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
Saturday, February 9, 2008
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
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"
=====
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"
Monday, January 21, 2008
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!
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!
Saturday, January 19, 2008
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.
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.
Friday, January 18, 2008
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.
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.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
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.
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.
Saturday, January 12, 2008
A Response To New Mexico Officials
THIS IS SOMEONE WHO UNDERSTANDS OUR CRUSADE, WHO UNDERSTANDS THAT WE HAVE QUIT OUR FULL TIME JOBS AND SACRIFICED "EVERYTHING" TO MAKE CERTAIN NO MORE PEOPLE DIE. YOU ARE ALL UPSET THAT YOU HAVE A FEW SPAM EMAILS?!? MY DAUGHTER DIED, HOW UPSET DO YOU THINK I AM?!? SPAM EMAILS SHOULD BE THE LEAST OF YOUR PROBLEMS WITH WHAT IS GOING ON IN THIS WORLD. YOU SHOULD BE THANKING ME FOR THIS INFORMATION SO YOU CAN KNOW THE SIGNS BEFORE IT HAPPENS TO YOU -
For New Mexico officials who object to the information being provided by Sarina's Voice:
The US Constitution provides that, "Congress shall make no law...bridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances."
It is rather obvious that Sarina's parents are attempting to get the government of New Mexico to respond to their grievances. It is likewise clear that some in the government of New Mexico are in the pockets of the pharmaceutical drug cartel.
But this really comes as no surprise for a state that helped George Bu$h steal the Presidency in 2004, http://www.gregpalast.com/recipe-for-a-cooked-election , so that his corporate buddies could continue to loot the treasury and poison our children for obscene profit.
A state that was one of the last to finally ban cockfighting, after its current Governor for years failed to take a stand, http://www.freenewmexican.com/news/42629.html. Not exactly a state where morality is the government's job one.
So unsubscribe all you want. The people of this country are fed up with seeing the government poison their children, disgusted with lives destroyed due to the inaction of those feeding at the public trough. Close your eyes, take your drugs, line your pockets. We the people are on to you.
Terry L. Clark
For New Mexico officials who object to the information being provided by Sarina's Voice:
The US Constitution provides that, "Congress shall make no law...bridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances."
It is rather obvious that Sarina's parents are attempting to get the government of New Mexico to respond to their grievances. It is likewise clear that some in the government of New Mexico are in the pockets of the pharmaceutical drug cartel.
But this really comes as no surprise for a state that helped George Bu$h steal the Presidency in 2004, http://www.gregpalast.com/recipe-for-a-cooked-election , so that his corporate buddies could continue to loot the treasury and poison our children for obscene profit.
A state that was one of the last to finally ban cockfighting, after its current Governor for years failed to take a stand, http://www.freenewmexican.com/news/42629.html. Not exactly a state where morality is the government's job one.
So unsubscribe all you want. The people of this country are fed up with seeing the government poison their children, disgusted with lives destroyed due to the inaction of those feeding at the public trough. Close your eyes, take your drugs, line your pockets. We the people are on to you.
Terry L. Clark
Sunday, January 6, 2008
The FDA is an Agency of the Public Health Service....Right? Or is it just a "Cop on the Take?"
There are so many attacks on the FDA (rightfully so) that there are articles all over the Internet.
There is so much information about SSRI Anti-depressants. It's also all over the Internet.
The fact that most medications have several undesirable side effects is just accepted. We know there will be discomfort but that's the extent of it right?
The FDA, an agency of the Public Health Service, would not release any medication with more harmful side effects than that right?
Wrong and Wrong.
