diamond_rabbit
14th April 2006, 05:04
May 1, 2006
Press Release of Canadian Alliance for Rights in Health Care (CARHC):
Major Report Concludes Psychiatric Drugs Harmed Canadians - Human Rights Violated
On May 1, 2006, a groundbreaking report is being released to federal, provincial, and municipal governments. If any of the major report recommendations are enacted, there will be major change in mental health services as we know them in Canada.
The Report is based on public hearings into psychiatric drugs (Inquiry into Psychiatry 2005) which were held April 2 and April 3, 2005 in Toronto City Hall. Organized by the Coalition Against Psychiatric Assault, the hearings consisted of testimony from people who have been administered these substances. The hearings were presided over by a panel which operated at arms-length from the organizers. Panel members were all academics and professionals and included: Dr. Bonnie Burstow (chair), faculty member at the University of Toronto, internationally renowned trauma specialist, and psychotherapist educator; Professor Ernie Lightman, faculty member at the University of Toronto and one person commission of inquiry investigating unregulated housing for vulnerable adults in Ontario; Leah Cohen, former Vice-Chair of the Ontario Health Professions Board; and Bonnie Diamond, Executive Director of National Association of Women and the Law and former Executive Director of the Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Societies. Besides presiding over the hearings, the panel wrote a twenty-page report summarizing the hearings, announcing findings, and providing concrete recommendations for all levels of government.
The report concludes that psychiatric drugs as currently prescribed are profoundly harming people and that during administration of these drugs, human rights, including the right to informed consent, are seriously violated. The report contains thirty-seven hard-hitting recommendations for federal, provincial and municipal governments. Among other recommendations, the panel strongly recommended:
1. that an inquiry be conducted into the relationship between psychiatry and the multinational pharmaceuticals, with an eye to exploring conflicts of interest and overly close relationships, and that those conducting the inquiry be authorized to make legal and other recommendations. Examples of areas that should be included in the scope include: prescribing psychiatrists’ reliance on the information given by pharmaceutical companies; the degree to which research into psychiatric drugs rests on pharmaceutical funding; pharmaceutical funding of psychiatric journals, conferences, and psychiatric facilities; pharmaceutical companies drafting of Health Canada advisories; the degree to which scholarly articles on psychiatric drugs are written by ghost writers in the employ of pharmaceutical companies; and the degree to which the interests of the pharmaceutical companies shape research findings.
2. that the rights of children and protection of children from dangerous drugs be taken seriously, that laws be enacted that mandate authorities to investigate possible abuse backgrounds with respect to all children who end up at mental health facilities and/or who become candidates for psychiatric drugs. Correspondingly, whether through Children’s Aid, the Office of the Child Advocate, or some new body, protection be provided for children at threat of being put in a psychiatric facility or of being subjected to psychiatric medication.
3. that all doctors who prescribe psychiatric drugs be required by law to review the choice of drugs and the amount of the drug administered and to consider the possibility of changes. That the doctors in particular be required bi-annually to consider less powerful drugs, drugs with less negative effects on the person, smaller doses, and withdrawal itself.
4. that new extensive guidelines for informed consent be established. That such guidelines cover issues such as overall coercion in psychiatric facilities and the need to provide both oral and written user-friendly information that is based on neutral sources.
5. that a system of outside monitoring be established for all doctors prescribing psychiatric drugs. This monitoring should not be conducted by people who work at the same facility. Correspondingly, an effort should be made to avoid other conflicts of interest.
6. that no psychiatric drug be approved for use in Canada unless it has been subjected to research that examines the consequences of use over at least a three year period. Further, that measures be taken to ensure that there has been no opportunity for the research findings to be influenced by the pharmaceutical company associated with the drug or by any other pharmaceutical company.
7. that there be a re-examination of the safety of all current psychiatric drugs licensed for use in Canada.
8. that the Toronto Board of Health and other boards of health launch a public education campaign on the health hazards associated with the major psychiatric drugs and that this campaign include the provision of workshops and the creation of accurate and user-friendly information on the negative effects of the major psychiatric drugs, including but not limited to permanent physical disability and the likelihood of formidable drug dependency. That this information be available in multiple languages. Further, that the Board of Health continue to update such information and widely disseminate such information to psychiatric survivors, mental health professionals, other health professionals, families at risk, schools in its jurisdiction, and the public at large.
