Is the pharmaceutical industry distorting psychiatry practice

Is the pharmaceutical industry distorting psychiatry practice: "



IS PSYCHIATRY FOR SALE?

AN EXAMININATION OF THE INFLUENCE OF THE PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY ON ACADEMIC AND PRACTICAL PSYCHIATRY.

BY

JOANNA MONCRIEFF

Published June 2003







This was prepared as a MAUDSLEY DISCUSSION PAPER and is available for £4 as a booklet from the Sarah Smith at the Institute of Psychiatry, de Crespigny Park, London SE5 8AF, tel 0207836 5454, e mail sarah.smith@iop.kcl.ac.uk





SUMMARY

Western society is consuming ever larger quantities of prescription drugs and many of these are for psychiatric complaints. Drugs are central to modern psychiatric practice and to much psychiatric thought about the nature and causation of mental disorders. Psychiatry has therefore become an important target for the large and powerful pharmaceutical industry. Drug companies direct lavish advertising and hospitality towards psychiatrists and provide funding for much medical education and some mental health service initiatives. The industry is now heavily involved in the organisation of research into psychiatric drugs and the dissemination of research findings. This raises questions about the scientific objectivity of this research and the extent to which the industry is able to shape the research agenda. Drug companies also provide funds for pro drug patient and carer groups and address advertising or disease promotion campaign"

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posted by Robert Heard at 1:35 PM