"Ransom Notes" Ad Campaign Halted

I just learned that the controversial "Ransom Notes" ad campaign in New York City has been halted in response to much public outcry within the mental health community over its tone much less its accuracy. The campaign was the brainchild of Harold Koplewicz, head of the Child Study Center at NYU and co-author of Paxil Study 329. I wrote about the campaign here and here.

Koplewicz told the Wall Street Journal's Health Blog that “'the debate began to become focused on the ads themselves.'” Looks like Koplewicz has learned a lesson and I bet the media in New York has learned about Koplewicz and the lengths some mental health advocates will go to to generate attention for their cause and how conflicted their pasts can be.

I know some readers of this site wrote to Koplewicz and others and I thank them for doing so. Much of the credit for giving this campaign the attention it deserved must go to people in the autism community among them The Autism Self Advocacy Network and Kristina Chew at AutismVox. I know a lot of other groups were involved as well. Congrats to all.

BTW, there is a growing comment thread at the Journal's Health Blog, so go join in the fun if you wish.

Update: According to this later New York Times account, Koplewicz and his critics are talking and the co-author of Paxil Study 329 is trying to bring them into the tent to work on a subsequent round of ads slated to appear in about three months. The paper reports that they will also be done by the BBDO ad agency, which the paper fails to note has been the ad agency handling Paxil ads in the past. Gee, I wonder why they are doing this pro bono.