9. In light of the substantial health risks posed by psychiatric drugs, the highly addictive nature of these substances, and the dearth of options in this area, that the Board mandate Public Health to create safe houses for addicted people opting to come off psychiatric drugs. Further, that such safe houses be created in consultation with the psychiatric survivor community and other relevant communities and that each safe house include: a) medical and non-medical staff who are trained in the Richman ten percent withdrawal method and who are aware of the special vitamin and mineral needs of people coming off psychiatric drugs; b) non-psychiatric counselling; c) the provision of healthy food which conforms to the special needs of people withdrawing from psychiatric drugs; and d) twenty-four hour support.
To date, over thirty nongovernmental agencies have endorsed all the recommendations in the report. Additionally, well-known and widely respected Canadians Maude Barlow and Cathy Crowe have signed a hard-hitting statement describing the state of affairs as urgent and calling on the government to act on the recommendations.
This is a critical moment in the history of health services in this country. There is an opportunity here for government to chart a new path that would truly address the needs of Canadians and that would stop the systemic violation of human rights of some of the most vulnerable members of our society.
Organizational Endorsements of the Report of the Psychiatric Drugs Panel:
Anti-Racist Action Toronto
Canadian Alliance for Rights in Health Care
Canadian Research Institute for the Advancement of Women
Centre for Women and Trans People at York University
Coalition Against Psychiatric Assault
Council of Canadians with Disabilities
Critical Psychology Group
Disabled Women’s Network Ontario
Empowerment Council of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
Greenspiration
Limp Fist
Lunatics’ Liberation Front
Mental Health Nursing Interest Group of the Registered Nurses of Ontario
MindFreedom International
National Association of Women and the Law
National Network for Mental Health
No One is Illegal
Ontario Association of Interval and Transition Houses
Ontario Coalition Against Poverty
Ontario Recovers
Pictou County Women’s Centre
Prisoners’ HIV/AIDS Support Action Network
Psychiatric Medication Awareness Group
Queer Diversity
Resistance Against Psychiatry
Sistering
Sound Times
Street Nurses’ Network
Toronto Rape Crisis Centre/Multicultural Women Against Rape
Toronto Women’s Health Network
Transformative Learning Centre
Women's Counselling Referral and Education Centre
Press Release of Canadian Alliance for Rights in Health Care (CARHC):
Major Report Concludes Psychiatric Drugs Harmed Canadians - Human Rights Violated
On May 1, 2006, a groundbreaking report is being released to federal, provincial, and municipal governments. If any of the major report recommendations are enacted, there will be major change in mental health services as we know them in Canada.
The Report is based on public hearings into psychiatric drugs (Inquiry into Psychiatry 2005) which were held April 2 and April 3, 2005 in Toronto City Hall. Organized by the Coalition Against Psychiatric Assault, the hearings consisted of testimony from people who have been administered these substances. The hearings were presided over by a panel which operated at arms-length from the organizers. Panel members were all academics and professionals and included: Dr. Bonnie Burstow (chair), faculty member at the University of Toronto, internationally renowned trauma specialist, and psychotherapist educator; Professor Ernie Lightman, faculty member at the University of Toronto and one person commission of inquiry investigating unregulated housing for vulnerable adults in Ontario; Leah Cohen, former Vice-Chair of the Ontario Health Professions Board; and Bonnie Diamond, Executive Director of National Association of Women and the Law and former Executive Director of the Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Societies. Besides presiding over the hearings, the panel wrote a twenty-page report summarizing the hearings, announcing findings, and providing concrete recommendations for all levels of government.
The report concludes that psychiatric drugs as currently prescribed are profoundly harming people and that during administration of these drugs, human rights, including the right to informed consent, are seriously violated. The report contains thirty-seven hard-hitting recommendations for federal, provincial and municipal governments. Among other recommendations, the panel strongly recommended:
1. that an inquiry be conducted into the relationship between psychiatry and the multinational pharmaceuticals, with an eye to exploring conflicts of interest and overly close relationships, and that those conducting the inquiry be authorized to make legal and other recommendations. Examples of areas that should be included in the scope include: prescribing psychiatrists’ reliance on the information given by pharmaceutical companies; the degree to which research into psychiatric drugs rests on pharmaceutical funding; pharmaceutical funding of psychiatric journals, conferences, and psychiatric facilities; pharmaceutical companies drafting of Health Canada advisories; the degree to which scholarly articles on psychiatric drugs are written by ghost writers in the employ of pharmaceutical companies; and the degree to which the interests of the pharmaceutical companies shape research findings.
