Dr Ann Tracy's post in USA Today on the prescription drug use

Yes they have taken the bait again and fallen hook line and sinker, but this time the cost will be FAR GREATER!!! The death toll at this point is beyond belief with "properly prescribed" prescription drugs killing as many every week as we lost at 9/11. (That is according to a study done by pharmacists - www.drugawareness.org) And who has gone to war over this type of terrorism? The whole country should be up in arms yet we continue to sleep through it all wondering what is wrong with our world!

Do the drug companies care like they tell us they do on TV? Why should they? They are much too busy making trips to the bank - the biggest industry of death and destruction on the planet. Wish everyone could see how many deaths I see every day as a result of this mass drugging. If they would just drop dead that would be one thing, but on antidepressants and other serotonergic meds (pain killers & atypical antipsychotics) they generally take their families out before taking their own lives.

They tried giving us LSD and PCP as prescription drugs in the late 50's and they were pulled from the market, but now we have them as the most popular prescription drugs on the market with all new names. And they did it without us even noticing why they called this the Decade of the Brain in our Orwellian nightmare society. WAKE UP AMERICA!!!

Dr. Ann Blake Tracy, Executive Director,
International Coalition for Drug Awareness
www.drugawareness.org & www.ssristories.com

SM 9 Passed! Study Anti-Depressants and Suicide.

Sarina's Voice "will" be heard, Sarina's life "will" be celebrated, Sarina's death "will not" be in vain,
As Sarina's mother, I "will" do everything in my power to Abolish Suicide-Causing Anti-Depressants!!!
I will spend the remainder of my days fighting the use of Psychotropic Drugs, I will fight for the rest of my life to educate about the link between SSRI's and Suicide, I will make it my personal battle to bring Prescription Drug Awareness to the general public and I will do this with the help of my army behind me; all of you that have supported me, my cause, my crusade and my daughter. Thank you -
Thank you for the collaboration it took from everyone to get this Memorial Act passed; All the Letters of Support, the emails, blogs and website postings truly made the difference.
I am honored to have all of you on my side and to call you all friends and family.
Here is the link to the New Mexico Legislature Website to check out SM9.
"http://legis.state.nm.us/lcs/_session.asp?year=08&chamber=S&number=9&type=M&w=com"
My work I do for Sarina and all the others out there who are, have been and could be innocent victims to these killer drugs.
There is no need for this to be in our society. The truth needs to be told so we do not lose any more people to this tragic death. These Anti-Depressant drugs have caused too much havoc for far too long and if not stopped now will continue to wreak more and more suicides, murder/suicides, school shootings and murder.
This Multi-Billion Dollar Industry has proof that over 63,000 suicides are directly related to these drugs. There is entirely too much human suffering caused by SSRI's..
200,000 people die each year from prescription drugs, yet only 20,000 die as a result from illegal drug use.
More people have been killed by SSRI's than were killed by Terrorists in 9/11, who are the real Terrorists??

My next battle is to challenge the FDA, please email me as someone who wants to support me, join me, make a difference and save lives. I need hundreds of people with me to go face to face with the FDA.

Who's in???

Email me your full name, email address, city and state if you are in on my "Going face-to-face with the FDA Challenge", We will add a button to our website with your names and links to your personal letters or testimonials that you want beside your name, so include them too.
Please forward this letter to "everyone" in your address book, as usual, ask them to forward it to everyone in their address book and so on and so on, Post this on any and all forums, blogs and websites you can.

WE WILL NOT BACK DOWN!!!

My Mission is for the World to hear Sarinas Voice; for she is no longer with me to speak.
But she will be heard, through me, her Mother.
For I live with her inside me and I will live out loud, her voice will be heard.
My Crusade is to Abolish Suicide Causing AntiDepressants. There is strength in numbers,
I need the support of those who hold this issue close to their hearts; to assure that other parents and their children live a happy life without pain and without suicide.
My Campaign is to pass a Bill which will ultimately become Sarina's Law.

Camille Milke, Eternal "Mommy" of Sarina Angel
Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow and Forever........
My Beautiful Baby Girl, 1/26/86 - 10/28/07, 21 years 9 months 3 days
COPES Foundation (Coalition Of Parents Enduring Suicide)
Founder and President, Main - 505-269-2286, Fax - 505-213-0999
"SarinasVoice@aol.com"
"www.COPESFoundation.com"
"www.ILoveYouSarina21.last-memories.com"
NM Director of the International Coalition for Drug Awareness
"www.DrugAwareness.org"

MOTHERS ACT WOULD SUBJECT PREGNANT MOTHERS TO DRUGS CAUSING SPONSTANEOUS ABORTION AND BIRTH DEFECTS

A bill which has passed the House of Representatives is about to be voted on
by the key Senate Committee in charge of this legislation — it is called "The
Mother's Act" (S. 1375)

WE DON'T WANT THIS BILL TO PASS. SCREENING PREGNANT WOMEN FOR DEPRESSION WILL
OPEN THE DOOR TO FALSE LABELS AND DRUGGING.

Contact your Representatives and Senators and tell them to stop the Mother’s Act (H.R. 20 / S. 1375).

CALLS, OR FAXES, ARE NEEDED TODAY TO THE LIST OF SENATE COMMITTEE MEMBERS
BELOW.

This easy to do:

1) Call the numbers below and when the receptionist answers say, "I would like
to leave a message for the Senator."

2) The receptionist will take your message.

3) TELL THEM YOU ARE OPPOSED TO "THE MOTHER'S ACT" (S.1375) because of the
damage that will be done to mothers and infants due to the treatment that
will result from the legislation. Mothers need understanding and
compassionate medical care, not unscientific labels and mind altering
drugs. (Use your own words...keep it brief, mention the bill number)

4) Pass this on to others....THANKS!!!!!

Sen. Michael B. Enzi (WY)
Tele 202 224-3424
Fax: 202 228-0359

Sen. Judd Gregg (NH)
Tele 202 224-3324
Fax 202 224-4952

Sen. Lamar Alexander (TN)
Tele 202 224-4944
Fax 202 228-3398

Sen. Richard Burr (NC)
Tele 202 224-3154
Fax 202 228-2981

Sen. Johnny Isakson (GA)
Tele 202 224-3643
Fax 202 228-0724

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (AK)
Tele 202 224-6665
Fax 202 224-5301

Sen. Orrin G. Hatch (UT)
Tele 202 224-5251
Fax 202 224-6331

Sen. Pat Roberts (KS)
Tele 202 224-4774
Fax 202 224-3514

Sen. Wayne Allard (CO)
Tele 202 224-5941
Fax 202 224-6471

Sen. Tom Coburn (OK)
Tele 202 224-5754
Fax 202 224-6008


Current legislation moving through Congress called the “Mother’s Act” (H.R. 20 in the House and S 1375 in the Senate) seeks to "educate," “screen” and "treat" new mothers for postpartum depression. This sounds like a good idea, until you hear the specifics of what is planned.

The bill defines postpartum depression as “a devastating mood disorder which strikes many women during and after pregnancy." The idea is to first screen as many pregnant women and new mothers as possible for depression using a 10-question survey, and “treat” those who they deem have depression or postpartum depression with antidepressants.

Despite numerous studies showing a link between Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressant use by pregnant women and spontaneous abortion or birth defects in newborns, the primary treatments that will be recommended are these newer SSRI antidepressants!


SSRIs Have Been Linked to Spontaneous Abortion

and Birth Defects in Newborns

Here is just a sampling of studies that point this out:

May 1993: A study published in the Journal of The American Medical Association reported that of 117 pregnancies where the mother took Prozac during the first trimester, the risk of miscarriage was 14.8% compared to 7.8% in mothers not exposed to Prozac or other antidepressants.[1]

November 1993: The Journal of the American Medical Association reported in a study that the risk of spontaneous abortion in women taking the SSRI antidepressant Prozac was as high as 15.9% and 3.4% perinatal (around the birth) malformations.[2]

August 2003: The Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration reported that the use of SSRIs during or after pregnancy could result in newborn babies experiencing withdrawal effects and could also experience a toxic effect from ingestion of an SSRI in breast-milk. Withdrawal effects the baby experienced included agitation, jitteriness, poor feeding, sleepiness/lethargy, gastrointestinal symptoms and hypotania (deficient tone or tension).[3] (The Physicians Desk Reference also warns that Paxil can be secreted through breast milk).

September 2005: Studies conducted by Danish and U.S. researchers determined that the use of SSRIs in the first three months of pregnancy was linked to a 40% increased risk of birth defects such as cleft palate and cardiac defects appeared to be 60% more likely when women used SSRIs.[4]

February 9, 2006: The New England Journal of Medicine found that mothers who took SSRIs in the second half of their pregnancies were 6 times more likely to give birth to infants with a lung disorder called persistent pulmonary hypertension (PPHN). Between 10% and 20% of infants with PPHN will end up dying even if they receive treatment.[5]

July 2006: The FDA warned of the risk of a fatal lung condition in newborns whose mothers took SSRIs during pregnancy.[6]

October 2006: The journal Epidemiology, reported that babies born to women who took SSRI's during the second or third month of pregnancy had nearly 2 times the risk of having congenital malformations, with the most common being cardiovascular in 29%, muscle and bone malformations in 31% and 14% had digestive malformations.

May 2007: A study published in the Journal of The American Medical Association reported that of 117 pregnancies where the mother took Prozac during the first trimester, the risk of miscarriage was 14.8% compared to 7.8% in mothers not exposed to Prozac or tricyclic antidepressants.[7]


The U.S. government should not be funding research and treatment of expectant mothers that will result in spontaneous abortion or birth defects to their young!


STUDIES AND DRUG REGULATORY AGENCY WARNINGS AGAINST PSYCHIATRIC DRUG USE DURING PREGNANCY

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Any legislation that provides for further funding of research into “post partum depression” opens the door to creating an even greater risk to pregnant women. Such research ultimately recommends biological (drug) treatments, which never cure, but potentially damage and place newborns at risk of serious physical problems, withdrawal and even death. Dozens of studies already show that these drugs are hazardous to pregnant women and infants.

