Eight Important Online Audios and Videos

One of the real (unsung) gifts that computers and the Internet give us is the opportunity to watch and listen to important shows and presentations we might otherwise not be able to see and hear.

Following are just a few examples of some of my favorite online audio and video presentations that provide us with important information about the health care and pharmaceutical industries. Except for the two NPR “On Point” radio programs, it is highly doubtful that these audios and videos would have ever been aired by mainstream media. Thank goodness for the Internet!

(1) David Healy, MD’s Video Presentation: “How Pharmaceutical Companies Mold Our Perceptions of Mental Illness." An excellent, thought-provoking video of psychiatrist David Healy, MD, author of the controversial book, “Let Them Eat Prozac,” speaking about “How Pharmaceutical Companies Mold our Perceptions of Mental Illness."  In this presentation, held at UCLA before a group of psychiatric professionals, Dr. Healy discusses how the pharmaceutical industry has influenced the prescribing habits of doctors, through their advertising and highly successful promotional efforts. This video shows Healy’s wit as its best: For instance, he talks about how, as a result of the industry's promotional efforts, “people see the problems that they have in terms that are ‘Upjohn friendly.’” A must-see.

(2) "On Point," the Boston PBS Show's segment, "The Price is Right?" A radio interview on university/industry financial ties. "On Point," the wonderful Boston public radio show, is fast becoming one of my favorites-- via the internet, of course. In this episode, from June 2003, host Tom Ashbrook includes among his guests former Harvard President Derek Bok, whose book, “Universities in the Marketplace: The Commercialization of Higher Education,” warned that financial ties between universities and industry undermine core academic values. This excellent program provides an in-depth look at this continuing problem, and certainly foreshadows the recent controversies of a similar nature.

(3) “Drug Industry Under the Microscope” -- NPR's “On Point” interview with Marcia Angell, MD. First aired in September, 2004, this excellent interview with Marcia Angell, MD (former editor of the “New England Journal of Medicine”) blows the cover of the pharmaceutical industry. Interviewer Tom Ashbrook, of Boston's PBS station, WBUR, asks incisive questions, and Dr. Angell's answers dispel several myths, including the oft-quoted myth that the pharmaceutical industry must charge high prices for its drugs in order to make up for the cost of doing research. Another topic: the way the pharmaceutical companies distort medical research by burying the negative trial results. Pharmaceutical representatives -- both pro and con -- are also interviewed on this show. A fascinating interview. (Dr. Angell's interview starts approximately 5 minutes into the show.)

(4) Autism One 2006 Conference on audio. Go to this site and scroll down to listen to the audios of many of the talks given at this Autism One Conference, featuring a variety of alternative treatments for AUTISM. Speakers include: Dr. Mayer Eisenstein -- “the Absence of Autism”;  Dr. Phillip DeMio -- “The Use of Transdermal DMSA Chelation for the Spectrum”;  Andrew Wakefield, MB, BS, FRCS, FRCPath –-"Intestinal Insights and Etiologic Challenges in Autism: Replication and Confirmation”; Dr. Dan Rossignol -–“Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy and Autism”; and others. (NOTE: Dr. Eisenstein's talk is "awesome"!)

(5) Harvard University’s Dr. John Abramson Talks to City Center. In this video, Dr. Abramson, author of the best-selling book, “Overdosed America,” delivers a stunning indictment of the pharmaceutical industry, and of the American Health System.

(6) A special “extra” to the film, “Big Bucks, Big Pharma,” this short video exposes the fact that pharmaceutical marketing campaigns are designed to “frighten the public and divert us from realizing that high drug prices are more about feeding multi-billion dollar industry profits, and supporting massive advertising and lobbying efforts, than they are about securing the invention of effective new drugs.” Among those on this short film: Marcia Angell, MD, former editor of the "New England Journal of Medicine"; Gene Carbona, former Merck sales representative; and Katharine Greider, journalist and author of “The Big Fix.”

(7) Cancer Conquest – DVD/video by Burton Goldberg - This short video promo describes a 2-hour information-dense documentary was produced by Burton Goldberg, well-known speaker and author of 18 books on alternative medicine. The video itself highlights the newest medical techniques being used in both the US and Germany (but mostly in Germany), that provide real hope for cancer patients -- even those in late stages of the disease. Among the innovative treatments profiled: (1) a blood test only done in Germany that will tell you which chemo or natural substance will work on your tumor (chemo only works 20% of the time); (2) a hospital in Germany that uses iron oxide put directly into the tumor to burn out only the cancer; and (3) a surgeon in Frankfort who places a catheter into the cancerous organ, in order to put chemo right into the organ. Much more. Fascinating.