The Pharmaceutical industry is paying the FDA more and more money while Congress is doing less and less to hold the FDA accountable. In general, people expect drugs that have recently gained FDA approval to be better, more effective and safer than the older and existing drugs they are competing with or replacing. The fact of the matter, however, is that the drug companies are in such a rush to get new drugs on the market; to get their piece (or pieces) of this Billion dollar industry that things like effectiveness and safety are not as important as they used to be. How can this be you ask? Well, Big Pharma is paying the FDA. Big Pharma wants the drugs released sooner than later and, lets face it, the one paying the bills is boss. Having the pharmaceutical industry directly fund the FDA may have started with the best of intentions but now that we see it doesn't work, maybe we should stop it don't you think? Can it be that the FDA has become so corrupted that it actually suppresses information about unsafe drugs in order to get them to market quickly. I would say that is exactly what's happening. I agree that there are certain "new" medications that offer great potential and are unrivaled in the current marketplace. These drugs are the exception and if they offer tremendous potential benefit, then they may need to be gotten to market quickly. Like I said, they are the exception. Most drugs being turned out are just slightly different than current medications offering no tremendous benefit, but being unproven, are capable of untold harm.
Back to the "pieces" of the Billion dollar drug industry. Let's say a certain drug company has 11 drugs currently approved by the FDA and in use. For the sake of an argument we'll call each drug a "piece" and assume all "pieces" get an equal share of the Billions. So this drug company has 11 pieces. If they modify each of their eleven drugs just slightly and "fast track" FDA approval on 2 new versions of each, they now have 33 pieces of the billions! Granted each "piece" will now be worth slightly less but overall profits sky rocket! Lets not forget the FDA gets paid for each of these new drugs too. We are now flooded with similar medications that are no more effective or beneficial than their predecessors, but due to their slight modifications, are unproven and may pose dreadful side effects yet to be determined! Congress, meanwhile, sits back and watches the FDA stick it to the consumer! I'm not here to write about Congress on the take. That's not my fight. Besides I think it's been done maybe once or twice. My fight is against drugs. Specifically SSRI Anti-depressants. They have gained FDA approval; and based on the above example, it's easy to see how. But now that so much damage has been done, why are they still out there? Why are they not recalled? Why are they still used in children, in babies, in pregnant women or in anyone? They put black box warnings on them, which is definitely a step in the right direction, but the time has come to ban these killer drugs! For the FDA to stop succumbing to the pharmaceutical companies for the sake of the almighty dollar with the blood of innocent victims who trusted them on their hands.
The fact that we know they are killing us, the fact that the FDA knows they are not safe and the fact that the drug companies themselves admit how dangerous they are totally demoralizes the FDA. How we view them and what we consider their duties to be. It blows our expectations of the Public Health Service out of the water. It spits in the face of the doctors and scientists who work for the FDA and don't want to approve these drugs but are under so much pressure and have so many incentives from Big Pharma, that they push them through anyway. I'm sure they can't even believe this is going on! They must be just waiting for someone to do something. For Congress or the Public Health Service or Millions of angry Americans to put a stop to it!
We are not members of Congress, not the secretary of the Public Health Service, not even Millions of Americans. What we are though is fed up! We are ready to fight. We are joining many others who have been fighting. We are going to add to their strength in getting something done, in getting changes made. Right now you can add us to all of the other information on the Internet about SSRI Anti-Depressants and the FDA. But we will not stay mere statistics. We will not fade away. We will fight until there are changes. We will fight until there is accountability. We know nothing will ever be "right." Nothing can ever be "right" again. But that will not stop us from trying to help others not be wronged. WE ARE SARINA'S VOICE AND WE WILL BE HEARD!
There is so much information about SSRI Anti-depressants. It's also all over the Internet.
The fact that most medications have several undesirable side effects is just accepted. We know there will be discomfort but that's the extent of it right?
The FDA, an agency of the Public Health Service, would not release any medication with more harmful side effects than that right?
Wrong and Wrong.