"These babies are bathed in serotonin [from Prozac-like antidepressants] during a key period of their development and we really don't know what it's doing to them or what the long-term effects might be. It could be that they go ‘cold turkey' when they are born or the serotonin could be having an effect on their brains, or it could be a bit of both."

Philip Zeskind, a professor of pediatrics,

The American Journal of Pediatrics 2004


BIRTH DEFECTS AND OTHER ADVERSE EFFECTS SUFFERED BY INFANTS WHOSE MOTHERS WERE PRESCRIBED ANTIDEPRESSANTS DURING PREGNANCY

Abnormal crying

Agitation

Bluish skin color from lack of oxygen

Breathing problems

Congenital anomaly (abnormality)

Convulsions

Feeding difficulties

Heart defects

Low birth rate

Jitteriness

Lethargy

Miscarriage

Neurological problems (symptoms include irritability, constant crying, convulsions)

Omphalocele (abnormality in which the infant's intestine or other abdominal organs protrude from the navel)

Premature birth

Rapid breathing

Respiratory difficulties

Restlessness

Rigidity

Seizures

Small intestine defects

Spontaneous abortions

Suction problems

Tremors

Withdrawal effects, including convulsions, agitation (symptoms could begin on the first day after birth and persist for 10 days even though levels of the antidepressant were undetectable on day 6)

These adverse reactions were reported in: Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, New England Journal of Medicine, World Health Organization, Epidemiology, The Archives of General Psychiatry, Harvard, The American Journal of Pediatrics, Science, American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Journal of The American Medical Association, the FDA, Australian Therapeutics Goods Association.

According to one of the world's leading experts on SSRI (Prozac-like) antidepressants, Dr David Healy, a professor at the University of Wales College of Medicine, "There is quite a movement at the moment to say all pregnant women are depressed." However, "There is no good reason to prescribe antidepressants, because only 1 out of 10 people are likely to respond to the drugs rather than to attention and support." "So in essence," he notes, "nine out of 10 pregnant women will be subject to the risks of the SSRIs….”

Experts critical of antidepressant use during pregnancy all agree that in the absence of any proven effectiveness of treatment with SSRIs, potential harm to the fetus cannot be justified.

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

WHY H.R. 20/S. 1375, THE “MOTHER’S ACT” IS OPEN TO ABUSE


The “Mother’s Act” (H.R. 20/S.1375) has a reported purpose to ensure that new mothers and their families are educated about postpartum depression, screened for symptoms, and provided with essential services, and to increase research at the National Institutes of Health on postpartum depression. There are numerous problems with this bill:


Despite the fact that the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) has already spent nearly $19 million during the last 10 years on postpartum depression, with no effective treatments found, the Mother’s Act calls for an unspecified amount of money over the next two years for even more research.
The bill does not acknowledge that there is diverse medical opinion about “postpartum depression” and whether it exists as a mental disability or as a physical condition that can be treated by normal medical or alternative means, already available.
Of great concern, the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine lists no research grants for postpartum depression on its website for the last 3 years, and the bill provides no indication that alternatives that would be safer to both mother and child are available.
The only treatment for put forth in the bill for women either during pregnancy or after childbirth is biological agents (antidepressants or other psychotropic drugs), when naturopaths, chiropractors and others in the alternative health field confirm there are natural ways of treating so-called post partum depression.
The bill fails to address the fact that studies show that antidepressants prescribed to pregnant women can cause miscarriage, premature birth, and in babies born to pregnant women taking these drugs, congenital heart birth defects, life-threatening lung disease, neurological symptoms, and withdrawal symptoms.
This treatment modality forwarded by the bill could lead to thousands of lawsuits, as hundreds have already been filed concerning the effects of antidepressant use during pregnancy. Children have been born with club foot, cleft pallet, and some have required several surgeries to correct the condition alleged to have been caused by psychiatric drug use during pregnancy.
Mental health screening, whether for postpartum depression or otherwise, is not the same as medical testing that show a tangible result. Rather it relies upon subjective questionnaires that are then evaluated based solely on opinion.
This bill makes no provision to protect women from this, to protect the fetus and infants from harmful psychotropic drugs most commonly prescribed for “post partum depression” and opens the door to massive increases in healthcare costs arising from treatment of iatrogenic-caused conditions through drug prescriptions.
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

SAMPLE STUDIES SHOWING PSYCHOTROPIC DRUG USE DURING PREGNANCY IS DANGEROUS, PLACING THE FETUS, MOTHER AND INFANTS AT RISK


May 1993: A study published in the Journal of The American Medical Association reported that of 117 pregnancies where the mother took Prozac during the first trimester, the risk of miscarriage was 14.8% compared to 7.8% in mothers not exposed to Prozac or other antidepressants.[1]

August 1993: Between 1988 and August 1993, the FDA Adverse Drug Reaction reports for listed incidents of 17 babies being born with a congenital anomaly to mothers who had taken Prozac prior to or during pregnancy.[2]

November 1993: Eli Lilly, manufacturer of Prozac, admitted that the risk of spontaneous abortion in women taking Prozac was as high as 15.9% and 3.4% perinatal (around the birth) malformations.[3]

1996: The New England Journal of Medicine reported a study that showed higher rates of premature delivery, low birth weight, admissions to intensive care units, including respiratory and feeding difficulties, and jitteriness, in children born to women who took Prozac during pregnancy. [4]

March 2003: A Harvard study showed that infants exposed in the womb to valproate (Depakote, Depakene or Epivil) prescribed for mood disorders, had twice as many birth defects as previously thought—8.8% had serious abnormalities compared to previously reported rate of 4%.[5]

July 2003: A Finnish study published in The Archives of General Psychiatry found that infants whose mothers took antidepressants during pregnancy could suffer neurological problems during their first week of life. The symptoms included tremors, restlessness and rigidity. Previous studies had shown that pregnant women taking SSRIs during the third trimester of pregnancy could experience neurological symptoms such as irritability, constant crying, convulsions and eating and sleeping disorders.[6]

August 2003: The Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration reported that the use of SSRIs during or after pregnancy could result in newborn babies experiencing withdrawal effects and could also experience a toxic effect from ingestion of an SSRI in breast-milk. withdrawal effects the baby experienced included agitation, jitteriness, poor feeding, sleepiness/lethargy, gastrointestinal symptoms and hypotania (deficient tone or tension).[7]

2004: The FDA revised SSRI labels to warn that some infants had developed problems requiring prolonged hospitalization, respiratory support, and tube feeding. [8]

February 2004: The American Journal of Pediatrics found direct evidence of a link between fetal exposure to SSRIs and disrupted neurological development. "Researchers linked abnormal sleeping patterns, heart rhythms and levels of alertness” to SSRIs.[9]

June 2004: A study published in Prescrire International found that newborns exposed to SSRIs toward the end of pregnancy showed signs of agitation, altered muscle tone, and breathing and suction problems, with an estimated 20% to 30% of the infants in the study affected. [10]

June 2004: The FDA also recorded 19 adverse events in pregnant women who took Effexor, an antidepressant closely related to SSRIs, including seizures, jitteriness, and jaundice. [11]

July 2004: The adverse event reports prompted the FDA to change the labeling for all SSRIs, warning that newborns exposed to SSRIs have developed problems requiring prolonged hospitalizations, respiratory support, and tube feeding. [12]

October 2004: Researchers from Columbia University published a study in the journal, Science, suggesting that exposure to Prozac in the womb and in early childhood may permanently alter the brain's circuitry and disrupt neural development, leading to serious emotional disorders later in life. [13]

2005: Researchers in France published a paper suggesting that serotonin exerts an impact on developmental processes of the embryo much earlier than previously believed. According to psychiatrist, Dr Grace Jackson, author of Rethinking Psychiatric Drugs: A Guide for Informed Consent, prescribing SSRIs as a preventative measure during pregnancy is a terrible idea. The major reason why preventive use is so dangerous, she says, is the research suggesting that the SSRIs exert a direct effect upon the early embryo.[14]

February 2005: Researchers from the University of La Laguna in Spain reported the use of antidepressants was associated with newborn withdrawal syndrome, in the British medical journal, Lancet—symptoms include convulsions, irritability, abnormal crying and tremor. [15]

September 2005: The Journal of Psychopharmacology published a study in which researchers discussed whether the symptoms found with infants at birth represented Paxil (paroxetine) toxicity or a withdrawal syndrome. The infant's symptoms began on the first day after birth and persisted for 10 days even though levels of paroxetine were undetectable on day 6. [16]

September 2005: GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) advised health care professionals of a Paxil label change that, according to data obtained from the National Birth Defects Prevention Study of infants, women who took an SSRIs were more likely to have an infant with omphalocele (abnormality in which the infant's intestine or other abdominal organs protrude from the navel). The study above also found an association of exposure to SSRIs and giving birth to an infant with craniosynostosis (a congenital defect-present at birth. The connections between sutures-skull bones prematurely close during the first year of life, which causes an abnormally shaped skull.) [17]

September 2005: Studies conducted by Danish and U.S. researchers determined that the use of SSRIs in the first three months of pregnancy was linked to a 40% increased risk of birth defects such as cleft palate and cardiac defects appeared to be 60% more likely when women used SSRIs.[18]

September 2005: The Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration warned health professionals warning that SSRI use—especially Paxil—in early pregnancy could cause congenital heart abnormalities in newborns.[19]

September 2005: The FDA and GSK issued a warning that pregnant women taking Paxil or other antidepressants during their first trimester of pregnancy experienced an increased risk of major congenital (birth defect) and cardiovascular malformations at birth; also premature births in pregnant women exposed to SSRIs.[20]

February 2006: An analysis of World Health Organization medical records found that infants whose mothers took antidepressants while pregnant may suffer withdrawal effects. A study conducted by researchers at the University of British Columbia and published in the British Lancet. [21] Researchers determined that about one out of three newborns exposed to SSRIs in the womb showed signs of neonatal (newborn) drug withdrawal. About 30% exhibited signs of withdrawal in the hours after birth. None of the infants who were not exposed to SSRIs had symptoms. [22]

