Pharma Influences Diagnoses and Treatments in “Bible” of Psychiatric Disorders
by Barbara Cáceres
Published January 16, 2024
Article Excerpts:
A new study published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) found that 55 of the 92 American doctors who determine what diagnoses and treatments are included in the American Psychiatric Association’s (APA) most recent edition of their Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) collectively received more than $14 million in previously undisclosed industry funding.1
The APA’s manual is often referred to as the “bible” of psychiatric disorders because of its enormous influence on clinical practice, affecting such disparate domains as jurisprudence and insurance claims. The APA also produces and disseminates clinical-practice guidelines directly tied to DSM diagnoses.2 The DSM’s fifth edition, the DSM-V, was published in May 2013; a text revision was published in March 2022 as the DSM-5-TR.
Transparency is Not the Answer
After the 1994 release of DSM-4, the APA instituted a policy requiring expert advisors to disclose drug industry ties. But the move toward transparency did little to cut down on conflicts of interest, with nearly 70 percent of DSM-5 task force members reporting financial relationships with pharmaceutical companies—up from 57 percent for DSM-4.7
(See link for article)
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A few points:
- The study used info only from Open Payments which doesn’t include payments to doctors based outside the U.S. so the problem is worse.
- Panel members with Pharma ties have introduced new diagnoses and revisions to treatment which have lacked scientific evidence but helps industry.
- In 2019, 1 in 6 Americans over age 18 took medication for a psychiatric disorder.
- The Institute of Medicine (IOM) is recommending that only independent experts without commercial ties be involved in clinical guideline decision-making.
One would hope this last point would be common practice, but alas, it isn’t.
As always, “Follow the money.”
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https://thevaccinereaction.org/2024/01/more-than-half-of-cdc-employees-end-up-working-for-pharma/
More Than Half of CDC Employees End Up Working for Pharma
by TVR Staff
Published January 14, 2024
Article Excerpts:
A study conducted by researchers at the University of Southern California (USC) and Harvard University and published in the journal Health Affairs found that 54 percent of the staff members, who were employed at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and left the federal health agency during 2004-2020, went on to work for the pharmaceutical industry.1 2 3
According to the study:
Exiting staff went to not only biopharmaceutical and device manufacturers, but also health insurers, information and communication technology firms, real estate firms with medical property portfolios, and consulting firms.1
Current Laws and Regulations Have Little Impact on CDC/Pharma Conflicts of Interest
Current federal laws and regulations, which were supposed to reduce conflicts of interest that arise from the revolving door between the CDC employees and pharma, do not appear to adequately address the “pre- and post-departure risks.” Study authors Kanter and Carpenter cited 18 U.S. Code Section 207, which imposes a one- to two-year “cooling-off period” on former officials within the executive branch of the federal government and prohibits them from lobbying the government on behalf of private organizations.1 3
Kanter said that the cooling off period laws “do not cover much lobbying related to federal agency decision making, like regulations and drug authorizations, so they don’t necessarily deter that behavior.”3
Revolving Door Between CDC and Pharma a Serious Problem
The “sheer scale” of the revolving door between the CDC and other DHHS agencies, such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), is apparently serious enough that Kanter and Carpenter described it as a “troubling” and one that “merits further scrutiny.”1
For more:
- https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/10/19/fda-official-uses-revolving-door-to-join-biotech-company-developing-mrna-vaccines/ Former White House Coronavirus Task Force Advisor Deborah Birx is now CEO of Armata Pharmaceuticals.
- https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2022/01/03/bidens-fda-chief-pick-used-to-work-as-big-pharma-consultant-has-millions-in-pharma-investments/ FDA head, Robert Califf worked as a Pharma consultant
- https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/03/18/fda-medical-adviser-congress-is-owned-by-pharma/
- https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2022/12/26/study-shows-governments-media-constantly-disinform-the-public-due-to-conflicts-with-big-pharma/
- https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2021/10/01/big-pharma-documentary/
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**Comment**
Speaking of treatment “guidelines” and sordid history, investigative journalist Kris Newby uncovered the fact that a majority of those determining the Lyme treatment guidelines also had financial conflicts of interest with Big Pharma.
It’s important to note that these guidelines have remained frozen in time for over 40 years despite new science and reality. This of course means the controversy continues making doctors too frightened to treat patients and depart from the accepted narrative.
Madison Area Lyme Support Group 