The Spider Web of Influence America’s Broken Drug Safety System

This talk explores the journey of an accidental advocate thrust into the heart of America’s broken drug safety system following her husband’s tragic suicide, despite no history of depression. As a seasoned marketing and advertising professional, Kim Witczak uncovers systemic flaws, shedding light on industry and regulatory priorities, and exposes the intricate web of influence driven by marketing agendas and profit motives, often unbeknownst to doctors and patients alike.


Comments from chat:

pauline dinkelberg: Hello from the Netherlands; Patient Association Tapering Medication; to come off psychoactive drugs in a safe way.
pauline dinkelberg: The black box warning concerns only patients under 24; why not patients of all ages? Not been researched?
Deena: Please give your thoughts on how aggressively Ozempic is being marketed. I think users might be uninformed about its safety and long term effects.
[email protected]: Recent quote from Richard Pazdur (oncology at FDA): Pazdur is also concerned about an increasing number of trial investigators who have personal or academic relationships with committee members while standing before the committee defending a drug.
“I think that this has the potential of really providing a lack of confidence in the system if this continues,” Pazdur said.
Johanna Trimble: We are experiencing a real shortage of GPs here, yet I see huge ads for Ozempic with the entire message “just ask your doctor” — “I just asked”. Will waiting rooms be filled with those seeking the drug and our GP shortage even more severe? Pharma is going to make a LOT of money.
Leonore Tiefer: I love how Kim has distilled the best of academic critique together with journalism, skepticism, and idealism!
Debi Roberts: Hello just to take advantage of us all being in the room....I have created a 'prescription safe plan' freely available here: https://theolliefoundation.org/resour... - please use it, its very subtle, but will create questions for all stakeholders. Most importantly may save lives and reduce moral injury. Training available too if needed:)
Deena: "Worst Pills, Best Pills" is a wonderful resource and takes no ad money from anyone other than subscribers. It's an advocacy group for consumers.
Deena: Do you feel there is a link between the incredible number of mass shootings and antidepressants?
Deena: There is a push to now begin prescribing very young children on antidepressants
Johanna Trimble: Patients should be told about the great difficulty some have getting off the antidepressants before they are prescribed.
Debi Roberts: To extend the recent conversation - a new, groundbreaking book by Thomas Joiner, PhD that may be of interest. In his work, "The Varieties of Suicidal Experience: A New Theory of Suicidal Violence," Joiner argues that a range of behaviors such as murder-suicide, terrorism, and mass shootings are better understood as motived by suicidal impulses than by homicidal ones.

Despite obvious differences among these acts, Joiner argues that framing them as stemming from a common ideology of suicide is a crucial step in preventing these atrocities.

Learn more and get your copy here: https://lnkd.in/g-jHRQPU