February 2006: The Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine reported that nearly one-third of newborn infants whose mothers took SSRI antidepressants during pregnancy experienced withdrawal symptoms. Previous studies had identified other symptoms such as rapid breathing, bluish skin color from lack of oxygen, feeding difficulties, low blood sugar and jitteriness.[23]

February 9, 2006: The New England Journal of Medicine found that mothers who took SSRIs in the second half of their pregnancies were 6 times more likely to give birth to infants with a lung disorder called persistent pulmonary hypertension (PPHN). The condition occurs when a newborn's circulation system does not adapt to breathing outside the womb and causes high pressure in the blood vessels of the lungs making them unable to get enough oxygen into their bloodstream and can be fatal. Between 10% and 20% of infants with PPHN will end up dying even if they receive treatment.[24]

February 2006: In a related study involving 73 infants who were exposed to an SSRI right up until delivery, and 101 infants who were only exposed during the first trimester of pregnancy, researchers found that babies exposed throughout the entire pregnancy had significantly increased complications like hypotonia [having less than normal muscular tone or tension], respiratory problems and jitteriness compared to the other infants. [25]

March 2006: Health Canada issued a warning that SSRIs and other newer antidepressants when taken by pregnant women placed newborns at risk of developing a rare lung and heart condition.[26]

April 2006: American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology reported that taking SSRIs doubled the mother's risk of delivering a stillborn infant and increased the risk of premature delivery, underweight babies, and seizures. [27]

April 7, 2006: A Canadian study from the University of Ottawa, found those who used SSRIs were more likely to have premature and low birth weight babies. Almost 20% of women who used SSRIs gave birth prematurely, compared to 12% of mothers who did not use the drugs. Infants born to women using SSRIs were also found to be more likely to have seizures. [28]

July 2006: The FDA warned of the risk of a fatal lung condition in newborns whose mothers took SSRIs during pregnancy.[29]

November 2006: The journal Epidemiology published by researchers from Aarhus University in Denmark who found that pregnant women who take the newer type of antidepressants are more likely to have babies with birth defects than mothers who don’t take these drugs.[30]

December 29: A new Canadian study published in Birth Defects Research Part B: Developmental and Reproductive Toxicology, examined in greater detail the association between first trimester exposure to paroxetine (Paxil and Paxil CR) and the occurrence of major congenital malformation, especially major cardiac malformations. Paroxetine was significantly associated with a “two-fold increase in the risk of major congenital anomalies, and more specifically with a three-fold increase in the risk of major cardiac anomalies.”[31]

May 8, 2007: The German Drug Regulatory Agency (BfArM) warned of increased risk of cardiac malformation in newborns when the mother took Paxil during pregnancy.

May 2007: A study published in the Journal of The American Medical Association reported that of 117 pregnancies where the mother took Prozac during the first trimester, the risk of miscarriage was 14.8% compared to 7.8% in mothers not exposed to fluoxetine or tricyclic antidepressants.[32]

Objection to the Proposed MOTHERS Act - Bill

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

UNITE / CHAADA / ICFDA / COPES Foundation
Objection to the Proposed MOTHERS Act - Bill
before Senate Puts Young Children and
Mothers in Serious Danger

February 11, 2008

Contacts:

Amy Philo, mailto:amy@uniteforlife.org
214-705-0169 home, 817-793-8028 cell
"www.chaada.org" "www.uniteforlife.org"

Dr. Ann Blake Tracy, Executive Director of the ICFDA
"www.drugawareness.org"
mailto:atracyphd1@aol.com, 800-280-0730 direct

Camille Milke mailto:sarinasvoice@aol.com/
505-269-2286 direct or 505-213-0999 fax (USA numbers)
"www.copesfoundation.com","www.drugawareness.org"


To the HELP Committee of the United States Senate:
For years, the March of Dimes has warned not to use meds while pregnant. Why now encourage mothers to take drugs?

Please register this extreme objection to the proposed MOTHERS Act (S. 1375) which is now before you in committee. It is my earnest hope that you will immediately defeat this bill in committee. The bill has been brought to you under the guise of ensuring safety or support for new mothers- however, nothing could be further from the truth. 


The bill was originally proposed in response to the death by suicide of Melanie Stokes, a pharmaceutical rep. who took her own life by leaping from a balcony several stories off of the ground. Contrary to popular understanding it was not post-partum depression that killed Melanie, but the numerous antidepressant drugs she was taking, which the FDA confirmed doubles the suicide risk.

Nobody is suggesting that new moms do not ever experience mood swings, depression, or even psychotic episodes. The more important issue is what the effect of this bill will be and why nobody is addressing potential methods of prevention. Everyone knows how many young moms experience gestational diabetes, but who is addressing the even higher rate of gestational hypoglycemia, which often initially manifests as depression? This is a physical condition that is treated with diet and is exacerbated by antidepressants (which list hypoglycemia as a side effect).

To simply screen women for post-partum mood disorders and ensure that they get "treatment," we would be setting families up for the expectation of tragedy and increasing the chances of that actually happening when we refer them to medical "professionals" who are oblivious to the negative mind-altering effects of psychiatric drugs. A popular opinion among medical caregivers these days is that "post-partum mood disorders" must be a sign of an underlying biochemical imbalance and would be corrected with drugs.


Current drugs used on post-partum women include SSRIs, atypical antidepressants, and even antipsychotic drugs. These pose a significant risk to the immediate safety and health of women as well as their children and families. SSRIs carry a black box warning for suicide and the most popular one, Effexor (the same med. Andrea Yates was taking when she drowned her 5 children), has the words “homicidal ideation” listed as a side effect. Nearly every recent case of infanticide which has made news can be clearly linked back to a psychiatric drug. These drugs endanger babies and mothers.


Additionally, the drugs can be extremely addictive and also pose a risk to nurslings or babies exposed in subsequent pregnancies. Some babies have died from SIDS linked to exposure from pregnancy or nursing; others have experienced coma, seizures, GI bleeding, heart defects, lung problems, and many babies died before reaching full term or soon after birth.

The bill does not address the fact that studies show that biological agents (antidepressants for example) cited in the bill and already prescribed to pregnant women can cause congenital heart birth defects where children have had to undergo open-heart surgeries to correct this. Also, some babies are being born with organs outside their bodies, requiring immediate surgery.


In closing I want to re-emphasize the total lack of any real answer to post-partum depression posed by this bill. If we can prevent post-partum depression or support moms through it, or offer proven SAFE and EFFECTIVE natural alternatives to dangerous drugs, then we should. However we should never, ever become party to a pharmaceutical campaign to push drugs on the public. We will set ourselves up for disaster if we allow an invasion into the privacy of every family in the country and suggest to our most vulnerable citizens that they might be mentally ill.

We must do everything in our power to protect innocent children, and giving their mothers addictive drugs which pose a significant risk of causing suicide and violence does not protect anyone. It does cause the child to become addicted while still in the womb and sets up drug dependence which can be lifelong.

We still have no idea what effect most drugs have on developing brains. It might take decades for the impact on the developing brain to become apparent.

For information on the research pertaining to the risks of antidepressants and other treatments for new moms and their babies, details about the Melanie Stokes case (or you can read the letter by Dr. Ann Blake Tracy at
"http://uniteforlife.org/MOTHERSact.htm#drtracymothersact", as well as information on prevention strategies and safe, effective treatments for post-partum mood disorders, please contact us.

Sincerely,

Amy Philo
Founder, "www.uniteforlife.org"
Co-Founder, "www.chaada.org"

Camille Milke
Founder, "www.copesfoundation.com",
New Mexico State Director of the ICFDA ("www.drugawareness.org")

Mother of a victim of psychiatric drug-induced suicide and grandmother to a now motherless child

Dr. Ann Blake Tracy
Executive Director of the ICFDA
("www.drugawareness.org")

Author of Prozac: Pancaea or Pandora? Our Serotonin Nightmare

Addendum(available online: "http://www.uniteforlife.org/MOTHERpress.htm")

Prevention and Alternatives Information from UNITE ("www.uniteforlife.org"):

I. Danger of drugs
A. Inducing suicide and homicide
"http://uniteforlife.org/SSRIs%20and%20Suicide.html"
"www.drugawareness.org"
"www.ssristories.com"
"www.breggin.com"
"www.healyprozac.com"
"http://www.fda.gov/cder/drug/antidepressants/default.htm"
"http://www.fda.gov/cder/warn/2007/Effexor_XRPromo.pdf"
"http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/dockets/04n0330/04N-0330-EC16.html"
"http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/ac/04/slides/2004-4065OPH1_04_Bostock_files/frame.htm#slide0012.htm",

B. Addiction, subsequent pregnancies threatened, nurslings threatened: "http://uniteforlife.org/breastfeeding.html"
"http://uniteforlife.org/antidepressants%20in%20pregnancy%20articles.html"
"http://uniteforlife.org/developing%20brains.htm"
"http://uniteforlife.org/health%20risks%20ssris.html"
"http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/SAFETY/2005/Paxil_DHCP%20Letter_Dec%202005.pdfhttp://www.fda.gov/medwaTCH/SAFETY/2002/Zoloft_USPI_rev4.pdf"
(See pages 17-18, Pregnancy paragraph - which states that an increase in stillbirths and newborn deaths occurred from pregnancy plus nursing exposure)

Note: despite claims of minimal exposure to nurslings by some health professionals, the data on safety of nursing a baby while taking SSRIs and antipsychotics is based on an extremely small sample (nevermind that serious adverse events have been observed even in the few studies actually done). For SSRIs the studies amount to a few dozen people, many of which were also supplementally feeding formula. The Zyprexa study purported to study only 7 nursing couples and only examined 6 children's blood. See "http://uniteforlife.org/zyprexa%20objection.htm" for more information on the risks of Zyprexa.

II. Prevention of Post-Partum Mood Disorders:

A. Avoid interventions in childbirth: HOME BIRTH or midwifery or otherwise natural childbirth statistically results in LESS PPD..

