans who died by a violent death during such five-year period. (C)

The total number of covered veterans who died by an accidental death during such five-year period. (D)

A description of each covered veteran described in subparagraphs (A) through (C), including age, gender, race, and ethnicity. (E)

A comprehensive list of prescribed medications and legal or illegal substances as annotated on toxicology reports of covered veterans described in subparagraphs (A) through (C), specifically listing any medications that carried a black box warning, were prescribed for off-label use, were psychotropic, or carried warnings that included suicidal ideation. (F)

A summary of medical diagnoses by physicians of the Department of Veterans Affairs or physicians providing services to covered veterans through programs of the Department that led to the prescribing of medications referred to in subparagraph (E) in cases of post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, military sexual trauma, and other anxiety and depressive disorders. (G)

The number of instances in which a covered veteran described in subparagraph (A), (B), or (C) was concurrently on multiple medications prescribed by physicians of the Department or physicians providing services to veterans through programs of the Department to treat post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, military sexual trauma, other anxiety and depressive disorders, or instances of comorbidity. (H)

The number of covered veterans described in subparagraphs (A) through (C) who were not taking any medication prescribed by a physician of the Department or a physician providing services to veterans through a program of the Department. (I)

With respect to the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, military sexual trauma, or other anxiety and depressive disorders, the percentage of covered veterans described in subparagraphs (A) through (C) who received a non-medication first-line treatment compared to the percentage of such veterans who received medication only. (J)

With respect to the treatment of covered veterans described in subparagraphs (A) through (C) for post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, military sexual trauma, or other anxiety and depressive disorders, the number of instances in which a non-medication first-line treatment (such as cognitive behavioral therapy) was attempted and determined to be ineffective for such a veteran, which subsequently led to the prescribing of a medication referred to in subparagraph (E). (K)

A description and example of how the Department determines and continually updates the clinical practice guidelines governing the prescribing of medications. (L)

A description of the efforts of the Department to maintain appropriate staffing levels for mental health professionals, such as mental health counselors, marriage and family therapists, and other appropriate counselors, including— (i)

a description of any impediments to carry out the education, training, and hiring of mental health counselors and marriage and family therapists under section 7302(a) of title 38, United States Code; (ii)

with respect to mental health counselors, marriage and family therapists, and other appropriate counselors, an identification of resolutions for— (I)

any standardized cre­den­tial­ing discrepancies; and (II)

any impediments to the development of an internship training program; (iii)

an assessment of the development by the Department of hiring guidelines for mental health counselors, marriage and family therapists, and other appropriate counselors; and (iv)

a description of how the Department— (I)

identifies gaps in the supply of mental health professionals; and (II)

determines successful staffing ratios for mental health professionals of the Department. (M)

The percentage of covered veterans described in subparagraphs (A) through (C) with combat experience or trauma related to combat experience (including military sexual trauma, traumatic brain injury, and post-traumatic stress). (N)

An identification of the medical facilities of the Department with markedly high prescription rates and suicide rates for veterans receiving treatment at those facilities. (O)

An analysis, by State, of programs of the Department that collaborate with State Medicaid agencies and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, including the following: (i)

An analysis of the sharing of prescription and behavioral health data for veterans. (ii)

An analysis of whether Department staff check with State prescription drug monitoring programs before prescribing medications to veterans. (iii)

A description of the procedures of the Department for coordinating with prescribers outside of the Department to ensure that veterans are not overprescribed. (iv)

A description of actions that the Department takes when a veteran is determined to be overprescribed. (P)

An analysis of the collaboration of medical centers of the Department with medical examiners’ offices or local jurisdictions to determine veteran mortality and cause of death. (Q)

An identification and determination of a best practice model to collect and share veteran death certificate data between the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Defense, States, and tribal entities. (R)

An assessment of any patterns apparent to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine based on the review conducted under paragraph (1). (S)

Such recommendations for further action that would improve the safety and well-being of veterans as the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine determine appropriate. (4)

Compilation of data (A)

Form of compilation

The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall ensure that data compiled under paragraph (3) is compiled in a manner that allows it to be analyzed across all data fields for purposes of informing and updating clinical practice guidelines of the Department of Veterans Affairs. (B)

Compilation of data regarding covered veterans

In compiling data under paragraph (3) regarding covered veterans described in subparagraphs (A) through (C) of such paragraph, data regarding veterans described in each such subparagraph shall be compiled separately. (5)

Completion of review and report

The agreement entered into under paragraph (1) shall require that the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine complete the review under such paragraph and submit to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs a report containing the results of the review not later than 180 days after entering into the agreement. (b)

Report

Not later than 30 days after the completion by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine of the review required under subsection (a), the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall— (1)

submit to Congress a report on the results of the review; and (2)

make such report publicly available. (c)

Definitions

In this section: (1)

The term black box warning means a warning displayed on the label of a prescription drug that is designed to call attention to the serious or life-threatening risk of the prescription drug. (2)

The term covered veteran means a veteran who received hospital care or medical services furnished by the Department of Veterans Affairs during the five-year period preceding the death of the veteran. (3)

The term first-line treatment means a potential intervention that has been evaluated and assigned a high score within clinical practice guidelines. (4)

The term State means each of the several States, territories, and possessions of the United States, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. 


 
Thank You Senator McCain, govtrack, and Dr. Hickey for the heads up.