The Pharmaceutical industry is paying the FDA more and more money while Congress is doing less and less to hold the FDA accountable. In general, people expect drugs that have recently gained FDA approval to be better, more effective and safer than the older and existing drugs they are competing with or replacing. The fact of the matter, however, is that the drug companies are in such a rush to get new drugs on the market; to get their piece (or pieces) of this Billion dollar industry that things like effectiveness and safety are not as important as they used to be. How can this be you ask? Well, Big Pharma is paying the FDA. Big Pharma wants the drugs released sooner than later and, lets face it, the one paying the bills is boss. Having the pharmaceutical industry directly fund the FDA may have started with the best of intentions but now that we see it doesn't work, maybe we should stop it don't you think? Can it be that the FDA has become so corrupted that it actually suppresses information about unsafe drugs in order to get them to market quickly. I would say that is exactly what's happening. I agree that there are certain "new" medications that offer great potential and are unrivaled in the current marketplace. These drugs are the exception and if they offer tremendous potential benefit, then they may need to be gotten to market quickly. Like I said, they are the exception. Most drugs being turned out are just slightly different than current medications offering no tremendous benefit, but being unproven, are capable of untold harm.
Back to the "pieces" of the Billion dollar drug industry. Let's say a certain drug company has 11 drugs currently approved by the FDA and in use. For the sake of an argument we'll call each drug a "piece" and assume all "pieces" get an equal share of the Billions. So this drug company has 11 pieces. If they modify each of their eleven drugs just slightly and "fast track" FDA approval on 2 new versions of each, they now have 33 pieces of the billions! Granted each "piece" will now be worth slightly less but overall profits sky rocket! Lets not forget the FDA gets paid for each of these new drugs too. We are now flooded with similar medications that are no more effective or beneficial than their predecessors, but due to their slight modifications, are unproven and may pose dreadful side effects yet to be determined! Congress, meanwhile, sits back and watches the FDA stick it to the consumer! I'm not here to write about Congress on the take. That's not my fight. Besides I think it's been done maybe once or twice. My fight is against drugs. Specifically SSRI Anti-depressants. They have gained FDA approval; and based on the above example, it's easy to see how. But now that so much damage has been done, why are they still out there? Why are they not recalled? Why are they still used in children, in babies, in pregnant women or in anyone? They put black box warnings on them, which is definitely a step in the right direction, but the time has come to ban these killer drugs! For the FDA to stop succumbing to the pharmaceutical companies for the sake of the almighty dollar with the blood of innocent victims who trusted them on their hands.
The fact that we know they are killing us, the fact that the FDA knows they are not safe and the fact that the drug companies themselves admit how dangerous they are totally demoralizes the FDA. How we view them and what we consider their duties to be. It blows our expectations of the Public Health Service out of the water. It spits in the face of the doctors and scientists who work for the FDA and don't want to approve these drugs but are under so much pressure and have so many incentives from Big Pharma, that they push them through anyway. I'm sure they can't even believe this is going on! They must be just waiting for someone to do something. For Congress or the Public Health Service or Millions of angry Americans to put a stop to it!
We are not members of Congress, not the secretary of the Public Health Service, not even Millions of Americans. What we are though is fed up! We are ready to fight. We are joining many others who have been fighting. We are going to add to their strength in getting something done, in getting changes made. Right now you can add us to all of the other information on the Internet about SSRI Anti-Depressants and the FDA. But we will not stay mere statistics. We will not fade away. We will fight until there are changes. We will fight until there is accountability. We know nothing will ever be "right." Nothing can ever be "right" again. But that will not stop us from trying to help others not be wronged. WE ARE SARINA'S VOICE AND WE WILL BE HEARD!
Thursday, January 3, 2008
SSRI Thoughts and Observations
Never have we claimed to be experts on the subject but when researching SSRI Anti-depressants, several points become increasingly obvious:
Everyone gets depressed at some time. That doesn't mean everyone has depression.
There is no proof that SSRI antidepressants are beneficial. At least not in the manner they are purported to (increasing serotonin concentration thereby relieving depression).
All children can be hyper and easily distracted for any number of reasons. That doesn't mean all children have ADD or ADHD.