Mothers Can Avoid (Specifically):
1. Labor drugs, including pitocin which interferes with normal oxytocin stimulation of uterine contractions (oxytocin is the love hormone and sets off many chemicals in the brain associated with normal maternal bonding & protective behavior)
2. IVs with glucose water during labor which can lead to complications in the newborn like perceived excessive weight loss, hypoglycemia, thus creating "mommy guilt" from feeling as if she is unable to sustain her own baby's survival due to perceived inadequate milk supply and subsequent breastfeeding difficulty when baby is inevitably given supplemental feedings
3. Avoid epidural which can cause breastfeeding difficulties in the newborn and may be associated with mood problems (the anesthesia fentanyl in the epidural is derived from cocaine)
4. Avoid episiotomy which can lead to excessive blood loss and fatigue as well as significant pain leading to use of pain medications
5. Avoid restrictive dieting before / after childbirth which can cause preterm labor (not having enough calories and protein leads to low albumin and high blood pressure), low blood sugar and lack of energy
6. Avoid epinephrine, which is often necessary in labor because of fetal distress or maternal distress (trouble breathing, low blood pressure) which are side effects in both mom and baby from pitocin or other augmentation as well as epidurals. Epinephrine is synthetic adrenaline and has been linked to mental disturbances.

B. Post-partum period:
1. FOR MANY WEEKS MOMS WILL NEED: someone to help with meals, chores, child care, etc. Without that, women ARE FAR MORE LIKELY to feel symptoms of depression, anxiety, etc.
2. MOMS WILL NEED someone to help with breastfeeding if they are inexperienced or have problems. They can contact a La Leche League Leader or an IBCLC. Loss of breastfeeding is sometimes associated with PPD due to additional hormonal changes in moms, while breastfeeding itself is thought to ease PPD due to numerous factors.
3. MOMS (and families) WILL FEEL BETTER if they cosleep because they will be well-rested and breastfeeding will be easier. For safety tips on cosleeping moms can use common sense or write to mailto:amy@uniteforlife.org for more info. Contrary to campaigns by the Crib Manufacturers SIDS is actually more common in cribs.

III. Alternatives to Drugs:
1. Screen for underlying medical conditions such as Thyroid disorders, anemia, etc. and treat those as safely as is possible. Thyroid disorders such as hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism (or both - postpartum thyroiditis) are quite common and can cause depression or anxiety.
2. Omega 3 Supplements (From Fish Oil, Flaxseed, etc.)
3. Exercise (although initially excessive exercise will not help a woman, after childbirth it is necessary to rest in order to recover, and not lose too much blood)
"http://uniteforlife.org/exercise.html" Medication shown to cause relapse, exercise MORE effective than antidepressant drugs
4. Some people feel that counseling is effective
5. Some people find alternative treatments effective, for example: chiropractic, homeopathy (even for PSYCHOSIS), accupuncture, energy work, etc.
6. MOMS can FIND A SUPPORT GROUP or helpful PERSON but NOT one that will push them to use drugs.

IV. Alternative Ways to Support American Families:
If the government really wants to help moms, why not educate on these common sense strategies, push for better maternity leave allowances, improve obstetric cooperation with midwifery, or promote paternity leave or leave for grandparents who can help new mothers during their time of need?

V. The Bill Violates Basic American Principles and Rights:
Mothers want time in PEACE and PRIVACY to be with their new babies to bond. They DO NOT need to be dragged off to an invasive and dangerous screening for mental problems. The power of suggestion alone is enough to scare a significant amount of moms and this invasion of privacy goes far beyond anything EVER imposed on the U.S. Public.

Furthermore, similar programs like Teen Screen have been a total failure with an 84% or higher misdiagnosis rate. The vast majority of these misdiagnosed students were referred to mental health practitioners and put on drugs.

There is no language in the bill that protects thousands of mothers being erroneously screened and drugged with antidepressants that medical studies show cause birth defects and withdrawal symptoms, devastating families and driving up health care costs to treat these iatrogenic-caused conditions.

The bill seeks more appropriations to the National Institutes of Health to research postpartum depression but doesn't specify how the funds are to be used. For example, during the past 3 years, NIMH has already spent more than $10 million on 38 studies of PPD, yet the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine lists no grants on its website for such research.


There is no language about the diverse medical opinion and studies about "post partum depression" and whether it exists as a mental disability or as a physical condition that can be treated by normal medical or alternative means.

While the bill promotes more research into the condition, it doesn't provide safeguards about this research and the effects of biological agents on the fetus--with studies suggesting that antidepressants may exert an impact on developmental processes of the embryo, and cause higher rates of premature delivery, low birth weight, admissions to intensive care units, and poor neonatal adaptation, including respiratory and feeding difficulties in infants.


The way in which the bill is currently worded could lead to thousands of suits as hundreds have already been filed concerning antidepressant use during pregnancy that has resulted in infants being born with a life-threatening lung disorder, PPHN and that between 10% and 20% of infants born with PPHN end up dying, even when they receive treatment.

More attacks on our children by Big Pharma - Stop Teen Screen!

Please comment and also write a letter to the editor!

Comments here: "http://www.news-journalonline.com/NewsJournalOnline/News/Headlines/frtHEAD03013108.htm"

Letters to the Editor: letters@news-jrnl.com



Florida agency to review antipsychotic drug policy for kids
NEWS: Front Page
By M.C. MOEWE mary.moewe@news-jrnl.com

January 31, 2008

The Florida Agency for Health Care Administration plans to create a subcommittee to review its guidelines on payments for medications after questions were raised about antipsychotics being prescribed for children in the state's insurance program for the poor.

Medicaid will pay for a drug only if it is "medically necessary and prescribed for medically accepted indications," according to the agency's current guidelines.

The Daytona Beach News-Journal reported earlier this month that the number of Florida Medicaid children prescribed antipsychotics had nearly doubled -- from 9,364 seven years ago to 18,137 in 2006. Among those children, the most common primary diagnosis was attention deficit hyperactivity disorder -- an ailment not approved for treatment with antipsychotics by the Food and Drug Administration.

"The science of pharmacology has seen significant advances and we are revisiting this rule to see if it needs to be updated," said Fernando Senra, press secretary for the agency. "Federal law provides each state with the authority to cover medications that doctors prescribe for off-label purposes."

David Stallard, an assistant attorney general in Utah, said he believes the Federal Medicaid statute is clear that a drug not used for "medically accepted indications" is excluded from coverage if states want matching federal funds.

He has broached the subject with the agency that runs Utah's Medicaid program but has met strong opposition.

"I get the impression that they are under so much pressure from the doctors that they basically cave," Stallard said. "They say 'this is our most vulnerable population and we should protect access.' I turn that around and say this is our most vulnerable population and we should not experiment on them."

Currently, Utah is suing Eli Lilly after preliminary results indicate about a quarter of the state's Medicaid adults taking the antipsychotic Zyprexa developed diabetes, he said.

Florida Agency for Health Care Secretary Dr. Andrew Agwunobi requested creating a work group, under the Medical Care Advisory Committee, that will bring together experts in the field to determine whether changes to our current policies are appropriate, Senra said. The group's findings will be presented to the Pharmaceutical and Therapeutic Committee in March for review and recommendations.

The committee includes physicians, Medicaid recipients, and government department heads, Senra said.

In 2005 the Agency for Health Care paid $3 million for a study on the use of antipsychotics among Medicaid children. The contract with Dr. Robert Constantine with the Medicaid Drug Therapy Management Program for Behavioral Health at the University of South Florida also called for a panel of experts that developed guidelines for prescribing antipsychotics to children.

Agency officials reviewed and accepted those prescribing guidelines, which included the recommendation that antipsychotics should not be used primarily to target ADHD, Constantine said. Nor should antipsychotics be given to children under age 6 except under the most extraordinary circumstances.

That the agency is now looking at updating the guidelines on paying for medications after accepting the new prescribing guidelines seems appropriate, Constantine said.

"For example, they might consider under what circumstances should there be a special prior authorization," Constantine said. "They would really be looking at how their internal policies deal with prescribers."

Constantine's organization also monitors Florida Medicaid doctors prescribing antipsychotics, he said. Those with questionable prescribing patterns are sent letters and sometimes called and asked about the prescriptions they write.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
529 signatures needed to make 25,000 "http://www.petitiononline.com/TScreen/petition.html" Video: "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfU9puZQKBY"

Heath Ledger's death: Aspartame interaction with Zoloft?

All will be affected by these horrific events in time. That's why it is so important to become active now! Due to the dedicated and determined efforts of Dr Tracy and others, I am certain hundreds of thousands or even millions have been spared but it is only a matter of time. Sarina's Voice needs to be heard to Abolish this chain of death and destruction.

The following is from Dr Ann Blake Tracy:

First of all the best sweetener would most likely be the herb Stevia, also known as Sweet Herb, because it is nine times sweeter than sugar and actually helps rebuild the pancreas rather than harming it as most sweeteners on the market do. I use only liquid as I do not like the taste of the powdered. There are also other natural sweeteners.

Now down to the subject: NutraSweet or Aspartame

NutraSweet or Aspartame is most definitely, without question, a Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor or SSRI. There is no difference! And as such it will interact with antidepressants - all of them because all antidepressants inhibit serotonin reuptake.

Beyond that SSRIs cause overwhelming cravings for NutraSweet often causing patients to drink 2 -3 gallons per day!!! I made that report to Dr. Russell Blaylock in the mid 1990's (I am sure he remembers the call as we discussed this at length.)

So there are multiple factors involved here:

#1 You have an SSRI (NutraSweet) introduced to the market in the early 1980's as a commonly used sweetener setting society up for depression, anxiety, seizure activity (including mania/bipolar disorder), etc - all the symptoms of low serotonin metabolism.

#2 Then comes the introduction of Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, etc. which we were told was the "cure" for what NutraSweet was actually causing unbeknown to the users.

#3 Prozac, and other SSRIs cause overwhelming cravings for NutraSweet setting up very serious interactions between the two substances.