Senator McCain Introduces Bill Calling For VA Study RE: Psychiatric Drugs Causing Suicides

madinamerica

Neuroleptic Drugs, Akathisia, and Suicide and Violence

By

Philip Hickey, PhD

November 8, 2016

 
Thirty-three years ago, in August 1983, an article titled Suicide Associated with Akathisia and Depot Fluphenazine Treatment appeared in the Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology. The authors were Katherine Shear, MD, Allen Frances, MD, and Peter Weiden, MD.

Here are some quotes, interspersed with my comments/observations:

"Akathisia is a common and distressing side effect of neuroleptic medication that can be difficult to recognize and treat. Several previous reports mention maladaptive behavioral consequences, such as poor compliance with prescribed medication and aggressive or self-destructive outbursts. We are reporting suicides in two young Hispanic men who had developed severe akathisia after treatment with depot fluphenazine. Depression with suicidal behavior has been observed following fluphenazine injection, but suicide associated with akathisia has not been previously noted."

Fluphenazine is a neuroleptic drug of the phenothiazine class that was introduced in 1959. It is marketed as Prolixin and other brand names, and according to Wikipedia, is on the WHO's "List of Essential Medicines, most important medications needed in a basic health system."

The "treatment" used in each case was a depot injection of fluphenazine. This is a long-lasting injection, typically 30 days, in which the drug is lodged in a dermal or muscular mass from which it is slowly drawn into the blood stream. (Hence depot: a place where goods are stored for later distribution.)

Depot injections have some obvious convenience value, but in psychiatry are usually used to ensure compliance. Their major downside is that if the person has an adverse reaction to the drug, there's no way to remove the stored chemicals from his body.

The authors may be correct in stating that this is the first published report of suicide associated with akathisia, but it is not the first report of suicide associated with fluphenazine. Seventeen years earlier, Dorothy West, MD, had published the following letter in the British Journal of Psychiatry, 117 (1970), 718-9:

Dangers of Fluphenazine

Dear Sir,

A new drug is being widely used in the treatment of mental illness. It is long-acting and used by injection – its name is fluphenazine (Moditen). Is this the thalidomide of the 70's? I would like to have the opinion of other doctors. Whilst it is still new maybe we are lulled into a false sense of security, but are we justified in using a drug, which may take up to six weeks to eradicate from the tissues, without being sure of its safety? Its side effects alone are legion. A study of 13 papers gives the following:
Common side-effects reported are – lethargy, drowsiness, dizziness, muscular inco-ordination, paraesthesia, hypotension, blurring of vision, dryness of mouth, malaise, feelings of tension, confusion, nausea, vomiting, and aches and pains.
Parkinsonism is extremely common. Incidence in reports varies from 100 per cent to 24 per cent with many reports around 50 per cent. Depression is quite common and tends to be severe – 5 suicides reported and two suicide attempts. Other reported side-effects include psychotic relapse and glaucoma.

Dorothy West

. . . . .

Back to the Shear, Frances, and Weiden paper:

CASE NO. 1

"A 23-year-old single unemployed Hispanic man had been socially withdrawn, blunted in affect, and thought disordered since his early teenage years. He was intermittently delusional with auditory hallucinations which responded to phenothiazines. He was treated in a day hospital after one of multiple hospitalizations; depot fluphenazine was used because of medication noncompliance. He received two injections of 25 mg of fluphenazine decanoate separated by 1 week, with noticeable improvement in his psychotic symptoms. He also developed akathisia and was prescribed trihexyphenadyl, 2 mg twice a day, which he probably did not take. There was no improvement in his akathisia and no anticholinergic side effects. He soon stopped attending the day hospital and a family member called a week later to say that the man had killed himself by jumping off the roof of their building. He had given no indication of being suicidal and his family believed the increased 'nervousness' had driven him to this desperate measure. The patient had no previous history of suicidal behavior and did not drink alcohol or use drugs."

So, we have a young man who has been socially withdrawn and joyless since his early teens. Not surprisingly his perceptions and thinking patterns deviated from the conventional. For reasons unknown he came within the orbit of psychiatry, and had had extensive contact with the psychiatric system. He was given two depot injections of fluphenazine one week apart. His "psychotic symptoms" improved, but he developed akathisia. He was prescribed an anticholinergic agent to combat the akathisia, but apparently this was ineffective, or as the authors suggest, he didn't take it. In any event, a week later he killed himself by jumping from the roof of a building.

We don't know if the fluphenazine was administered involuntarily, but we do know that he had taken phenothiazine in the past and had been noncompliant. So it is reasonable to assume that there was some adverse effect. Did the day hospital psychiatrists explore the reason for this "noncompliance"? In any event, given the outcome, the phrase "depot fluphenazine was used because of medication noncompliance" is a haunting and compelling testament to psychiatric arrogance. This anonymous young man was clearly prone to acute akathisia, and his "noncompliance" was a sensible and correct response to the neuro-poisoning he was receiving from psychiatrists. He stopped attending the day hospital (again, understandably),but he had no way to get the drug out of his body. The trihexyphenidyl is an anticholinergic agent and might have mitigated the akathisia. Or perhaps he took it and it was not effective, as is frequently the case.

