Editors of major medical journals accuse the drug giants of using their money - or the threat of its removal - to tie up academic researchers with legal contracts so that they are unable to report freely and fairly on the results of drug trials.

If you know you are right, never give up... Inmate wins freedom after 62,000 tries.

A lawsuit filed August 24, 2001, contends that 35 people suffered withdrawal symptoms after taking the popular anti-depressant Paxil and the manufacturer concealed evidence that it can be addictive. See the official press release and comments from the Coalition for Drug Awareness.   Safe Harbor consulted by law firm filing Paxil lawsuit.

The National Council on Disability (NCD) urges the President's Commission to Strengthen Social Security to exercise caution in consideration of Social Security proposals and consider the needs of Americans with disabilities.

Children return to classrooms this fall amid an increasingly pitched battle over Ritalin and other drugs used to treat millions with behavioral and emotional problems in school.

Today parents have to be educated consumers, but kids should be off-limits as targets of convenience for the drug industry.

The Bush administration yesterday postponed new protections for poor and disabled Americans in managed care for up to a year.

The Outsider - Book by Nathaniel Lachenmeyer on his father's struggle with schizophrenia is now out. 

In November 2001, Enterprise Austin will host the Best Practices Conference Series, highlighting proven methods of policy change and service delivery for people with disabilities - NAMI Texas.

Several unnatural deaths at Napa State Hospital in recent years raise serious questions about the quality of care at the hospital. 

The Senate confirmed Joanne M. Wilson as the new US Rehabilitation Services Administration Commissioner on July 19, 2001.

Safe Harbor will establish the Annual Margot Kidder Award to honor courageous men and women who have advanced the use of safe, sensible, and effective alternative mental health treatments. 

Health and Human Services releases a report finding Medicare system lacking. 

Gift From Within is releasing a new video: Recovering From Traumatic Events: The Healing Process.  They are a nonprofit organization dedicated to those who suffer post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), those at risk for PTSD, and those who care for traumatized individuals.

SSA Ticket to Work program helps disabled find employment opportunities.

There is a high stakes marketing war brewing among makers of new atypical antipsychotics: Zyprexa, Geodon, aripiprazole (Abilitat) and iloperidone (Zomaril).

Solving the Depression Puzzle - new book highlights how nutrition can influence depression.

The top 50 best-selling prescription drugs were responsible for 44 percent ($58.2 billion) of all retail drug spending in 2000 says a report by NIHCM.

Over 78,000 new Section 8 Fair Share Vouchers were awarded last month, and approximately 12,600 of the vouchers have been set-aside specifically for people with disabilities.

Aripiprazole, a new antipsychotic drug made by Bristol-Meyers Squibb, is now being tested in Toronto's Centre for Addiction & Mental Health (CAMH).

Editors at the world's most prominent medical journals, alarmed that drug companies are exercising too much control over research results, have agreed to adopt a uniform policy that reserves the right to refuse to publish drug company-sponsored studies unless the researchers involved are guaranteed scientific independence. - Washington Post.

Congress is now moving forward on the FY 2001 budget for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), including housing and homeless programs serving adults with severe mental illnesses. 

President Bush saluted the marking this past week of the 11th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, signed into law by his father, and called on Congress to fund his proposals to expand even further the opportunities available to people with disabilities.

Support Coalition International held a human rights rally in Vancouver, Canada, on July 22, 2001, in protest of the opening of The World Assembly for Mental Health (WAMH) as well as other Mad Pride Month events.  Click here to read the protest letter by David Oaks.

Federal investigators have been sending out signals since 1998 that they want universities to pay more attention to their clinical trial oversight.

New drug reduces agitation with less side effects in patients diagnosed with schizophrenia who become extremely agitated.

Gaps in treatment leave mentally ill kids stuck - Five percent to 10 percent of all American children have serious mental health disorders, federal officials say. About 60 percent to 70 percent with mental health disorders do not get the treatment they need, said Gary De Carolis, chief of the child, adolescent and family branch of the federal Center for Mental Health Services. But a surgeon general's report released in January offered an even higher estimate: 80 percent. (from the New York Times - July 8, 2001).

In Britain, manufacturers of Prozac and other antidepressants have been asked to include stronger warnings in their packaging because of fears that the drugs could trigger violent behavior. The Committee on Safety of Medicines (CSM) has also asked to see unpublished data from early trials that tested their safety in healthy volunteers, after claims that some individuals became violently depressed while taking them. - Sunday-Times July 8, 2001.

Factually based account of how a pharmaceutical company unethically intervened in the publication of a scientific article reporting clinical results inimical to that company's interests - 3 essays originally distributed on the Internet in latter half of 1995.

NAMI urged Ohio Governor to  spare the life of Jay D. Scott, a man with a long history of severe mental illness.

The Manchester Guardian has been running quite a few articles on psychiatric drugs, including many pieces which are negative. It's worthwhile taking a look through their online archive. Apparently in Britain there's greater leeway for meaningful public debate on psychiatry than there is in the US.

Click here to go to UK based Ananova's Mental Health News web page.

A patent was approved on May 8, 2001, for new methods of treating neuropsychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia, Alzheimer's Disease, autism, depression, benign forgetfulness, childhood learning disorders, close head injury, and attention deficit disorder. Click here for full patent. 

New treatment might reverse memory loss in those with schizophrenia, parkinson's, and other disorders.  A short-term drug regimen offers long-lasting reversal of working memory loss in monkeys given antipsychotic medications, researchers reported in the  March 17 journal, Science.

BBC News Panorama broadcast a special show on the mis-prescription of tranquilizers and the negative effects of these drugs which disable millions of people world wide. Click here to go to the web site. (May 13, 2001)

Metro Center Threatens Pioneer House - The Santa Cruz City Council is considering a site in Harvey West that will displace the day treatment services for mental health clients provided by the Pioneer House.  Email comments to: Metrobase@scmtd.com

White House Releases details of FY2002 Budget, $131 Million increases proposed for NIMH, freeze proposed for mental health block grant and path programs. (April 9, 2001)

FDA Approves Geodon - On February 5, 2001, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved ziprasidone, a new antipsychotic medication for the treatment of schizophrenia. Ziprasidone will be available in pharmacies in March under the brand name Geodon.  
(Feb., 2001)

Grants - Over $500,000 in grants have been received by County Mental Health Services. (Feb., 2001)

Grand Opening of Exposition in Los Angeles to protest continuing psychiatric abuse of children with prescriptions. The exhibit includes a 10 feet high pill bottle representing the more than 6.2 billion psychiatric pills foisted off on 6 million children nationwide.

On May 6, 2001,  PBS had a special program called "Treating the Mentally Ill". Click here for program transcript.  (May 4, 2001)

Schizophrenia Clinical Trials - The Schizophrenia Clinic at Stanford Hospital is conducting several clinical trials on new medications for the treatment of schizophrenia starting January, 2001.  These “atypicals” have fewer side effects than traditional medications. (Jan., 2001)

Compeer Office Burns in Fire - The Grace Methodist church was lost to a fire on October 7, 2000, and along with it went the Interfaith Compeer office.
(Oct., 2000)