#4 The main function of serotonin is constriction of smooth muscle tissue. Jack the serotonin up too high and you have multiple organ failure - what Daniel Smith - Anna Nicole's son died from due to his use of multiple serotonergic agents.

#5 Serotonin has LONG been known to have many effects upon the heart. Mayo's Dr. Heidi Connelly found the high serotonin produced by Fen-Phen and Redux to being causing a gummy gooey glossy substance to build up on the heart valves causing heart problems. The same effect can be expected from any long term use or combination of serotonergic agents - any and all of them no matter what you choose to name them.

#5 Combining any of these together, Zoloft and NutraSweet, Prozac and Zoloft, Redux (now off the market due to the brain damage it caused - NOT due to heart damage although it causes that too - they got away with murder with that drug!) and NutraSweet, whatever, will subject the user to any and all of the possible effects of elevated serotonin levels. To see some of the possibilities see my presentations to the FDA below.


Ann Blake Tracy, Ph.D., Executive Director,
International Coalition For Drug Awareness
Website: www.drugawareness.org & www.ssristories.com
Author: Prozac: Panacea or Pandora? - Our Serotonin Nightmare
& CD or audio tape on safe withdrawal: "Help! I Can't Get
Off My Antidepressant!"
Order Number: 800-280-0730



Cell Number: 801-209-1800
E-mail: atracyphd1@aol.com

________________________________


Dr. Ann Blake Tracy's September 13, 2004 to the FDA



I am Ann Blake Tracy, PhD, head of the International Coalition for Drug Awareness. I am the author of Prozac: Panacea or Pandora? - Our Serotonin Nightmare and have testified in court cases involving antidepressants for 12 1/2 years. The last 15 years of my life have been devoted full time to researching and writing about SSRI antidepressants.

Research on serotonin has been clear from the very beginning that the most damaging thing that could be done to the serotonin system would be to impair one?s ability to metabolize serotonin. Yet that is exactly how SSRI antidepressants exert their effects.

For decades research has shown that impairing serotonin metabolism will produce migraines, hot flashes, pains around the heart, difficulty breathing, a worsening of bronchial complaints, tension and anxiety which appear from out of nowhere, depression, suicide - especially very violent suicide, hostility, violent crime, arson, substance abuse, psychosis, mania, organic brain disease, autism, anorexia, reckless driving, Alzheimer?s, impulsive behavior with no concern for punishment, and argumentative behavior.

How anyone ever thought it would be "therapeutic" to chemically induce these reactions is beyond me. Yet, these reactions are exactly what we have witnessed in our society over the past decade and a half as a result of the widespread use of these drugs.

In fact we even have a whole new vocabulary as a result with terms such as "road rage," "suicide by cop," "murder/suicide," "going postal," "false memory syndrome," "school shooting," "bi-polar" - every third person you meet anymore - along with the skyrocketing rates of antidepressant-induced diabetes and hypoglycemia.

Can you remember two decades ago when depressed people used to slip away quietly to kill themselves rather than killing everyone around them and then themselves as they do while taking SSRI antidepressants?

A study out of the University of Southern California in 1996 looked at a group of mutant mice in an experiment that had gone terribly wrong. These genetically engineered mice were the most violent creatures they had ever witnessed. They were born lacking the MAO-A enzyme which metabolizes serotonin. As a result their brains were awash in serotonin. This excess serotonin is what the researchers determined was the cause for this extreme violence. Antidepressants produce the same end result as they inhibit the metabolism of serotonin.

These are extremely dangerous drugs that should be banned as similar drugs have been banned in the past.

As a society we once thought LSD and PCP to be miracle medications with large margins of safety in humans. We have never seen drugs so similar to LSD and PCP as these SSRI antidepressants. All of these drugs produce dreaming during periods of wakefulness. It is believed that the high serotonin levels over stimulate the brain stem leading to a lack of muscle paralysis during sleep thus allowing the patient to act out the dreams or nightmares they are having. The world witnessed that clearly in the Zoloft-induced murder-suicide of comedian Phil Hartman and his wife, Brynn.

Connecticut witnessed the Prozac-induced case of Kelly Silk several years ago. This young mother attacked her family with a knife, then set the house on fire killing all but her 8 year old daughter who ran to the neighbors. As she stood bleeding and screaming for help she explained, "Help! My mommy is having a nightmare!"

Out of the mouths of babes we will understand these nightmares for what they are. She understood that this was something her mother would do ONLY in a nightmare, never in reality.

This is known as a REM Sleep Behavior Disorder. In the past it was known mainly as a drug withdrawal state, but the largest sleep facility in the country has reported that 86% of the cases they are diagnosing are patients on antidepressants.

Because this was known in the past as a condition manifesting mainly in drug withdrawal you should see how dangerous the withdrawal state from these drugs will prove to be. That is why it is so critical to make sure patients are weaned EXTREMELY slowly so as to avoid ANY chance of going into a withdrawal state

_________________


Dr. Ann Blake Tracy's December 13, 2006 to the FDA


Ann Blake-Tracy, PhD, head of the International Coalition for Drug Awareness, author of Prozac: Panacea or Pandora? & Our Serotonin Nightmare. For 15 years I have testified in court cases involving antidepressants. The last 17 years of my life have been devoted to researching, writing, and lecturing about these drugs.

Two of my nieces in their early 20's, a decade apart, attempted suicide on antidepressants, the first on Prozac, the second just a month ago on Wellbutrin.

Due to time constraints I refer you to my September, 2004 testimony on the damaging effects of inhibiting serotonin metabolism - the very mode of action of antidepressants. Impairing serotonin metabolism results in a multitude of symptoms including suicide, violent crime, mania and psychosis. Suicidal ideation is, without question, associated with these drugs.

Rosie Meysenburg, Sara Bostock and I have collected and posted 1200 news articles documenting many exaggerated acts of violence against self or others at www.drugawareness.org with a direct link to www.ssristories.com

Beyond suicidal ideation we have mania/bipolar increasing dramatically. Antidepressants have always been known to trigger both.

According to the Pharmaceutical Business Review in the last 11 years alone, the number of people in the U.S. with "bipolar" disorder has increased by 4.8 million.

Dr. Malcolm Bowers of Yale, found in the late 90's over 200,000 people yearly are hospitalized with antidepressant-induced manic psychosis. They also point out that most go unrecognized as medication-induced, remain un hospitalized, and a threat to themselves and others.

What types of threats from manias?

Pyromania: A compulsion to start fires

Kleptomania: A compulsion to embezzle, shoplift, commit robberies

Dipsomania: An uncontrollable urge to drink alcohol

Nymphomania and erotomania: Sexual compulsions - a pathologic preoccupation with sexual fantasies or activities

Child sex abuse has increased dramatically with even female teachers going manic on these drugs and seducing students. The head of the sex abuse treatment program for Utah estimated 80% of sex crime perpetrators were on antidepressants at the time of the crime. While Karl Von Kleist, an ex-LAPD officer and leading polygraph expert estimated 90% - strong evidence of manic sexual compulsions that demand attention.

Diabetes has skyrocketed, has been linked to antidepressants, and blood sugar imbalances have long been suspected as the cause of mania or bipolar. Anyone who has witnessed someone in insulin shock would see the striking similarity to a violent reaction to an antidepressant.

If there has been any increase in suicide since the black box warning it is due to doctors not knowing how to get patients off these drugs safely.

Clearly far too many lives are being destroyed in various ways by these drugs

PLEASE HELP SAVE THIS WOMAN!

This woman needs our help. Please take two minutes to copy and send the letter below in blue to the addresses listed with the form letter, or write your own. For all the times we have signed petitions and forwarded junk emails surely we can all take a few minutes and write an email on this topic and help save a life.
=====
If you know the situation of Rebecca Merhav, you don't need reminding. At the bottom below my email I have cut and pasted instructions from Ben (Rebecca's father) on who should receive a protest letter requesting that the psychiatrists let Rebecca go. There are details about the drugs they are forcing her to take and their effects below that. PLEASE FORWARD THIS EMAIL OR POST IT ON FORUMS TO ANYONE AND EVERYONE YOU THINK HAS AN INKLING OF A CHANCE OF HELPING. You don't have to write your own custom letter, a sample letter is all that is needed. It is written out below (in blue) and it will only take two minutes for you to send it, with a copy to Ben Merhav. benjaminmerhav@hotmail.com and me at SarinasVoice@aol.com, I will add your letters of protest to my website.

For those of you who need to be informed for the first time who Rebecca Merhav is, she has been subject to a CTO for over 30 years in Australia, which is a Compulsory Treatment Order or a legal restraint that lets psychiatrists forcibly "treat" a patient. Rebecca became a patient in psychiatry because she was brought to a hospital by her mother as a teenager when she was too defiant and refused to do her chores. This could be any one of the teenagers I have met in my short 29 years on this planet and it reminds me of all the poor kids that get labeled today with ADHD or bipolar when they are 2 or 3, before they can even ride a bike.
The doctors saw an opportunity to get an easy patient and they have been in essence experimenting on Rebecca all this time. If any psychiatric symptoms existed they were brought on by original administration of dangerous drugs. For a year or two they had her on Clozapine, which I suppose after their experiment was complete they agreed to discontinue. That is one of the MOST dangerous medications there is and has killed patients with just one dose if I am not mistaken. But somehow Rebecca has survived all of this. Every day of her life under this torture is borrowed time due to the toxic drugs they are pouring into her.
Now they are forcing her to take Risperdal and Seroquel and have locked her up in a psych ward indefinitely. The clinic has always allowed her to be free to live in her own apartment while they forced her to come to the hospital or have someone come to her home to forcibly medicate her. Now they claim that her father can accompany her home but when he asks her to come home with him over the phone, she does not reply. It is possible that they have threatened to further drug her into oblivion, use shock, rape, torture, or murder her with other violent means. Psychiatric hospitals can get away with abuse and have done so numerous times.
Whatever is going on there it is not in the best interest of the patient. The doctors have been ignoring protest emails for years. There is a chance that getting more letters from people around the world will convince them that the pressure is on and they need to comply with Rebecca's wishes and Ben's wishes and let her go and remove the CTO. You can read the entire history of Rebecca's torture on Ben's blogs at "http://7thoutlawpsychiatry.blogspot.com" or on our website at "www.COPESfoundation.com" and the UNITE website at "http://www.uniteforlife.org/memberblogs.html#ben". Or you can email him directly.