CASE NO. 2

"A 36-year-old non-English speaking Hispanic man was seen once in our walk-in clinic because of severe restlessness and leg cramps. Intermittent somatic symptoms and nervousness began shortly after he arrived in the United States 8 months earlier. When the symptoms worsened, he began a series of visits to hospital emergency rooms and private psychiatrists. Three weeks before the walk-in visit a Spanish-speaking psychiatrist diagnosed paranoid schizophrenia and administered depot fluphenazine. Following this injection, the patient developed a dystonic reaction and then began to complain continuously of leg cramps and restlessness. In the ensuing weeks he received numerous drugs from emergency room or private physicians, some given by injection and some by prescription. He brought bottles of thiothixene, chlorazepate, amitriptyline, meprobamate, and lorazepam to the clinic. He was agitated, paced, and begged for help. He denied symptoms of depression or suicidal ideation. He claimed he was devoted to his wife and 9-year-old daughter, but he felt his unbearable symptoms would never go away. He made good contact in a translated interview and showed no thought disorder, hallucinations, or delusions. Thorough medical examination was negative except for the parkinsonian symptoms. He had no prior history of psychiatric treatment and the family history was negative for depression, nervousness, and significant psychiatric or medical illness. Since the diagnosis was uncertain, plans were made to discontinue all medication and a follow-up appointment was scheduled. The next day he killed himself without warning by jumping in front of a subway train."

The 36-year-old man had come to the US eight months earlier, and had begun to experience "somatic symptoms and nervousness". This seems hardly surprising in someone who is having to adapt to a new environment, but we are provided no details with regards to his psychosocial context, other than the fact that he had a wife and 9-year-old daughter, and that he didn't speak English. What we do know is that he visited "emergency rooms and private psychiatrists" to help with "somatic symptoms and nervousness". One of the psychiatrists "diagnosed paranoid schizophrenia", and gave him a depot injection of fluphenazine. He developed severe akathisia, and continued to visit emergency rooms and private psychiatrists in an attempt to gain some relief. During this period he received "numerous drugs" from these sources, some by injection, some by prescription. At this point he came to the authors' walk-in clinic.

"He was agitated, paced, and begged for help."

and

"He denied symptoms of depression or suicidal ideation. He claimed he was devoted to his wife and 9-year-old daughter, but he felt his unbearable symptoms would never go away."

Plans were made to discontinue all the drugs, which the authors euphemistically refer to as medications, but it was too little, too late. He jumped to his death in front of a train the next day.

So, we have a healthy young man, devoted to his wife and daughter, who seeks medical help for what were probably stress-related "somatic complaints and nervousness". Psychiatrists throw a bewildering array of drugs at him, including a depot injection of fluphenazine, which results in his death. And the only reason we know about this forgotten victim of psychiatry is because the authors wrote up and published the case. How many other thousands have died from the same kind of irresponsible drug-pushing; from the same arrogant conviction that for every human problem, psychiatry has a "safe and effective" pill?

. . . . .

Here are some more quotes from the Shear et al article:

"Akathisia is an intensely unpleasant feeling characterized by muscle discomfort, inability to sit still, continuous agitation, restlessness, and fidgety feelings. Sleep may be disturbed by an inability to lie down. Some patients say they feel like jumping out of their skin"

"The estimated incidence of akathisia with neuroleptic use ranges from 20 to 45%. Several studies using depot fluphenazine report an incidence around 35%."

"Akathisia is a distressing symptom which may be difficult to diagnose and treat. Restlessness may be mistaken for anxiety and clinicians may err by raising neuroleptic dosage."

"Sometimes the only effective treatment is withdrawal of the neuroleptic. Although we cannot be sure that akathisia caused the deaths of our patients, akathitic symptoms seemed to be immediate precipitants of suicidal behavior. We urge clinicians to be alert to the discomfort of akathisia and to treat it aggressively. If treatment with anticholinergics or γ-aminobutyric acid agonists fails or symptoms are especially severe, hospitalization may be indicated."

It is clear that the authors are leaning heavily towards the conclusion that neuroleptic-induced akathisia was the immediate precipitant of both suicides.

OTHER SIMILAR REPORTS

Several similar reports have appeared in the literature for decades. Here are some examples, with relevant quotes:

Van Putten, T., MD, The Many Faces of Akathisia, Comprehensive Psychiatry, 1975, 16(1):

"AKATHISIA, a common side effect of neuroleptic therapy, is an emotional state and 'refers not to any type or pattern of movement, but rather to a subjective need or desire to move.'"

"A 44-year-old woman with hebephrenic schizophrenia started to bang her head against the wall three days after an injection of 25 mg of fluphenazine enanthate. Her only utterance was: 'I just want to get rid of this whole body.'"

"Akathisia is often associated with strong affects of fright, terror, anger or rage, anxiety, and vague somatic complaints."

"On this regime, she usually developed an episode of akathisia during the week following her injection. She described several such episodes as follows: 'I just get these attacks of tension. I don't feel right. My stomach feels strange. It's like I'm churning inside. I feel hostile and I hate (with intense affect) everybody."

"Patients have described the inner restlessness and agitation of akathisia in many other ways, such as: 'My nerves are just jumping' I feel like I'm wired to the ceiling; I just feel impatient and nasty. I can't concentrate; it's like I got ants in my pants; my nerves are raw; I just feel on edge; I feel just nasty; I feel like jumping out of my skin; if this feeling continues, I would rather be dead. I can't describe the feelings; I'm quivery from the waist up; I want to climb the walls; I feel all revved up; it's like I got diaper rash inside.'"

"Patients with severe akathisia, however, cannot sit quietly for more than a few seconds at a time, and at times the 'impatience musculaire' can result in running, agitated dancing, or rocking."

"Akathisia is tolerated very poorly by hostile paranoid patients in that they tend to misinterpret the inner agitation of akathisia as further proof that they are being poisoned or controlled by outside malevolent forces."