SSRI anti-depressants are not approved for use in children. They are widely prescribed to children despite not having been tested on children. The FDA has approved SSRI anti-depressants for use in adults for treating depression but they can then be prescribed to anyone for any reason. Some doctors prescribe them for chest pains, eating disorders, PMS, hot flashes, Alzheimer's or any number of unapproved and experimental uses.
Studies and use show that the benefits of SSRI anti-depressants are less than that obtained with a sugar pill. Studies also show a change in diet or a walk in the woods is much more effective than SSRI anti-depressants.
Drug companies have suppressed their own findings that SSRI anti-depressants raise suicidal thoughts by 100% (in other words doubling the number of people who have suicidal thoughts compared to those taking a placebo). They also found homicide and aggressive behavior to be side effects of their own medications. Children with obsessive-compulsive disorder taking the medication experienced hostility episodes 17-times more often than depressed patients. 1.1% of healthy, psychiatrically normal people who took an SSRI anti-depressant experienced one or more hostile episodes, while none taking the placebo did
Why do we take a medicine that is so dangerous to stop taking? This is a Pharmaceutical companies dream. A drug you're on for life. If it is so dangerous to stop these medicines (and it is) we shouldn't take them in the first place. What if you forget to take them? What if you can't afford them one time? What if insurance denies you? What if you get tired of the side effects and decide to go off of them cold turkey?
The fact that the FDA is approving these medications and actually "fast tracking" them into use goes against the general conception of what the FDA is here to do. Protect the public by being an expert Federal agency responsible for evaluating and regulating drugs. Not an agency open to the highest bidder.
The fact that doctors are allowed to prescribe SSRI Anti-Depressants for uses and to people other than those they are approved for is bewildering to me!
The fact that Doctors prescribe these medications goes against the general conception of what doctors are supposed to do. All doctors know the side effects. They might not understand the severity or turn a blind eye to the studies but they KNOW the homicidal and suicidal propensities exist. Doctors pledge to "do no harm" or something similar. Why would they overlook the hippocratic or similar oath they took? MONEY, peer pressure, it's easier, more money. Not all doctors, but many. They are only human but we expect so much more from them. They knew the responsibilities and expectations going in. If they can't "do no harm" they need to get out or be forced out of practice.
Everyone gets depressed at some time. That doesn't mean everyone has depression.
There is no proof that SSRI antidepressants are beneficial. At least not in the manner they are purported to (increasing serotonin concentration thereby relieving depression).
All children can be hyper and easily distracted for any number of reasons. That doesn't mean all children have ADD or ADHD.
SSRI anti-depressants are not approved for use in children. They are widely prescribed to children despite not having been tested on children. The FDA has approved SSRI anti-depressants for use in adults for treating depression but they can then be prescribed to anyone for any reason. Some doctors prescribe them for chest pains, eating disorders, PMS, hot flashes, Alzheimer's or any number of unapproved and experimental uses.
Studies and use show that the benefits of SSRI anti-depressants are less than that obtained with a sugar pill. Studies also show a change in diet or a walk in the woods is much more effective than SSRI anti-depressants.
Drug companies have suppressed their own findings that SSRI anti-depressants raise suicidal thoughts by 100% (in other words doubling the number of people who have suicidal thoughts compared to those taking a placebo). They also found homicide and aggressive behavior to be side effects of their own medications. Children with obsessive-compulsive disorder taking the medication experienced hostility episodes 17-times more often than depressed patients. 1.1% of healthy, psychiatrically normal people who took an SSRI anti-depressant experienced one or more hostile episodes, while none taking the placebo did
Why do we take a medicine that is so dangerous to stop taking? This is a Pharmaceutical companies dream. A drug you're on for life. If it is so dangerous to stop these medicines (and it is) we shouldn't take them in the first place. What if you forget to take them? What if you can't afford them one time? What if insurance denies you? What if you get tired of the side effects and decide to go off of them cold turkey?
