"Senate Probe Reveals that Majority of NAMI Money from Drug Companies
For years NAMI -- the National Alliance on Mental Illness -- has had an official secrecy policy on the amount of funds NAMI receives from psychiatric drug companies. Because of a US Senate probe in April 2009, NAMI has now disclosed that for the past five years a majority of their funds -- 56% -- are from the pharmaceutical industry.
Because of a Senate probe, Michael J. Fitzpatrick, NAMI Executive Director, disclosed that a majority of NAMI money is from pharmaceutical corporations.
5 May 2009
US Senate Probe Discovers:
Most NAMI Money is From Psychiatric Drug Industry
NAMI has admitted to a US Senate probe that a majority of their funds over the last five years, 56 percent on average, have been from drug corporations. NAMI has agreed with the probe to immediately begin quarterly postings to their web site with a list of drug company donations and amounts.
MindFreedom obtained a letter sent last week by NAMI executive director Michael J. Fitzpatrick to "NAMI Leaders and Members." The letter is a response to the probe of NAMI by US Senator Charles Grassley (R-IA) initiated on 6 April.
In the 28 April letter, copied below, Mr. Fitzpatrick wrote, "As reported to Senator Grassley, pharmaceutical companies contributed an average of 56% of national NAMI’s budget annually for the period 2005-2009."
Mr. Fitzpatrick passionately defends the drug company donations, but says NAMI has a strategic plan to lower the percentage.
Commented MindFreedom director, David Oaks, "The NAMI board should have listened to its own Consumer Council which voted for full disclosure many years ago, but was ignored."
Link
Senator Chuck Grassley (IA) will continue probing the connection between NAMI and pharmaceutical companies. We wish him all the best with this important work. To thank Senator Grassley for investigating psychiatric drug money corruption, go to
http://grassley.senate.gov/contact.cfm
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