Note the presumably unintended irony in the word misinterpret. In reality, they are being poisoned and controlled by outside forces!

. . . . .

Keckich, W., MD: Neuroleptics: Violence as a Manifestation of Akathisia, JAMA, 1978, Nov 10 (240) 20, 2185:

"NEUROLEPTIC medications (eg, phenothiazines, butyrophenones) are used in medicine to control psychotic symptoms and concomitant agitated and violent behavior. They also are used to control anxiety and agitation whenever minor tranquilizers (eg, benzodiazepines) would be inappropriate. Development of akathisia as a parkinsonian side effect is confirmed in the use of these drugs. Akathisia is a condition that gives rise to the subjective desire to be in constant motion, with a feeling of inner agitation and muscle tension. The patient cannot sit still and paces constantly"

"One week later the patient reported that he was more agitated at night. Since it was not known at the time that akathisia was beginning, haloperidol treatment was increased to 4 mg at bedtime to decrease the agitation. Four days later, after his evening dose of 4 mg of haloperidol, he became uncontrollably agitated, could not sit still, and paced for several hours. He complained of tightness in his muscles, rigidity, a jumpy feeling inside, and violent urges to assault anyone near him. This culminated in an assault on his dog with an intent to kill. He became frightened over his loss of control and came to the emergency room. He was given 50 mg of thioridazine hydrochloride, which brought the hostility under control but did not remove it.

He subsequently discontinued the treatment with imipramine and haloperidol. The following morning he reported that the muscle tightness, jumpy feelings, and hostility were decreased but still present. Three days after drug treatment was discontinued all of the symptoms had ceased, and he was at his baseline of difficulty once again. The half-life of haloperidol is approximately 24 hours, and this symptom relief coincided with expected excretion of the drug.

In retrospect it was apparent that he had experienced increasing akathitic side effects from the haloperidol medication, which accounted for his increasing night-time agitation and culminated in a stimulation of violent and aggressive activity."

. . . . .

Schulte, JL, MD, Homicide and Suicide Associated with Akathisia and Haloperidol, American Journal of Forensic Psychiatry, Jan 1985, 6(2):

"The following five cases are reported to bring attention to the potential for severe violence, as a result of akathisia, following such administration of a neuroleptic for acute psychiatric symptoms. Particular emphasis is directed to an experience of sensory dissociation associated with the uncomfortable physical reactions, resulting in extreme acts of physical violence."

CASE NO. 1

"A 23-year-old married, Salvadorian-born male, with a four-day history of progressive paranoia and disorganized behavior, had been taken by the police department to a hospital at the request of his parents. The physician insisted he receive an injection of haloperidol in the emergency room while awaiting admission to the psychiatric unit where he had previously been a patient on a number of occasions.

He tried to resist but felt he had no option with the staff and police surrounding him. He felt he was being unnecessarily delayed in being admitted to the inpatient unit. In addition, he felt he had been lied to, in that apparently he had been told he was going to see his wife who had deserted him approximately 48 hours earlier. He then escaped from the emergency room and the authorities, ran several miles to a park, tried to get a policeman to help him, escaped again and totally disrobed. Within the next 45-minute period of time, he assaulted one woman who was walking her dog and attempted to rape her. When pulled off by the husband, he proceeded down the street, broke down the front door of a house where an 81-year-old lady was sleeping. He severely beat her with his fists, 'to a pulp', by his own description. Following which he found knives and stabbed her repeatedly, resulting in her death. Then, after being confronted in the street by a policeman who sprayed him with Mace, he returned through the house, exiting the back door where he ran into another woman with her child. He repeatedly stabbed the woman in front of the child, whereupon he moved on to the next person he encountered, a woman whom he severely assaulted and stabbed to the extent that an eye was lost and an opening into the anus was created resulting in major surgery and serious residual problems, including a colostomy. He was then finally captured and subdued by eight policemen and hospitalized.

He had ten previous psychiatric hospitalizations between 1975 and the present. All of these hospitalizations have been only a matter of hours to several days. He would always be placed on medication and released, following which he would stop taking the medication and go along until another upheaval would occur.

He had a history of problems with anger and acute paranoid beliefs leading to hyperactive behavior and one incident in which it was reported he tried to choke one of his brothers.

His description of his mental status at the time of his offense is quite striking. He describes himself as feeling almost like a spectator in a movie. He makes a point of describing how he had lost all sense of caring about anything or anyone in life. Additionally, he describes a feeling of loss of physical sensation, including feeling nothing when maced by the police. He felt enormous energy with a feeling of needing to rid himself of it.

He gives the history of having been picked up by the police on a traffic violation in 1979 and placed in jail for the first time in his life. He became angry and was given a series of haloperidol injections, becoming progressively more agitated and unmanageable to the point he was rolled up in a mattress and handcuffed in order to be transported to a psychiatric inpatient unit. In 1980, during another hospitalization, he was, despite his protests, changed from chlorpromazine to haloperidol and within hours became totally unmanageable, requiring six individuals to subdue him and place him in seclusion and restraint." [Emphasis added]

It is noteworthy that this individual asked not to be changed from chlorpromazine to haloperidol, but his request was ignored.

Eight years later, Herrera et al confirmed in a controlled study that an increase in violent behavior was more likely with haloperidol than with chlorpromazine. Apparently, the individual had some intuitive awareness of this from previous experience, but as is often the case, the psychiatrists discounted his protests and gave him the haloperidol anyway.

Here are two quotes from the Herrera et al study:

"We found in a controlled study that some patients have a marked increase in violence when treated with moderately high-dose haloperidol."