The fact that the FDA is approving these medications and actually "fast tracking" them into use goes against the general conception of what the FDA is here to do. Protect the public by being an expert Federal agency responsible for evaluating and regulating drugs. Not an agency open to the highest bidder.
The fact that doctors are allowed to prescribe SSRI Anti-Depressants for uses and to people other than those they are approved for is bewildering to me!
The fact that Doctors prescribe these medications goes against the general conception of what doctors are supposed to do. All doctors know the side effects. They might not understand the severity or turn a blind eye to the studies but they KNOW the homicidal and suicidal propensities exist. Doctors pledge to "do no harm" or something similar. Why would they overlook the hippocratic or similar oath they took? MONEY, peer pressure, it's easier, more money. Not all doctors, but many. They are only human but we expect so much more from them. They knew the responsibilities and expectations going in. If they can't "do no harm" they need to get out or be forced out of practice.
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
SARINA'S VOICE
When Sarina became victim to Suicide-Causing SSRI Anti-Depressants, we submerged ourselves into her foundation; into getting Sarina's Voice heard. We continue to do so everyday and will continue for everyday to come until Sarina's Voice can carry the news of these horrendous killer drugs to all. Until something is done either by legislature or public outcry or the flat out refusal of people to subject themselves and their children and everyone else to this torture.
If people knew the facts about these drugs, they would not use them! They would not make SSRI's their "chemical babysitters"! THESE DRUGS KILL! What else is there to know? Plenty of information to back this up is readily available to anyone on the Internet with the desire to see the truth. The truth is what Sarina's Voice and the COPES Foundation are all about. Exposing the truth so everyone is aware of the danger that confronts us everyday! It's not enough to keep your kids off of these drugs, however. You also have to worry about your kids friends, their teachers, bus drivers, neighbors, cousins, uncles, aunts, you, your spouse, boyfriends, girlfriends, etc. The list goes on and on. Everyone has the potential to be affected in a horrible way. I fear everyone will be affected by SSRI's in a devastating way in their lifetime. That's why we look to abolish these drugs completely. Of course that is a large order and there is much to consider. Putting aside the obvious problem of the drug companies and everyone else profiting from these drugs we still need to think about withdrawals, substitute treatments, loss of jobs, etc. BUT IT MUST BE DONE! WE WILL NOT BACK DOWN! The lives we are sacrificing to keep these drugs are increasing dramatically. When will enough be enough? When will people open their eyes? When will we realize that "this really could happen to me"? I wish I knew. I know one thing though. It will be easier to do with the support of everyone who reads this. With the support of not only those who have lost someone but also those who don't want to lose someone. To those who think that big business and profits don't have to come at the expense of other human beings. To those who think the "American Way" is supposed to be a good thing!
Help spread the word, talk to your politicians, talk to the newspaper or TV station about doing a story, talk to your friends and family. Help educate America and the world by letting Sarina's Voice be heard! At the very least, pass this on and sign the petition at http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/COPESfoundation/ . Remember there is no donation required to sign the petition and donations on the petition website don't go towards COPES Foundation. Also visit our website at http://www.COPESFoundation.com/ and email us your name and information to mailto:SarinasVoice@aol.com .
Thank you in advance for your time, your effort, your support. Thank you in advance for the safety of our children and grandchildren. Thank you for joining together to make SARINA'S VOICE heard.
