Furious Seasons

July 09, 2007

Hundreds Of Deaths From Antipsychotics In Australia

The lede says it all in this Australian article:

"Hundreds of Australians have died and thousands more suffered gruesome side effects after taking anti-psychotic medications, official figures have revealed.
"Data from the nation's drug watchdog the Therapeutic Goods Administration shows 9532 adverse reports involving anti-psychotics in the past 15 years, including 399 deaths."

It's discouraging to see that patients Down Under are running into the same sorts of problems that we are in this country and elsewhere. Many of these cases involve patients with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Almost 400 of the adverse reports involve children.

And there's bad news in the piece for Eli Lilly, which faces lawsuits over its handling of Zyprexa in Australia.

"'We are now in the double figures with clients from Zyprexa and we are seeing a number of alleged problems,' lawyer Simon Harrison told The Daily Telegraph.
"'The problems vary from inadequate policing of the medication to the alleged side effects of the medication not being conveyed,' he said."

I'm no expert on the Australian legal system, but it wouldn't shock me if Lilly isn't soon looking at a class action lawsuit over there.

Add these kinds of figures to the tens of thousands of similar adverse events--I simply call them injuries--in the US, and you have to wonder why thought leaders in the psych profession aren't asking some very sharp questions about the logic of using these drugs long-term much less short-term.

Posted by Philip Dawdy at July 9, 2007 12:03 AM

del.icio.us Digg it reddit

Comments

I think there is a class action in Australia from the following article - unless its not quite one yet, but the way its been worded gives that impression:

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au:80/story/0,20867,21922547-2702,00.html

"Aussies in class action on drug

Cath Hart

June 18, 2007

PHARMACEUTICAL giant Eli Lilly faces a class action from a group of Australians claiming they have suffered dangerous or life-threatening side effects including weight gain, pancreatitis and diabetes after taking the anti-psychotic drug Zyprexa.

The class action, the first over the allegedly negative affects of Zyprexa outside the US, started on behalf of a 32-year-old Tweed Heads saxophonist who developed pancreatitis after taking the drug.

Brisbane law firm Nicol Robinson Halletts expanded the case into a class action after others claimed their health had been harmed by Zyprexa.

Lawyer Simon Harrison said his team hoped to link the Australian claims to a $1.2billion group of settlements by Eli Lilly in the US over 30,000 similar cases..."

Posted by: peagee at July 9, 2007 02:10 PM

I am actually sorry that the Aussies will copy the "class action" case made over here. It was a raw deal for the individuals and families who suffered or lost loved family members. None so far have had their day in court. No doctors have been held accountable that I can see. Nor has Lilly. I know several lawyers who refused to become involved in this type of settlement and who have accepted a few individual cases.

This should not be the "new" way to bring liability against drug companies whose products kill and maim. This action lets Pharma off the hook, when instead, especially in the case of Lilly, those "who knew" should be in prison post a criminal trial.

Posted by: Sorrowful at December 28, 2007 10:59 AM

It is good to notice that some people are being held accountable for their actions which can have adverse effects on unsuspecting patients who have no reason to disbelieve what their medical practitioners tell them.

And why do their medical practitioners give them advice that may be incorrect and/or harmful?

Could it be that they have blind faith in what the sales people from the various pharmaceutical companies tell them? Perhaps they are too busy themselves to undertake the necessary research into whether or not the sales pitches are valid or not!

Perhaps it is time that some medical practitioners are held accountable for neglect as well!

Posted by: John Stephens at January 9, 2008 03:07 AM