"…these patients did not show an increase in violence during a placebo period, nor did they have a history of violent behavior."

Back to the Schulte JL article:

CASE NO. 2

"A 30-year-old man with a history of mental illness dating back seven years, with hospitalizations in three other states, was admitted to the hospital on six counts of burglary. His diagnosis was paranoid schizophrenia, and he had been found not guilty by reason of insanity by the courts. The admission note by the psychiatrist stated, 'He is somewhat paranoid, but says he has side effects from most tranquilizers.' On the third day of hospitalization, he was referred to the psychiatrist by nurses because of difficulty getting to sleep. No evidence of aggressiveness or self-injurious behavior was charted that day in the nurses' notes. The psychiatrist prescribed haloperidol, 5mg. three times a day, which was begun the next day, with three doses administered with Cogentin, 2mg twice a day. Nurses' notes that day stated, 'He was very anxious about being in the hospital and threatened to kill himself if he gets up the nerve.' At 10:45 p.m., notes stated, 'He has regressed during this shift in all assessment areas. His hygiene is poor, and he is irresponsible, e.g., lying on the floor without shoes or socks.' He refused medication initially at 5 p. m., and stated that phenothiazines, 'fuck me up.' He finally took the medication but then stated angrily, 'Now I'll really get crazy.' He ranted loudly and profanely for 30 minutes. He took his 9 p.m. medication and started his haranguing again, only louder and more threatening. 'l'll kill all of you mother-fuckers before I leave here,' He was found in his room at 6:50 a.m., having hung himself with a bed sheet. A letter from his attorney to the hospital had stated that 'medications caused him problems (l should perhaps state that by medications I mean psychotropic drugs).'" [Emphasis added]

CASE NO. 3

"A 52-year-old male first came to psychiatric attention eleven years earlier following an assault on his wife. He had delusions of cancer, a belief he would die and felt sexually inadequate.

He had been unsuccessfully treated with Lithium and antidepressants, as well as various tranquilizers. He had continually been an inpatient or in board and care facilities, and three and one-half months earlier, he had his medications changed to 10mg. of Haloperidol in the a.m. and 40mg. of Haloperidol at hour of sleep, with 2mg.of Artane twice daily. Each month he stated he complained to his psychiatrist of severe restlessness. He stated he had to roll over and over in bed at night and usually would be unable to get to sleep until 3 or 4 a.m. During the day, he would try to lie down but couldn't because of his severe uncomfortableness. He described after being turned down again by the psychiatrist, he became despondent and angry, lost hope and decided if he could not ever even sleep like the rest of his boarding home mates that life wasn't worthwhile. He secured a knife and repeatedly stabbed himself in the abdomen, was rushed to the hospital and barely survived. He remarked he could never even feel the knife when stabbing himself." [Emphasis added]

. . . . .

Van Putten, T. MD and Marder, SR, MD, Behavioral Toxicity of Antipsychotic Drugs, J Clin Psychiatry, September 1987, 48: 9 (Suppl):

"The subjective restlessness of akathisia is usually accompanied by telltale foot movements: rocking from foot to foot while standing or walking on the spot. Akathisia is strongly associated with depression and dysphoric responses to neuroleptics and has even been linked to suicidal and homicidal behavior in extreme cases."

"The aforementioned case literature reads convincingly: it is reasonable to conclude that akathisia, in the extreme case, can drive people to suicide or homicide."

. . . . .

Crowner, ML, Douyon, R, et al, Akathisia and violence Psychopharmacology Bulletin, 1990: 26(1): 115-7:

"Akathisia is a common side effect of neuroleptic drugs that may present with behavioral disturbances. There have been preliminary reports on the association between violence and akathisia. We report the first observational study of this relationship. Patients studied were from a special unit for violent patients. A closed-circuit television camera was installed in each of the corners in its dayroom. Incidents of assault plus the 5 minutes preceding each assault were recorded on videotape. Participants and bystanders were rated for the motor component of akathisia. For each of nine incidents, we compared the akathisia scores for participants and for bystanders. Both victims and assailants were akathisic before about half of all incidents; bystanders rarely were. The classification of the movements we rated and the implications for further studies are discussed."

The extraordinary irony here is that the individuals in this study "were from a special unit for violent patients," but in fact the drug used to control this behavior was actually precipitating more violence!

. . . . .

Galynker, I, MD, PhD and Nazarian, D, MD, letter to the editor, Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 1997, 58: 31-32:

"Case Report. Mr. A, a 47-year-old white man with a diagnosis of bipolar mood disorder, was brought to the emergency room because he was screaming in the streets. Mr. A had over 30 past psychiatric admissions associated with agitation and violence and was often discharged against medical advice. He was nearly always noncompliant with his antipsychotic medications, claiming that they made him 'jump and lose my temper.' Prior to the present admission, Mr. A's daily medications included haloperidol 20 mg, lithium carbonate 1500 mg, divalproex sodium 500 mg, and benztropine 1 mg. At admission, the patient was grandiose, had loud and pressured speech, and admitted he was not taking haloperidol. He was given haloperidol 15 mg q.h.s. and benztropine 1 mg q.a.m. Within 24 hours he started pacing; became restless, agitated, and violent; complained of feeling 'jumpy'; and attacked a staff member. On Day 5 of his hospitalization, haloperidol and benztropine were discontinued; chlorpromazine was started, and the dose was increased to 950 mg/day. Mr. A, although sedated, remained threatening and violent. On Day 13, chlorpromazine was discontinued, and haloperidol was restarted at a higher dose of 15 mg p.o. b.i.d. Mr. A again complained of 'jumpiness' and punched a television cabinet, causing a self-inflicted fracture. On hospital Day 17, owing to an error, haloperidol was discontinued. The patient became calmer, less irritable, displayed no angry outbursts, and required no further room restrictions. After 5 days, when the error was discovered, haloperidol was restarted at a lower daily dose of 10 mg. Within 3 days, the patient became violent and required room restriction. Haloperidol was then discontinued, the patient's agitation and violence resolved, and a week later he was discharged. His daily medications were lithium carbonate 1500 mg (serum level = 0.9mEq/L; this dose had not been changed during his hospitalization), lorazepam 1 mg, and divalproex sodium 500 mg. On these mediations, he remained well 6 months postdischarge, his longest period as an outpatient."