If people knew the facts about these drugs, they would not use them! They would not make SSRI's their "chemical babysitters"! THESE DRUGS KILL! What else is there to know? Plenty of information to back this up is readily available to anyone on the Internet with the desire to see the truth. The truth is what Sarina's Voice and the COPES Foundation are all about. Exposing the truth so everyone is aware of the danger that confronts us everyday! It's not enough to keep your kids off of these drugs, however. You also have to worry about your kids friends, their teachers, bus drivers, neighbors, cousins, uncles, aunts, you, your spouse, boyfriends, girlfriends, etc. The list goes on and on. Everyone has the potential to be affected in a horrible way. I fear everyone will be affected by SSRI's in a devastating way in their lifetime. That's why we look to abolish these drugs completely. Of course that is a large order and there is much to consider. Putting aside the obvious problem of the drug companies and everyone else profiting from these drugs we still need to think about withdrawals, substitute treatments, loss of jobs, etc. BUT IT MUST BE DONE! WE WILL NOT BACK DOWN! The lives we are sacrificing to keep these drugs are increasing dramatically. When will enough be enough? When will people open their eyes? When will we realize that "this really could happen to me"? I wish I knew. I know one thing though. It will be easier to do with the support of everyone who reads this. With the support of not only those who have lost someone but also those who don't want to lose someone. To those who think that big business and profits don't have to come at the expense of other human beings. To those who think the "American Way" is supposed to be a good thing!
Help spread the word, talk to your politicians, talk to the newspaper or TV station about doing a story, talk to your friends and family. Help educate America and the world by letting Sarina's Voice be heard! At the very least, pass this on and sign the petition at http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/COPESfoundation/ . Remember there is no donation required to sign the petition and donations on the petition website don't go towards COPES Foundation. Also visit our website at http://www.COPESFoundation.com/ and email us your name and information to mailto:SarinasVoice@aol.com .
Thank you in advance for your time, your effort, your support. Thank you in advance for the safety of our children and grandchildren. Thank you for joining together to make SARINA'S VOICE heard.
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
"Medication for Depression" The excuse is the cause
Whenever a tragedy happens and people say he/she was on "medication for depression," people regard that as some justification for the event. In other words "Of course she jumped off that building. She was on medication for depression. She was depressed and couldn't take it anymore. Not even her medicine could save her" or "That's why he set himself on fire, he has had depression since he was ten. He was given Anti-Depressants. What else could have been done?" Unfortunately, this is the thinking of most people. And why not? It makes sense right? Only if you want to pass over it and not think about it anymore. In reality the "medication for depression" is causing more depression, mania, bi-polar disorder, akethisia (the feeling of crawling out of your skin), seizures and so on. That is what makes it unbearable! Trying to control things like serotonin, cortisol (basically trying to control the complex human brain) causes dangerous imbalances in the brain and body and any number of unpredictable and uncontrollable responses. At the same time you are taking away their ability to cope with these problems. That's why the man who was depressed from age ten doesn't act out on his thoughts until he is subjected to an SSRI anti-depressant or has his dosage increased or has his medication changed or stops taking it abruptly. A person who is "depressed" gets suicidal and homicidal ideations FROM the medicine not IN SPITE OF the medicine!
Monday, December 31, 2007
MUST SEE VIDEO AND SITE
So many people have been affected! So many more every day. How long will this go on? WE MUST BAND TOGETHER AND STOP IT NOW! There is an amazing video available on the S.A.V.E. Project site http://www.thesaveproject.com/index.html
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Observations
Since our lives were turned upside down by these horrible drugs, many things have become very apparent. I will share these thoughts, observations and facts with you here and welcome your comments.
1. IT'S ALL ABOUT THE MONEY! AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A LOT OF MONEY! From the Manufacturers to the Politicians to the FDA to the Media to the Distributors to the Drug reps to the Doctors to the Nurses to the Pharmacists, etc.
1. IT'S ALL ABOUT THE MONEY! AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A LOT OF MONEY! From the Manufacturers to the Politicians to the FDA to the Media to the Distributors to the Drug reps to the Doctors to the Nurses to the Pharmacists, etc.
Sunday, December 23, 2007
ABOLISH SUICIDE-CAUSING ANTI-DEPRESSANTS - INTRODUCTION
COPES Foundation
Coalition Of Parents Enduring Suicide
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
Direct: 505-269-2286 Fax: 505-213-0999
www.COPESfoundation.com
SarinasVoice@aol.com
A MOTHER'S CRUSADE -
FROM A MOTHER'S HEART
MISSION
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 Anti-Depressants.
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
Sarinas Law.
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