But most importantly I am sure we can all agree that someone like Rebecca who is an innocent person - a victim of psychiatric torture - should not be subjected to the experimental whims of the incredibly dangerous psychiatric methods of "treatment" and their force and threats.

Let's join together and do everything we can to set Rebecca free. We can do this as a symbol of our efforts for all psychiatric victims. If we win this battle there will be more momentum for us to do similar things to save our own children from CPS, the courts, and exes who want them drugged. We need attention, cooperation, and a victory for human rights. Please join and help us!!!!!!
Continue reading down the page to copy and paste the sample letter (in blue) and to read letters from Rebecca's father.


Camille Milke, Eternal "Mommy" of Sarina Angel
Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow and Forever........
My Beautiful Baby Girl, 1/26/86 - 10/28/07, 21 years 9 months 3 days
COPES Foundation (Coalition Of Parents Enduring Suicide)
Founder and President, Main - 505-269-2286, Fax - 505-213-0999
SarinasVoice@aol.com
"www.COPESFoundation.com"
"www.ILoveYouSarina21.last-memories.com
"
NM Director of the International Coalition for Drug Awareness
"www.DrugAwareness.org"

List of email addresses for emailing your protest :

To : s.wilkins@alfred. org.au

(Dr. Sally Wilkins, the treating psychiatrist, Junction Clinic)


Cc :


sarinasvoice@aol.com, lisa.neville@ minstaff. vic.gov.au; jesse.martin@ minstaff. vic.gov.au; hsc@dhs.vic. gov.au;
kuruvilla.george@ dhs.vic.gov. au; benjaminmerhav@ hotmail.com; amy@uniteforlife. org

Proposed protest letter :

Dr. Sally Wilkins,

Miss Rebecca Merhav's father has reported to me the latest psychiatric atrocity you are perpetrating against her under the false cover of "treatment".

It must be obvious to you that in doing so you not only continue her torture by the adverse effects of the two neuroleptics - the Risperdal and the Seroquel - and depriving her of a chance to return to normal life following the tapering off the poisons, your are actually forcing on her the risk of sudden death !

Despite the numerous urging-pleas by her father on her behalf, you continue to insist on maintaining the CTO, namely forcing her to take more of the psychiatric poisons, rather than allow her to detoxify her body and help her return to normal life.

Over 30 years of psychiatric torture and failure, including 12 months of "treatment" by yourself,
only made things worse for Rebecca, and surely, having survived it all Rebecca deserves NOW better than that, even from a psychiatric point of view. She is not and never was a danger to herself or to anybody else, so why force on her torture and death risks ?

I protest your cynical and cruel "treatment" of Rebecca, and I demand that you immediately cancel the CTO, allow her to gradually taper off the psychiatric poisons, and help her return to normal life in consultation with herself and with her father.

Looking forward to your early reply -



From Ben Merhav (Rebecca's Father)
A message protesting the intensified torture of Rebecca Merhav
was emailed by Kathryn Kinley, and I have uploaded it on my blog "http://7thoutlawpsychiatry.blogspot.com".

Yesterday I managed to contact Rebecca over the phone for the first time. She sounded confused, scared to death, and
completely overwhelmed. So much so, that my repeated offer to her to accompany her back home was not answered. Even
when I assured her that I have the agreement of the Clinic's nurse for that, she did not believe me. I was never as worried her
being in danger as I am now !

Each one of you with your mailing lists of supporters ,colleagues and contact, can be very helpful by emailing without delay
your protest letter to the email addresses listed in my article/post on my above blog.

Please act now to save Rebecca's life !



THE PSYCHIATRIC TORTURE OF REBECCA MERHAV IS ONCE MORE INTENSIFIED TO THE DETRIMENT OF HER WELLBEING, AND SHE IS AT THE HIGH RISK OF BEING CRUSHED TO DEATH AS A RESULT !
by Justice Lover

Some 10 days ago Miss Rebecca Merhav, the daughter of Benjamin Merhav, was told by the state shrink ,who is in charge of her under a compulsory treatment order, to leave her home and stay at a psychiatric institution. Her father was not informed of that until about a week later, and then only following his phone call to the shrink.

Her detention address and the phone number to contact her were denied to him. Further inquiries by him revealed that she was ordered to take 400 mg of Serquel tablets per day, in addition to the 75mg Risperdal injections she was forced to take every 10 days.

This is a very dangerous, and very horrible setback for her, having endured the Clozapine torture for over 2 years and all the psychiatric experimentations forced on her for the past 30 years. Last week Rebecca's father emailed the following letter to the treating shrink, with copies to the Minister for Mental Health in Victoria, to the Chief Psychiatrist there, and to the Health Services Commissioner there. Not even a confirmation of his letter was sent him so far by any of them.

However, further phone calls to the Chief Psychiatrist' s office by Benjamin revealed that the Chief Psychiatrist has already rejected the letter, and that he has no intention to investigate Benjamin's complaint/appeal. Following Benjamin's letter below there is a form of protest email to be sent to the email addresses listed there. You are welcome to use the proposed protest letter or type your own text of a protest letter and send it urgently to the email addresses listed below, with a copy to ben.merhav@gmail. com. Please act now !

Benjamin's letter :



" Dear Prof. K. George,

I have addressed a copy of my following letter to the former Chief Psychiatrist, not knowing that he is no longer holding this position. The letter is pasted below. I ask you, therefore, to cancel the CTO over my daughter, as you have the power to do so. Alternatively, I ask you to advise Dr. Sally Wilkins of Junction Clinic to do so as early as possible.

Thanking you in advance, Benjamin Merhav
============ ========= ========= ========= ========= ========= ========= ====


Dr. Sally Wilkins,

I am alarmed, dismayed, distressed, disappointed and very worried about the new "treatment" you are forcing my daughter to take, as part of your experimentations with her. This is a sever case of misuse of your legal power given to you by the Mental Health Act, as the psychiatrist treating Rebecca. Are over 30 years of psychiatric torture and experimentations that she has endured so far not enough ?

In reply to my call you told me over the phone that she herself chose to go to that psychiatric institution where you arranged for her to stay and take more very dangerous psychiatric drugs. You also added that if she would not be happy there she would be free to go back home any time. You should know by now that no patient under CTO is free to do what they consider best for them to do. Rebecca sure knows that, as she had 30 years of very bad experience under CTO. She knows, of course, that the treating psychiatrists and their psychiatric nurses do not like complaints, much less patient's disobedience, and she has been powerless against the psychiatric machine, which has both overt and covert punishments at its disposal (and her case, with the full support of her mother).

As I phoned the clinic this morning I was told, in reply to my questions, that Rebecca is now forced to take another Atypical drug (Seroquel, 250mg tablets per day, to replace the old Clozapine poison). This in addition to the 10 day interval Risperdal 75mg injections. As you know, Serquel is a very dangerous neuroleptic, and with many adverse effects. Even the FDA in the USA states as follows (with my emphasis ) :

http://www.fda. gov/cder/ foi/label/ 2004/20639se1- 017,016_seroquel _lbl.pdf

"WARNINGS

Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS) A potentially fatal symptom complex sometimes referred to as Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS) has been reported in association with administration of antipsychotic drugs, including SEROQUEL. Rare cases of NMS have been reported with SEROQUEL. Clinical manifestations of NMS are hyperpyrexia, muscle rigidity, altered mental status, and evidence of autonomic instability (irregular pulse or blood pressure, tachycardia, diaphoresis, and cardiac dysrhythmia) . Additional signs may include elevated creatine phosphokinase, myoglobinuria (rhabdomyolysis) and acute renal failure. The diagnostic evaluation of patients with this syndrome is complicated. In arriving at a diagnosis, it is important to exclude cases where the clinical presentation includes both serious medical illness (eg, pneumonia, systemic infection, etc.) and untreated or inadequately treated extrapyramidal signs and symptoms (EPS). Other important considerations in the differential diagnosis include central anticholinergic toxicity, heat stroke, drug fever and primary central nervous system (CNS) pathology."

At the same page the FDA has the following information :


"Post Marketing Experience:

Adverse events reported since market introduction which were
temporally related to SEROQUEL therapy include:

leukopenia/neutrope nia. If a patient develops a low white cell count
consider discontinuation of therapy. Possible risk factors for
leukopenia/neutrope nia include pre-existing low white cell count and
history of drug induced leukopenia/neutrope nia.
Other adverse events reported since market introduction, which were
temporally related to SEROQUEL therapy, but not necessarily
causally related, include the following: agranulocytosis, anaphylaxis,
hyponatremia, rhabdomyolysis, syndrome of inappropriate
antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH), and Steven Johnson
syndrome (SJS)."

A law firm in the USA, which has vast legal experience in law suits against drug corporations, pasted the piece of information on its website as it is below . According to this information the drug manufacturer itself
changed the label on Seroquel to include the following (my emphasis ) :

"In January 2004, AstraZeneca changed the labeling on Seroquel® to warn of the serious, increased risk of diabetes and related health complications such as hyperglycemia, ketoacidosis, coma and death."

http://www.kritzerz onies.com/ drug_seroquel. htm

"Seroquel® (quetiapine fumarate), manufactured by AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals, is an atypical antipsychotic medication approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1997 to control the symptoms of schizophrenia and manic episodes associated with bipolar disorder. Although approved specifically for these limited purposes, some physicians have prescribed Seroquel® for "off-label" use including sleep disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder and other anxiety disorders.
Not long after Seroquel® was approved for use, evidence began to mount regarding the serious side effects associated with it and other similar medications. In January 2004, AstraZeneca changed the labeling on Seroquel® to warn of the serious, increased risk of diabetes and related health complications such as hyperglycemia, ketoacidosis, coma and death. In April 2005, the FDA ordered AstraZeneca to add a "black box warning" to Seroquel® labeling, informing consumers about the increased risk of death from the drug. The FDA also emphasized at that time that Seroquel® was NOT approved to treat elderly patients with dementia. Although studies have linked Seroquel® to diabetes, death and other serious side effects, the drug remains on the market.