In their commentary, the authors point out:

"The fact that the jumpiness occurred with haloperidol and not with chlorpromazine is another factor indicative that Mr. A has exhibited akathisia rather than nonspecific activation of mania; this is because akathisia is more common with higher potency as compared with low-potency neuroleptics."

and, with more candor than one customarily finds in psychiatry:

"One can also speculate that Mr. A's rocky clinical history was related to aggressive behavior perpetuated by antipsychotic administration."

And it is worth remembering that Mr. A's "rocky clinical history" entailed "over 30 past psychiatric admissions associated with agitation and violence".

. . . . .

So, since at least the early 80's, individual psychiatrists have been drawing attention to the fact that neuroleptic drugs induce akathisia in many cases, and that in some cases this can precipitate suicide and/or homicide.

Akathisia & Antidepressants

Although it is well known that neuroleptic drugs cause akathisia, the link between antidepressants and this condition is less widely appreciated. The Wikipedia article on akathisia contains this:

"Antidepressants can also induce the appearance of akathisia, due to increased serotonin signalling within the CNS."

. . . . .

Hamilton, MS, MD, Obler, LA, Akathisia, suicidality, and fluoxetine, J Clin Psychiatry, 1992, Nov 53(11), 401-406, write:

"The propose[d] link between fluoxetine and suicidal ideation is explained by fluoxetine-induced akathisia and other dysphoric extrapyramidal reactions."

and

"The literature suggests that fluoxetine-induced extrapyramidal reactions may be a mediator of de novo suicidal ideation."

Fluoxetine is an SSRI, marketed as Prozac, Sarafem, and other names.

. . . . .

Wirshing, WC, MD, Van Putten, T, MD, Rosenberg, J, MD, et al, Fluoxetine, Akathisia, and Suicidality: Is There a Causal Connection?, Arch Gen Psychiatry, 1992, 49(7), 580-581, write:

"We have now had experience with five such patients. All were women. None had a history of significant suicidal behavior; all described their distress as an intense and novel somatic-emotional state; all reported an urge to pace that paralleled the intensity of the distress; all experienced suicidal thoughts at the peak of their restless agitation; and all experienced a remission of their agitation, restlessness, pacing urge, and suicidality after the fluoxetine was discontinued. We describe herein five cases of what we think might be fluoxetine-induced akathisia accounting for suicidal ideation."

Eikelenboom-Schieveld, SJM, Lucire, Y, MD, Fogleman, J, PhD, The relevance of cytochrome P450 polymorphism in forensic medicine and akathisia-related violence and suicide, Journal of Forensic and legal Medicine, 2016, 41. 65-71, wrote:

"Antidepressants have been reported as causing suicide and homicide and share the class attribute of frequently producing akathisia, a state of severe restlessness associated with thoughts of death and violence."

and

"In this paper, we report our investigation into adverse drug reactions/interactions in three persons who committed homicide, two also intending suicide, while on antidepressants prescribed for stressful life events"

and

"Three persons committed homicide, two of which intended to commit suicide. None had been aggressive or mentally ill before getting medication. None had known that they needed to take medication regularly or how to stop taking it safely. None improved on medication, and no prescriber recognized their complaints as adverse drug reactions or was aware of impending danger. Interviews elicited accounts of restlessness, akathisia, confusion, delirium, euphoria, extreme anxiety, obsessive preoccupation with aggression, and incomplete recall of events. Weird impulses to kill were acted on without warning. On recovery, all recognized their actions to be out of character, and their beliefs and behaviours horrified them."

. . . . .

Whitehead, PD, Causality and Collateral Estoppel: Process and Content of Recent SSRI Litigation, 2003, J Am Acad Psychiatry Law 31:377–82, wrote:

"In Tobin v. SmithKline Beecham Pharmaceuticals a jury in the U.S. District Court for the District of Wyoming found that the medication Paxil 'can cause some individuals to commit homicide and/or suicide,' and that it was a legal cause of the deaths in this case."

. . . . .

Breggin, PR, MD, Suicidality, violence and mania caused by selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs): A review and analysis. International Journal of Risk & Safety in Medicine, 2004, 16, 31-49, wrote:

"Evidence from many sources confirms that selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) commonly cause or exacerbate a wide range of abnormal mental and behavioral conditions. These adverse drug reactions include the following overlapping clinical phenomena: a stimulant profile that ranges from mild agitation to manic psychoses, agitated depression, obsessive preoccupations that are alien or uncharacteristic of the individual, and akathisia. Each of these reactions can worsen the individual’s mental condition and can result in suicidality, violence, and other forms of extreme abnormal behavior. Evidence for these reactions is found in clinical reports, controlled clinical trials, and epidemiological studies in children and adults. Recognition of these adverse drug reactions and withdrawal from the offending drugs can prevent misdiagnosis and the worsening of potentially severe iatrogenic disorders. These findings also have forensic application in criminal, malpractice, and product liability cases."

and

"There are many reports and studies confirming that SSRI antidepressants can cause violence, suicide, mania and other forms of psychotic and bizarre behavior."