2. that the rights of children and protection of children from dangerous drugs be taken seriously, that laws be enacted that mandate authorities to investigate possible abuse backgrounds with respect to all children who end up at mental health facilities and/or who become candidates for psychiatric drugs. Correspondingly, whether through Children’s Aid, the Office of the Child Advocate, or some new body, protection be provided for children at threat of being put in a psychiatric facility or of being subjected to psychiatric medication.
3. that all doctors who prescribe psychiatric drugs be required by law to review the choice of drugs and the amount of the drug administered and to consider the possibility of changes. That the doctors in particular be required bi-annually to consider less powerful drugs, drugs with less negative effects on the person, smaller doses, and withdrawal itself.
4. that new extensive guidelines for informed consent be established. That such guidelines cover issues such as overall coercion in psychiatric facilities and the need to provide both oral and written user-friendly information that is based on neutral sources.
5. that a system of outside monitoring be established for all doctors prescribing psychiatric drugs. This monitoring should not be conducted by people who work at the same facility. Correspondingly, an effort should be made to avoid other conflicts of interest.
6. that no psychiatric drug be approved for use in Canada unless it has been subjected to research that examines the consequences of use over at least a three year period. Further, that measures be taken to ensure that there has been no opportunity for the research findings to be influenced by the pharmaceutical company associated with the drug or by any other pharmaceutical company.
7. that there be a re-examination of the safety of all current psychiatric drugs licensed for use in Canada.
8. that the Toronto Board of Health and other boards of health launch a public education campaign on the health hazards associated with the major psychiatric drugs and that this campaign include the provision of workshops and the creation of accurate and user-friendly information on the negative effects of the major psychiatric drugs, including but not limited to permanent physical disability and the likelihood of formidable drug dependency. That this information be available in multiple languages. Further, that the Board of Health continue to update such information and widely disseminate such information to psychiatric survivors, mental health professionals, other health professionals, families at risk, schools in its jurisdiction, and the public at large.
9. In light of the substantial health risks posed by psychiatric drugs, the highly addictive nature of these substances, and the dearth of options in this area, that the Board mandate Public Health to create safe houses for addicted people opting to come off psychiatric drugs. Further, that such safe houses be created in consultation with the psychiatric survivor community and other relevant communities and that each safe house include: a) medical and non-medical staff who are trained in the Richman ten percent withdrawal method and who are aware of the special vitamin and mineral needs of people coming off psychiatric drugs; b) non-psychiatric counselling; c) the provision of healthy food which conforms to the special needs of people withdrawing from psychiatric drugs; and d) twenty-four hour support.
To date, over thirty nongovernmental agencies have endorsed all the recommendations in the report. Additionally, well-known and widely respected Canadians Maude Barlow and Cathy Crowe have signed a hard-hitting statement describing the state of affairs as urgent and calling on the government to act on the recommendations.
This is a critical moment in the history of health services in this country. There is an opportunity here for government to chart a new path that would truly address the needs of Canadians and that would stop the systemic violation of human rights of some of the most vulnerable members of our society.
Organizational Endorsements of the Report of the Psychiatric Drugs Panel:
Anti-Racist Action Toronto
Canadian Alliance for Rights in Health Care
Canadian Research Institute for the Advancement of Women
Centre for Women and Trans People at York University
Coalition Against Psychiatric Assault
Council of Canadians with Disabilities
Critical Psychology Group
Disabled Women’s Network Ontario
Empowerment Council of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
Greenspiration
Limp Fist
Lunatics’ Liberation Front
Mental Health Nursing Interest Group of the Registered Nurses of Ontario
MindFreedom International
National Association of Women and the Law
National Network for Mental Health
No One is Illegal
Ontario Association of Interval and Transition Houses
Ontario Coalition Against Poverty
Ontario Recovers
Pictou County Women’s Centre
Prisoners’ HIV/AIDS Support Action Network
Psychiatric Medication Awareness Group
Queer Diversity
Resistance Against Psychiatry
Sistering
Sound Times
Street Nurses’ Network
Toronto Rape Crisis Centre/Multicultural Women Against Rape
Toronto Women’s Health Network
Transformative Learning Centre
Women's Counselling Referral and Education Centre