Bloomberg: NAMI to be probed re Pharma ties

Grassley Probes Financing of Advocacy Group for Mental Health
By Nicole Gaouette

April 6 (Bloomberg) -- U.S. Senator Charles Grassley expanded his investigation into drug company influence on the practice of medicine by asking a nonprofit mental-health- advocacy group about its funding.

In a letter sent today to the National Alliance for Mental Illness, based in Arlington, Virginia, Grassley asked the nonprofit group to disclose any financial backing from drug companies or from foundations created by the industry.

The Iowa Republican, in a series of hearings and investigations, has focused on financial ties between the drug industry, doctors and academic institutions. His efforts have led New York-based Pfizer Inc. to begin disclosing consulting payments to U.S. doctors, and Harvard Medical School in Boston to reexamine its conflict-of-interest policies. Now Grassley is expanding his inquiries to nonprofit groups.

“I have come to understand that money from the pharmaceutical industry shapes the practices of nonprofit organizations which purport to be independent in their viewpoints and actions,” Grassley wrote in his letter.

Officials at the National Alliance for Mental Illness didn’t return calls for comment.

Link

Thank Senator Grassley - or contact him with your concerns - here.

Read the Bonkers Institute's response to Senator Grassley's initiative here.

Corporate Corruption, and the Hijacking of Our Food Supply

Image adapted from graphics bank at Cornell U. Link


Health activist extraordinaire HELKE FERRIE tells it like it is regarding the powers in charge of our health, with special focus on Bill C-6 in Canada.
The article begins with a memorable quote:

Corporate Corruption, and the Hijacking of Our Food Supply
by Helke Ferrie
What is wrong with the world today? I’ll tell you what’s wrong – short-term thinking, which is the sign of a disease called arrogance. Those suffering from the disease, however, want us to believe that they are actually the world’s great protectors. The feverish rush for short-term gain is as old as history. The kings, emperors, and popes of antiquity, the dictators of the 20th century, along with big business and the governments they hijacked, all do as their ancestors did: disguise their message inside protestations of safety and offers of protection. But today we have the Internet, an educated distrusting public, and humanity has developed an attitude of disobedience. Besides, we are all getting very bored with this racket.

What Really Causes Alzheimer's?

A complete book in PDF format by orthomolecular nutrition expert Harold Foster.
http://web.archive.org/web/20060526175827/http://www.hdfoster.com/Foster_Alzheimers.pdf
Link Foster's expertise in health includes AIDS and schizophrenia and much more. His books are sensible, technically impeccable, a pleasure to read - and help a lot of people avoid bad nutrition that brings on neurological disorders.

"They killed my patient. Then they tried to hide it."

From an Open Salon blog.

The Biology of Mental Disorders

This would be funny if it were not so sad. There is very little biology in this book. Have a look through yourself. We think you'll find there is a lot on government policy (pork) in the document, though.

The Biology of Mental Disorders

Publish at Scribd or explore others: Academic Work brain memory

Antibiotics Versus Iodine

Antibiotics are unsafe (package insert information can be found here). Some can promote cancer (fungus connection) and others, like Prozac and Accutane, can make you lose contact with reality. What's left? Iodine. Link
Iodine makes good nutritional sense. Read about it at the United Nations Standing Committee on Nutrition, here.

Pharma Corruption: Greed Kills the Golden Goose

March 5, 2009: Globe and Mail columnist claims there is no Big Pharma conspiracy and that medicine is basically good

Nothing to see here, move along...



March 28, 2009:
Harvard shrinks issued subpoenas












Philip Dawdy of http://www.furiousseasons.com sums it up nicely:
"Controversial Harvard child psychiatrist Joseph Biederman and his colleagues Tim Wilens and Thomas Spencer were named in a federal subpoena yesterday. The trio have all pulled in millions from pharma companies while also doing federally-funded research, a potentially illegal conflict of interest which was allegedly improperly reported. They are all being investigated by their university and NIH.
The subpoena, issued by the US Attorney for Eastern Massachusetts, was served on Fletch Trammel, an attorney representing various states attorneys general and other plaintiffs in cases against pharma companies over pushing antipsychotics for use in children and adults. Apparently, the feds want whatever documents and depositions Trammel has gathered on the three."

Nothing to see, yet, but we hear the crash of distant cash registers, and expect fireworks and a feast of roast goose soon.