. . . . .

Although there is a great deal of prima facie evidence and many case reports detailing the neuroleptic/antidepressant link to suicide and violence, there has not to my knowledge been a definitive large-scale study by American psychiatry of the link between psychiatric drugs and the murder/suicides that are occurring with increased frequency.

And the great question is: why not? Why is this urgent, life-threatening issue not afforded the highest priority by the APA, NIMH, and university psychiatry departments? Is their self-serving need to protect psychiatry from the consequences of its errors eclipsing their ethical integrity and their sense of responsibility?

DSM & Akathisia

In this regard, it's interesting to see how psychiatric drug-induced akathisia has been handled in the various editions of DSM.

DSM-III-R (1987) makes no specific reference to neuroleptic or antidepressant-induced akathisia. There are, however, a number of statements in the chapter on "schizophrenia" which clearly (and deceptively) ascribe symptoms of akathisia and tardive dyskinesia to "schizophrenia" itself. For instance:

"In addition, odd mannerisms, grimacing, or waxy flexibility may be present [in schizophrenia]. (p 190)

"Almost any symptom can occur as an associated feature [of schizophrenia]. The person may appear perplexed, disheveled, or eccentrically groomed or dressed. Abnormalities of psychomotor activity—e.g., pacing, rocking, or apathetic immobility—are common." (p 190) [Emphasis added]

In reality, most of the pacing, grimacing, and rocking exhibited by people labeled schizophrenic is a direct result of neuroleptic drug poisoning, and not an associated feature of the so-called illness itself.

"Dysphoric mood is common [with schizophrenia], and may take the form of depression, anxiety, anger, or a mixture of these." (p 190)

Anxiety and anger are also direct effects of neuroleptic poisoning for many people.

"Although violent acts performed by people with this disorder often attract public attention, whether their frequency is actually greater than in the general population is not known. What is known is that the life expectancy of people with Schizophrenia is shorter than that of the general population because of an increased suicide rate and death from a variety of other causes." (p 191)

As is clear from the material quoted earlier, suicide is frequently a result of akathisia. The phrase "death from a variety of other causes" is unclear.

. . . . .

DSM-IV (1994) was markedly more honest in acknowledging the existence of neuroleptic-induced akathisia. In fact, this was included as an actual diagnosis in the fourth edition. It was coded as 333.99, and 2½ pages (744-746) were devoted to its description. Here are some quotes:

"In its most severe form, the individual may be unable to maintain any position for more than a few seconds." (p 744)

"The subjective distress resulting from akathisia is significant and can lead to noncompliance with neuroleptic treatment. Akathisia may be associated with dysphoria, irritability, aggression, or suicide attempts. Worsening of psychotic symptoms or behavioral dyscontrol may lead to an increase in neuroleptic medication dose, which may exacerbate the problem. Akathisia can develop very rapidly after initiating or increasing neuroleptic medication. The development of akathisia appears to be dose dependent and to be more frequently associated with particular neuroleptic medications. Acute akathisia tends to persist for as long as neuroleptic medications are continued, although the intensity may fluctuate over time. The reported prevalence of akathisia among individuals receiving neuroleptic medication has varied widely (20%-75%)." (p 745) [Emphasis added]

Note the reference in the third line above to "irritability, aggression, or suicide attempts". In fact, as the material quoted earlier makes clear, neuroleptic-induced akathisia has been causally-linked to actual homicides and suicides. This understatement was clearly deliberate, as Allen Frances, MD, architect of DSM-IV, was also one of the authors of the Shear et al paper quoted earlier, which linked neuroleptic-induced akathisia to actual completed suicides.

"Neuroleptic-Induced Acute Akathisia may be clinically indistinguishable from syndromes of restlessness due to certain neurological or other general medical conditions, to nonneuroleptic substances, and to agitation presenting as part of a mental disorder (e.g., a Manic Episode)." (p 745)

In other words, people who are experiencing neuroleptic-induced acute akathisia are at risk of being assigned a "diagnosis" of "bipolar disorder"!

"Serotonin-specific reuptake inhibitor antidepressant medications may produce akathisia that appears to be identical in phenomenology and treatment response to Neuroleptic-Induced Acute Akathisia. Akathisia due to nonneuroleptic medication can be diagnosed as Medication-Induced Movement Disorder Not Otherwise Specified." (p 745) [Bold face in original]

and

"Individuals with Depressive Episodes, Manic Episodes, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Schizophrenia and other Psychotic Disorders, Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, dementia, delirium, Substance Intoxication, (e.g., with cocaine), or Substance Withdrawal (.e.g., from an opioid) may also display agitation that is difficult to distinguish from akathisia." (p 745-746) [Bold face in original]

Which prompts one to wonder how many people who have been assigned these so-called diagnoses were actually suffering from one of the toxic effects of neuroleptic drugs or SSRI's. It is also entirely plausible, as DSM-IV suggests, that many of these individuals would have been "treated" with even higher doses of neuroleptics!

. . . . .

