#GPnews: Mental health chief calls out BBC for 'stigmatising' anti-depressants
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11:10 The chief executive of an NHS mental health and disability trust has challenged BBC Panorama over 'the title and content' of a recent programme.
The programme which ran last night - 'A Prescription for Murder' - suggested taking the SSRI sertraline had contributed to an individual going on a mass shooting spree in a Colorado cinema in 2012.
John Lawlor, chief executive of Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust, who has spoken widely about his own experience of mental illness said: ‘I am horrified that the BBC has chosen to use such stigmatising and unpleasant language in relation to people who use anti-depressants.
'Substantial steps forward to challenge the stigma of mental ill health have been made, and linking the experience of mental health problems with violent crime only reinforces unhelpful stereotypes. In fact people with mental ill health are far more likely to be the victim of violence, partly because of the stigma they experience.'
'I would like to call upon BBC panorama to apologise for the offence they have caused.'
09:50 Children starting primary school in affluent areas are at 7% risk of being obese, while those in poor areas are at 13% risk, according to an NHS Scotland report.
Living in a deprived area had a similar effect on adult women, according to the data from 2015/16, reports the BBC.
Author Elaine Tod said: 'The reasons for this are complex and multi-factorial, including the affordability and availability of high-fat, high-sugar food in comparison with healthy food and the increasing popularity of more sedentary pastimes.
'What is clear is that action, including structural change at a societal level that does not require individuals to "opt-in", is needed to achieve both a population-wide decrease in obesity in Scotland and to prevent health inequalities associated with obesity widening further.'
Readers' comments (5)
Holy Smoke Batman | GP Partner/Principal27 Jul 2017 11:19am
My God! I urge the readers here to Google the Bridgend suicide clusters in relation to SSRI ...anti-depressant drugs are a massive and dangerous hoax and need to be stigmatized MORE.
Can the chief do us the favour of citing some evidence of neurotransmitter deficiencies in allegedly depressed people whose levels are altered by antidepressants?
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Macdonalds medicine | Locum GP27 Jul 2017 12:21pm
Dear Monty
Googled as requested,...... clusters occur and have in other cities...... associations with use of SSRIs/antidepressants are bound to occur as depression and suicide are linked.... what I cannot see here is the evidence of causation. Have you any links you can stick up?
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Jo Smit | Hospital Doctor27 Jul 2017 12:59pm
BBC descending into sensationalism and poor quality journalism...that's surely old news!
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Holy Smoke Batman | GP Partner/Principal27 Jul 2017 1:28pm
http://www.bmj.com/content/352/bmj.i65
Nordic Cochrane Review
Start there.
AD drugs in adolescents have seriously high risk benefit ratio
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Emeritus Hospital Consultant. | Hospital Doctor27 Jul 2017 3:32pm
Panorama asked questions of the legal system.
The literature addressing SSRI (and other prescription psychoactive drug) induced violence is established and extensive.
A starting point?
Adverse Drug Reactions to Akathisia Inducing Drugs Include Toxic Psychosis, Homicide and Suicide.
Genetically Determined Metabolism of Cytochrome P450 Contributes to Toxicity.
Behavioural Dyscontrol Coincides with Toxic or Fast Changing Brain Levels.
Three Homicide Studies Evaluate How CYP 450 Enzymes Interact With Drugs.
The Relevance Of Cytochrome P450 Polymorphysm in Forensic Medicine and Akathisia Related Violence and Suicide.
Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine 2016 doi:10. j.jflm2016.04.003
Eikelenboom-Schieveld SJM. Lucire Y. Fogelman JC.
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