(8) Former pharmaceutical sales representative Gwen Olsen speaks out about pharmaceutical marketing, and why she felt compelled to leave the field and turn to exposing its evils. After Ms. Olsen had a terrible reaction to taking Zoloft, her doctor insisted that it was impossible that she was having the reaction she WAS having because that reaction “was not in the package insert.” She was shocked. Then, he told her to double the dose! That made matters worse, but instead of helping her to get the drug out of her system, he immediately put her on Prozac, to which she had horrible reactions, as well. Her situation went from very bad to even worse until, in 2000, Olsen went into the natural healing industry, which she says led to her own personal healing. Now she is committed to exposing Big Pharma and what she feels is their mission to label as many people as possible as needing drugs. Her book: “Confessions of an RX Drug Pusher.”

Comments

[Law odom]

The information in this website is truth to be told awesome. you can recommend site which is relevant to this current web site about Natural health education resource directory for those seeking certifications, degrees and education in alternative health treatments both online and on college campuses.
http://www.naturalhealtheducationcenter.com/

[Dan]

With Dr. Healy's post:

Current Depression Medications: Do The Benefits Outweigh the Harm?

Presently, for the treatment of depression and other what some claim are mental disorders, some of which are questionable, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are the drugs of choice by most prescribers. Such meds, meds that affect the mind, are called psychotropic medications. SSRIs also include a few meds in this class with the addition of a norepinephrine uptake inhibitor added to the SSRI, and these are referred to SNRI medications. Examples of SNRIs are Cymbalta and Effexor. Some consider these classes of meds a next generation after benzodiazepines, as there are similarities regarding their intake by others, yet the mechanisms of action are clearly different, but not their continued use and popularity by others.

Some Definitions:

Serotonin is a neurotransmitter thought to be associated with mood. The hypothesis was first suggested in the mid 1960s that this neurotransmitter may play a role in moods and emotions in humans. Yet to this day, the serotonin correlation with such behavioral and mental conditions is only theoretical. In fact, the psychiatrist’s bible, which is the DSM, states that the definite etiology of depression remains a mystery and is unknown. So a chemical imbalance in the brain is not proven to be the cause of mood disorders, it is only suspected with limited scientific evidence. In fact, diagnosing diseases such as depression is based on subjective assessment only, as interpreted by the prescriber, so one could question the accuracy of such diagnoses.
Norepinephrine is a stress hormone, which many believe help those who have such mood disorders as depression. Basically, with the theory that by adding this hormone, the SSRI will be more efficacious for a patient prescribed such a med.
And depression is only one of those mood disorders that may exist, yet possibly the most devastating one. An accurate diagnosis of these mood conditions lack complete accuracy as they can only be defined conceptually, so the diagnosis is dependent on subjective criteria, such as questionnaires. There is no objective diagnostic testing for depression. Yet the diagnosis of depression in patients has increased quite a bit over the decades. Also, few would argue that depression does not exist in other people. Yet, one may contemplate, actually how many other people are really depressed?

Several decades ago, less than 1 percent of the U.S. populations were thought to have depression. Today, it is believed that about 15 percent of the populations have depression at some time in their lives. Why this great increase in the growth of this condition remains unknown and is subject to speculation. What is known is that the psychiatry specialty is the one specialty most paid to by certain pharmaceutical companies for support of their psychotropic meds, as this industry clearly desires market growth of these products, as this objective is part of their nature. Regardless, SSRIs and SRNIs are the preferred treatment methods if depression or other mood disorders that may be suspected by a doctor. Yet these meds discussed clearly are not the only treatments, medicinally or otherwise, for depression treatment.
Over 30 million scripts of these types of meds are written annually, and the franchise is around 20 billion dollars a year, with some of the meds costing over 3 dollars per tablet. There are about ten different SSRI/SRNI meds available, many of which are now generic, yet essentially, they appear to be similar in regards to their efficacy and adverse events. The newest one, a SNRI called Pristiq, was approved in 2008, and is being promoted for treatment for menopause. The first one of these SSRI meds was Prozac, which was available in 1988, and the drug was greatly praised for its ability to transform the lives of those who consumed this medication in the years that followed. Some termed Prozac, ‘the happy pill’. In addition, as the years went by and more drugs in this class became available, Prozac was the one of preference for many doctors for children. A favorable book was published specifically regarding this medication soon after it became so popular with others.
Furthermore, these meds have received additional indications besides depression for some really questionable conditions, such as social phobia and premenstrual syndrome.