The entry in DSM-IV-TR (2000) is identical to that in DSM-IV except for the following addition:

"Although the atypical [newer] neuroleptic medications are less likely to cause akathisia than the typical [older] neuroleptics, nonetheless, these medications do cause akathisia in some individuals." (p 801)

. . . . .

DSM-5 is remarkably less frank concerning psychiatric drug-induced akathisia than was DSM-IV. The name Neuroleptic-Induced Acute Akathisia was changed to Medication-Induced Acute Akathisia and the entry is given a total of four-and-a-half lines of text:

"333.99 (G25.71) Medication-Induced Acute Akathisia
Subjective complaints of restlessness, often accompanied by observed excessive movements (e.g., fidgety movements of the legs, rocking from foot to foot, pacing, inability to sit or stand still), developing within a few weeks of starting or raising the dosage of a medication (such as a neuroleptic) or after reducing the dosage of a medication used to treat extrapyramidal symptoms." (p 711) [Bold face in original]

There is no reference to the fact that, as earlier psychiatric authors had stated, the condition can be so unbearable as to drive people to suicide and even homicide.

There is, however, an interesting admission in a separate, also brief, entry:

"333.72 (G24.09) Tardive Dystonia
333.99 (G25.71) Tardive Akathisia
Tardive syndrome involving other types of movement problems, such as dystonia or akathisia, which are distinguished by their late emergence in the course of treatment and their potential persistence for months to years, even in the face of neuroleptic discontinuation or dosage reduction." (p 712) [Bold face in original]

In other words, neuroleptic-induced akathisia can persist for years, even if the person stops taking the drugs! But even granting this admission, it is clear that DSM-5 is markedly down-playing the significance and seriousness of neuroleptic-induced akathisia. And it is also clear from elsewhere in the text that the agenda here is to protect the reputation of the neuroleptic drugs:

"The term neuroleptic is becoming outdated because it highlights the propensity of antipsychotic medications to cause abnormal movements, and it is being replaced with the term antipsychotic in many contexts." (p 709)

Note the deceptive use of the passive voice ("is becoming outdated"). In reality, psychiatrists are consciously and deliberately phasing out the term "neuroleptic" in an attempt to conceal, or at least not draw attention to, the severe and potentially life-threatening neurotoxic effects of these drugs.

But the more important question is why has the APA eliminated the DSM-IV category "neuroleptic-induced akathisia" that ran to 2 ½ pages, and replaced it with the more general "medication-induced acute akathisia", which runs to 4 ½ lines? Why has this dangerous and relatively widespread adverse effect been so downplayed? On page 809 of the DSM-5 text there is a section called Highlights of Changes from DSM-IV to DSM-5, but there is no explanation for the change there. There is a note in this section referring the reader to "An expanded description of nearly all changes…" on the APA website. The link leads to an article titled "Highlights of Changes from DSM-IV-TR to DSM-5". But the article contains no reference to the change in question.

So we don't know the APA's justification for suppressing information about this potentially devastating adverse effect. But we do know that neuroleptic drugs are being prescribed for an increasing range of problems, and are even being prescribed to toddlers for temper tantrums and to nursing home residents for "management problems". Some have even acquired "block-buster" sales status. It is clearly in pharma's interests to suppress this information and it is consistent with psychiatry's hand-in-glove relationship with pharma that they should oblige their generous benefactors in this way. Remember, 69% of the DSM-5 workforce were in the pay of pharma while working on the revision.

Despite the early, and very clear, statements from individual psychiatrists linking psychiatric drugs to murder/suicides, the psychiatric leadership has consistently failed to address this link. Instead, they deceptively attribute these incidents to a lack of psychiatric "treatment", and they call for legal enforcement of even more drugging.

Finally

On June 9, 2016, Maria Oquendo, MD, President of the APA, wrote a post in support of the Senate's so-called Mental Health Reform Bill. The post was standard psychiatric propaganda, including the inane 21% annual and 50% lifetime prevalence of "mental illness". The reality is that if one can invent illnesses at will and arbitrarily reduce the "diagnostic" thresholds of these "illnesses", one can produce any prevalence numbers one chooses.

The post also drew attention to the fact that there were 41,000 suicides in the US in 2013, and asserted that "…we continue to fail people with mental illness every day."

In other words, more psychiatric treatment would reduce the suicide rate. But meanwhile, we have no data on how many of these individuals were in the throes of neuroleptic or antidepressant-induced akathisia. And as long as psychiatry and pharma are controlling the research agenda, such information will be systematically repressed.

As I've stated many times, psychiatry is intellectually and morally bankrupt. They are adamantly resistant to anything resembling critical self-appraisal, and there are no depths of deception and spin to which they will not go, to suppress the reality and the consequences of their drug-pushing depredations. Neuroleptic and antidepressant drugs induce some individuals to take their own lives and/or the lives of others. Neuroleptic and antidepressant drugs are almost certainly the proximate causes of many of the mass shootings that have plagued our country for almost twenty years. How much longer can psychiatry sustain this dreadful, self-serving deception?

And, Incidentally

Senator John McCain and Congressman David Jolly have introduced bills in their respective chambers that if enacted will require the Veterans Administration to conduct a comprehensive study of the link between psychiatric drugs and veterans' suicides. It will be an enormous step forward if these bills become law. It is also an interesting reflection that these bills were initiated by politicians, and not by psychiatrists, who present themselves as caring professionals acting in the best interests of their so-called patients.

If you live in the US, please encourage your representatives to support the McCain and Jolly bills (S 3410 and H 4640).



Thank You Dr Hickey, MIA and Sen McCain.