In 2004, soon after the discovery of diabetes-related Seroquel® side effects, a class action lawsuit was filed on behalf of all patients who had taken the drug. The lawsuit sought the establishment of a medical monitoring fund which would provide free, periodic testing for diabetes and related conditions for patients taking Seroquel®. Other Seroquel® lawsuits have been filed on behalf of individuals who allegedly have been seriously injured or killed by Seroquel® side effects.

If you or a loved one is taking Seroquel®, it is important to be aware of these risks and speak with your health care professional to learn more. It is also crucial to speak with your doctor before starting, stopping or otherwise modifying the use of Seroquel®."
It is true that Rebecca suffers from chronic insomnia as a result of being forced to take Clozapine, Risperdal, Flupenthixal and other neuroleptics for many years. Her body badly needs detoxification, physical activities, community activities etc. - whatever else she thinks she needs - rather than forcing into her more psychiatric poisons. She is not a danger to the community nor to herself, and therefore the CTO should be lifted immediately to give her a chance to return to normal life !
Do not kill my daughter !
Sincerely, Benjamin Merhav"

Thank you for the support!

We would like to thank all of you for sending your Letters of Support on Senate Memorial 9 and the Petition to Abolish Suicide-Causing Anti-Depressants! Keep them coming; help us get Sarina's Voice heard! Visit the "SARINA'S LAW" page on our site to see the letters and stay up to date on the Legislature. This is a small step toward "Sarina's Law" and my ultimate goal is to abolish these killer drugs, but at least it shows that we are making a difference! We contacted Senator Carraro shortly after losing Sarina and he has been amazing at getting something into this session. Now we need everyone's support. I urge you to please send me your Letters of Support right away. If you'd like to expound and share personal experiences that is great. If you'd just like to send a quick note that's great too. Please address your letters to the "New Mexico State Senators" and voice your support of Senate Memorial 9 as Sarina's Voice Memorial Act. I'll be delivering them to each of the State Senators as well as the Petition signatures, so please be sure to sign the petition as well. Get everyone you know to sign it also. You can
link to all of this through my website at
COPES Foundation and email me at SarinasVoice@aol.com
Also speak to your Government about Legislature! You can make a
difference and get Sarina's Voice heard!

School 1968 vs. 2008

The following scenarios and their likely outcomes by year were emailed to us by The International Coalition for Drug Awareness,
http://www.drugawareness.org/

I feel the outcomes are very familiar to many of us. We can relate and the trends are quite alarming.


Scenario: Johnny and Mark get into a fistfight after school.

1968 - Crowd gathers. Mark wins. Johnny and Mark shake hands and end up mates.

2008 - Police are called, SWAT team arrives, mobiles with video of fight confiscated as evidence. Johnny and Mark are charged with assault, AVOs are taken out and both are suspended even though it was Johnny who started it. Diversionary conferences and parent meetings conducted. The video is shown on 6 internet sites.

Scenario: Jeffrey won't sit still in class, disrupts other students.

1968 - Jeffrey is sent to the principal's office and given a good paddling. Returns to class, sits still and does not disrupt class again.

2008 - Jeffrey is given huge doses of Ritalin. Counseled to death, becomes a zombie and is tested for ADD. School gets extra funding because Jeffrey has special needs. Jeffrey drops out of school.

Scenario: Billy breaks a window in his neighbor's car and his Dad gives him a whipping with his belt.

1968 - Billy is more careful next time, grows up normal, goes to college, and becomes a successful businessman.

2008 - Billy's dad is arrested for child abuse. Billy is removed to foster care and joins a gang and becomes a crack addict. Psychologist tells Billy's sister that surely she remembers being abused herself and their dad goes to prison. Billy's mum has an affair with the psychologist. Psychologist gets a promotion.

Scenario: Mark, a college student, brings joint to college.

1968 - Mark shares a smoke with the college principal.

2008 - Police are called and Mark is expelled from College for drug possession. His car and flat are searched for drugs and weapons. Given a fine and community service.

Scenario: Vijay fails high school English.

1968 - Vijay goes to Remedial English, passes and goes to college.

2008 - Vijay's cause is taken up by local human rights group. Newspaper articles appear nationally explaining that making English a requirement for graduation is racist. Civil Liberties Association files class action lawsuit against Department of Education and his English teacher. English is banned from core curriculum. Vijay is given his leaver's certificate anyway but ends up picking cabbages for a living because he cannot speak English.

Scenario: Johnny takes apart leftover fireworks, puts them in a model plane and blows up an anthill.

1968 - Ants die.

2008 - Anti terror squad are called and Johnny is charged with domestic Terrorism. Teams investigate parents, siblings are removed from the home, computers are confiscated, and Johnny's dad goes on a terror watch list and is never allowed to fly again.

Scenario: Johnny falls in the playground and scrapes his knee. His teacher, Mary, finds him crying, and gives him a hug to comfort him.

1968 - Johnny soon feels better and goes back to playing.

2008 - Mary is accused of being a sexual predator and loses her job. She faces three years in prison. Johnny undergoes five years of therapy, becomes gay.

Attacks on Tom Cruise

From: terrylc
To: sarinasvoice@aol.com
Sent: 1/17/2008 7:36:32 P.M. Mountain Standard Time
Subj: The Attacks On Tom Cruise


The mass media is attacking Tom Cruise, again, this time over a Scientology recruitment video. See, for example, the hatchet job from liberal-when-it's-convenient-and-serves-our-corporate-masters Slate, http://www.slate.com/id/2182338?wpisrc=newsletter

Well here we go again: When you don't like the message, attack the messenger. Straight out of Joseph Goebbels, Karl Rove, and Faux News.

Why attack Tom Cruise? Because he stands up to the pharmaceutical drug cartel and their supporters like Brooke Shields. http://www.azcentral.com/ent/celeb/articles/0523cruise.html

But some people might say, "Hey, drugs for postpartum depression are a good thing".

To those people, I invite you to ask Andrea Yates' children.

Oh wait--you can't.

TLC
______________________________________

Did Drugs Cause Mom to Drown Her Five Children?

By Kelly Patricia O'Meara

Andrea Yates' crime shocked the nation. Did mind-altering drugs prescribed to treat her depression actually drive this young mother of five to drown the children she loved?
Only weeks ago, Houston wife and mother Andrea Pia Yates methodically drowned each of her five children. One by one Yates forced her children, ages 6 months to 7 years, into the family's bathtub and held their struggling bodies under the water until each fell limp.
Whatever possessed the 36-year-old mother to commit these unconscionable acts remains murky. Depression and postpartum syndrome topped early speculation, but there has been little discussion about the possible effects of the powerful mind-altering drugs she was taking.
Although Texas District Judge Belinda Hill issued a gag order concerning the case, family members have released disturbing facts about Yates' psychiatric treatment that specialists say may account for her state of mind at the time of the murders.
During a two-year period, Yates was prescribed four extremely potent mind-altering drugs intended to help her through two episodes of severe depression that began after the birth of her fourth child.
The first of these psychopharmacological cocktails included Haldol, an antipsychotic most often used to treat schizophrenia; Effexor, an antidepressant very similar to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs); and Wellbutrin, a unique antidepressant that has amphetaminelike effects.
ccording to Yates' husband, Russell, his wife appeared to respond well to this treatment regimen and, after a short time, became her "old self."
At the onset of the second episode of depression following the birth of her fifth child, and the subsequent death of her father, Yates again was prescribed a psychopharmacological cocktail. This one contained Effexor and, at the end, Remeron.
While information about the Remeron dosage was not made public, Yates' husband has said that his wife was given Effexor at a dosage nearly twice the recommended maximum limit. Just days before the murders, the Effexor was for some reason reduced to just slightly more than the recommended maximum dosage of 225 mg per day and the Remeron was added.
Psychiatrist Peter Breggin, court-qualified medical expert and author of numerous books, including Talking Back to Prozac and the recently released The Anti-Depressant Fact Book, tells Insight:
"The mixture of Remeron and Effexor would tend to be extremely agitating and certainly could lead to behavioral disturbances. The mixture of Haldol, Wellbutrin and Effexor is unpredictable in its effects. Haldol actually can cause depression, and putting the three drugs together is somewhat experimental."
Breggin continues: "Haldol is a very blunting drug. It's difficult to come to any definitive conclusions with so little data about her state of mind at the time. However, Haldol is a drug that produces what can only be referred to as a chemical lobotomy that tends to make a person more docile and robotic."
Many Americans who have read or heard reports about this case have little doubt that Yates was "out of her mind" when she killed her children. What appears to be developing, however, is an argument within the medical community about whether the mother's homicidal state of mind was triggered by the depth of her depression or by the mind-altering drugs prescribed to her.
Were these the actions of a severely depressed woman who "lost it," or did the mind-altering drugs push this emotionally distraught woman over the edge? Should the latter be established in the criminal court, it could raise an even greater issue: Who was responsible? Was it a chemically poisoned mother who carried out the crazed act, the physician who prescribed the mind-altering cocktails or the pharmaceutical companies that manufactured and marketed the treatment?
Only recently have pharmaceutical companies been held responsible for violent behavior associated with their product lines of mind-altering drugs. A case in point is a June trial in which a jury in Cheyenne, Wyo., found that the antidepressant Paxil, one of the newer SSRIs distributed by GlaxoSmithKline PLC, "can cause some individuals to commit suicide and/or homicide."
The jury said Paxil caused Donald Schell, a retired oil-rig worker, to shoot and kill his wife, daughter and granddaughter before turning the gun on himself. Schell had been on the mind-altering drug only two days.
The jury awarded surviving family members $8 million in damages, finding that 80 percent of the fault lay with the drugmaker. Andy Vickery of the Houston law firm of Vickery & Waldner, lead attorney in the Wyoming case, has taken dozens of similar cases seeking to hold responsible those dispensing and manufacturing these drugs.
"The important thing," Vickery explains, "is to lay the responsibility and accountability at the doorstep of those who ought to have it and those who could and should do something about it. Whether it's criminal or civil responsibility, there isn't a lot of difference."
As Vickery puts it, "Look, if I give you a loaded gun and for whatever reason it's likely that you're going to shoot someone, then I'm an accessory before the fact of murder. Shouldn't the drug company that's encouraging doctors to prescribe a drug and is aware that these drugs cause adverse reactions be held responsible?
No one can believe that a mother would do such a thing. It's too horrible. But the fact is these people get completely out of touch with reality because of these drugs. Unfortunately, in most of the cases that I get involved with, we never know if the people committing the violence knew what they were doing when they did it because they also killed themselves."
Although alcoholic-beverage distillers have yet to be held responsible for the overwhelming number of fatalities resulting from alcohol abuse, in many states bartenders are held civilly and criminally liable when customers get drunk and cause automobile fatalities. With the growing number of physicians and psychiatrists prescribing mind-altering drugs and the alarming data filtering out about adverse reactions to them, tort lawyers are asking if medically trained dispensers of psychotropic drugs shouldn't also be held liable.
For example, Yates' psychiatrist, Muhammad Saaed, reportedly prescribed at least one mind-altering drug (Effexor) at almost twice the maximum recommended dose as part of a cocktail of mind-altering drugs that also included Haldol and Wellbutrin during her first bout with severe depression.
A cautionary note in the Physicians Desk Reference says Effexor negatively interacts with Haldol. Apparently, Effexor hinders Haldol's drug clearance by a factor of more than 40 percent and can cause Haldol concentration levels to increase by nearly 90 percent, creating toxicity.
Did Saaed know the contraindications associated with the cocktail he prescribed? If the psychiatrist was unaware of the toxic mix, would ignorance of the potential poisoning make him any less liable than if he had known and prescribed the mind-altering drugs anyway? These are just a few of the questions Saaed may be asked should he have to defend his treatment under oath.