With the latter, I find it hard to believe that a natural female experience can be considered a treatable disease. Social phobia is a personality trait, in my opinion, which has been called shyness or perhaps a term coined by Dr. Carl Jung, which is introversion, so this probably should not be labeled a treatable disease as well. There are other indications for certain behavioral manifestations as well with the different SSRIs or SRNIs. So the market continues to grow with these meds. Yet, it is believed that these meds are effective in only about half of those who take them, so they are not going to be beneficial for those suspected of having certain medical illnesses treated by such meds. The makers of such meds seemed to have created such conditions besides depression for additional utilization of these types of medications, and are active and have been active in forming symbiotic relationships with related disease specific groups, such as providing financial support for screenings for the indicated conditions of their meds- screening of children and adolescents in particular, I understand, and consider dangerous and inappropriate for several reasons.

Danger and concern primarily involves the adverse effects associated with these types of meds, which include suicidal thoughts and actions, violence, including acts of homicide, and aggression, among others, and the makers of such drugs are suspected to have known about these effects and did not share them with the public in a timely and critical manner. While most SSRIs and SNRIs are approved for use in adults only, prescribing these meds to children and adolescents has drawn the most attention and debate with others, such as those in the medical profession as well as citizen watchdog groups. The reasons for this attention are due to the potential off-label use of these meds in this population, yet what may be most shocking is the fact that some of the makers of these meds did not release clinical study information about the risks of suicide as well as the other adverse events related to such populations, including the decreased efficacy of SSRIs in general, which is believed to be less than 10 percent more effective than a placebo. Paxil caught the attention of the government regarding this issue of data suppression some time ago, this hiding such important information.

And there are very serious questions about the use of SSRIs in children and adolescents regarding the effects of these meds on them. For example, do the SSRIs correct or create brain states considered not within normal limits, which in effect could cause harm rather than benefit? Are adolescents really depressed, or just experiencing what was once considered normal teenage angst? Do SSRIs have an effect on the brain development and their identity of such young people? Do adolescents in particular become dangerous or bizarre due to SSRIs interfering with the myelination occurring in their still developing brains? No one seems to know the correct answer to such questions, yet the danger associated with the use of SSRIs does in fact exist. It is observed in some who take such meds, but not all who take these meds. Yet health care providers possibly should be much more aware of these possibilities
Finally, if SSRIs are discontinued, immediately in particular instead of a gradual discontinuation, withdrawals are believed to be quite brutal, and may be a catalyst for suicide in itself, as not only are these meds habit forming, but discontinuing these meds, I understand, leaves the brain in a state of neurochemical instability, as the neurons are recalibrating upon discontinuation of the SSRI that altered the brain of the consumer of this type of med. This occurs to some degree with any psychotropic med, yet the withdrawals can reach a state of danger for the victim in some classes of meds such as SSRIs, it is believed.

SSRIs and SRNIs have been claimed by doctors and patients to be extremely beneficial for the patient’s well -being regarding the patient’s mental issues where these types of meds are used, yet the risk factors associated with this class of medications may outweigh any perceived benefit for the patient taking such a drug. Considering the lack of efficacy that has been demonstrated objectively, along with the deadly adverse events with these meds only recently brought to the attention of others, other treatment options should probably be considered, but that is up to the discretion of the prescriber.

“I use to care, but now I take a pill for that.” ---

Author unknown

Dan Abshear

[Cheap soccer uniforms]

I am going to bookmark this for my future needed and also i will tell my friends to check this post. Thanks a lot for sharing.

[VideoMD]

Health Medical Information is needed to you . We give suggetion to your health carefully. To get more information .

[VideoMD]

medical information is needed for us.To get more vidieo . visit : http://www.videomd.com

[รับทำ seo]

Hi, I read your blogs like every week. Your writing style is awesome, keep doing what you're doing!