According to Ann Blake Tracy, executive director of the International Coalition for Drug Awareness and author of the recently updated book Prozac: Panacea or Pandora?, there is little doubt about Saaed's culpability.
Tracy, a doctor of health sciences specializing in adverse reactions to serotonergic medications, tells Insight that "when doctors start prescribing 'off label' outside the FDA [Food and Drug Administration] guidelines, they run the risk of being sued for malpractice. In the case of Yates, her psychiatrist already had her on superhigh doses, and on the Monday before the tragedy he dropped the Effexor back to almost the maximum dosage, then added Remeron.
It's well-documented that when doses are increased or decreased, patients experience negative reactions. A great many of the court cases, but certainly not all of them, are a result of the drastic change in the medication."
According to Tracy, "There's a lot of science to demonstrate that depression is the result of an inability to metabolize serotonin, but somehow the drug companies have got the world believing that an increase in serotonin, rather than an increase in serotonin metabolism, is what the depressed person needs. This is the exact opposite of what research on depression shows and, if you look at the research over the last 50 years it is clear that there has been a horrible mistake.
There is such a wanton disregard for life. Why can't these doctors at least read the package inserts so they know how to prescribe the drugs properly? They're not supposed to prescribe over the maximum doses, and they know that they are at toxic levels at that point. That's why they have maximum-dose information; that's why the Food and Drug Administration puts a maximum dose on the packaging. They do it to show that over the allowable dose level, a person becomes toxic and it's extremely dangerous."
When asked what questions she might have for Yates' psychiatrist, Tracy tells Insight: "I'd want to know how he could have ignored so many warnings and contraindications in [reportedly] giving this poor woman this dangerous drug cocktail. I'd also like to know which sleeping pill he uses to knock himself out at night when those five children's faces run over and over again through his mind?"
Harsh words? It appears this is just the beginning. Many who follow such matters say that because of the high profile of the likely trial of Yates for capital murder, it may turn into a landmark case pitting the pharmaceutical giants against the medical practitioners and vice versa, perhaps even dragging in the American Psychiatric Association.
George Parnham, Yates' attorney, has reported that he will enter a not-guilty plea on behalf of his client for reasons of insanity. After meeting with Yates and speaking with psychiatrists that had examined her, Parnham told reporters, "I've accumulated evidence in the last 24 hours that strongly suggests that the mental status of my client will be the issue."
Just what Parnham has discerned is anyone's guess, including whether he'll defend his client by challenging the pharmaceutical companies and his client's psychiatrist. In the meantime, sources close to the case report that Yates still is being medicated. Saaed has turned his files on Yates over to the court and has, to date, made no public statement.
Insight Magazine July 2001

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dr. Mercola's Comment:
Another sad tragedy. One doesn't need an advanced medical degree to recognize that no parent functioning properly would ever drown all their children. The timing of these powerful brain altering drugs appears more than an coincidence in causing this woman to commit such an unthinkable crime.
Another potential factor in post-partum depression could be breastfeeding, or lack thereof. It would be very interesting to find out what percentage of women who go through such depression have breastfed their infants. Unfortunately, I don't know of any studies that have even addressed the issue. But since breastfeeding has many effects on a woman's hormones, it is certainly possible, and should be studied.

Senate Memorial 9 could be our first Victory!

Due to the vigorous Crusade from a Mother's Heart, On January 17, 2008; The Honorable Senator Joseph J. Carraro; while in Santa Fe, NM for the 2008 Regular Session, Introduced to the Floor SM9 (Senate Memorial 9) STUDY ANTIDEPRESSANTS & SUICIDE. (This is the first step towards "Sarina's Law").
Please see the Memorial below.

It is imperative that the Senate pass this Memorial; which will then have the Health Policy Commission and The Department of Health set up a Task Force and make up a finding of facts; as to the study of psychotropic drugs, how they're prescribed and whether or not there needs to be restrictions on who prescribes them.
I am very pleased and proud that this action has taken place; as you all know, my ultimate goal is to have Suicide-Causing Anti-Depressants Abolished completely.
This Memorial is an excellent start, I am also urging Legislature and the Task Force for the respect and acknowledgment to have Sarina's name attached to this Memorial and represent it, it's very important that we all understand that Sarina's Voice is the basis behind this Memorial; which will make certain that Sarina's life and death, and all those hundreds of thousands with her; were not in vein.
PLEASE, everyone contact a member of the NM Legislature and let them know that you support this Memorial and want Sarina's name to represent the Memorial and the Task Force. Also, PLEASE email me back your "detailed" words of support and I will make certain they get into the right hands.
I don't know when the final decision will be made to accept or reject this Memorial, but time is of the essence, please do not delay, please send your letters of support immediately.
Hopefully our first Victory is close -
Senator Carraro and Michael Hely; Sarina and I Thank You !!
............SARINA'S VOICE WILL BE HEARD -

Camille Milke, Eternal "Mommy" of Sarina Angel
Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow and Forever........
My Beautiful Baby Girl, 1/26/86 - 10/28/07, 21 years 9 months 3 days
COPES Foundation (Coalition Of Parents Enduring Suicide)
Founder and President, Main - 505-269-2286, Fax - 505-213-0999
www.COPESFoundation.com
www.ILoveYouSarina21.last-memories.com





SENATE MEMORIAL 9
48TH LEGISLATURE - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - SECOND SESSION, 2008
INTRODUCED BY
Joseph J. Carraro





A MEMORIAL
REQUESTING THAT THE NEW MEXICO HEALTH POLICY COMMISSION CONVENE A TASK FORCE TO STUDY POSSIBLE CORRELATIONS BETWEEN ANTIDEPRESSANTS AND SUICIDAL THOUGHTS AND BEHAVIORS AND TO RECOMMEND SOLUTIONS TO ADDRESS ANY CORRELATION.

WHEREAS, the federal food and drug administration issued a public warning in October 2004 about an increased risk of suicidal thoughts or behaviors in children and adolescents treated with a class of antidepressant medications called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors; and
WHEREAS, in 2006, an advisory committee to the federal food and drug administration recommended that the federal food and drug administration issue a public warning about an increased risk of suicidal thoughts or behaviors in young adults up to the age of twenty-five who are taking selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors; and
WHEREAS, in September 2007, a study, published in the American Journal of Psychiatry, found that there is not a positive correlation between antidepressants and suicidal thoughts or behaviors in young people; and
WHEREAS, studies and professional organizations disagree as to whether the prescription of antidepressant medications should be further regulated or further protocols developed to guard against suicidal thoughts or behaviors among young people; and
WHEREAS, according to the treatment for adolescents with depression study, funded by the national institute of mental health, a combination of medication and psychotherapy is the most effective treatment for adolescents with depression; and
WHEREAS, the federal food and drug administration has issued guidelines stating that individuals who take antidepressants must be carefully monitored for worsening depression, suicidal thoughts or suicidal behaviors; and
WHEREAS, on the basis that some physicians are inadequately monitoring or are unaware of the risks that antidepressants may pose for young people, the state of California has considered legislation that would require all family practice physicians who treat depression by prescribing antidepressants to undergo mandatory continuing medical education on the subject of antidepressant medications;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the New Mexico health policy commission be requested to convene a task force comprising experts from the human services department and the department of health; medical and behavioral health providers; and other health care and health policy experts to investigate whether there is a correlation between antidepressant drugs and suicidal thoughts and behaviors and to recommend policy solutions to address the correlation, if it exists; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force be requested to examine whether providers who prescribe antidepressants should be required to undergo mandatory continuing medical education on the subject of antidepressant medications in order to provide expertise in monitoring the risks that may be associated with antidepressants in young people; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force be requested to examine whether providers should be allowed to prescribe antidepressants to patients only in combination with concurrent psychotherapy; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force be requested to examine in particular whether the scope of providers permitted to prescribe psychotropic drugs should be narrowed to include only persons specialized in the practice of psychiatry, psychiatric nurse practitioners and psychiatric physician assistants; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this memorial be transmitted to the New Mexico health policy commission.