According to Fidders' blog, GSK's lawyers claimed that it was the natural meaning of the video that Benbow is a liar. I think he probably is, but I'm not sure that's the natural meaning of the video - for it to be the natural meaning of the video, the British press (along with anecdotal patient evidence), would have to be regarded as more authoratative than Benbow, given that both sides appear to have been given an equal shout.

It's interesting though that Benbow and GSK's lawyers have started throwing around accusations of harassment and defamation, which don't appear to be supported by English Law, as far as I can tell. In fact, one infers that Fidders is calling Benbow a liar, because of his (Fidders') stance, generally - ie, it's only in context that one understands the video in that way. Silly of them, really: they must have known he was going to publicize this on his blog.

One other point, I was speculating, yesterday, as to whether the lawyers were familiar with the background to the story. For example, the documentary evidence that GSK knew of the risks, whilst Benbow was still bleating on about the drug's efficacy and safety. There's the email communication between McCafferty and Laden, the ghostwriter, for example, back in 1999. And Benbow only stopped (as far as I know), his upbeat pronouncements when GSK submitted data to the MHRA, in support of its application for a licence to treat kids, in 2003, I think it was (which as I understand it is what sparked off the recently concluded investigation). That data, as we now know, indicated that the risk had been there, all the time, but had either been suppressed (see McCafferty and Laden, again), or missed completely (incompetence). The MHRA believe that the data was withheld, of course, and questioned GSK's morality on the back of it.

It's a sordid tale, and I'm staggered that GSK has got the nerve, frankly.

Matt

Good of you to post the vido Philip. We hadn't seen it prior to your posting; it's quite good.
We did post the below comment on Fiddy's site.

Well done Bob Fiddaman, you appear to be one of the few people to have rattled the cages of GSK, the maker of the so-called antidepressant SSRI drug Seroxat, and their oft quoted spokesman Dr Alistair Benbow.
As far as we're aware the BBC's excellent Panorama team didn't perturb them unduly:
Even a four year criminal investigation by the MHRA didn't appear to ruffle their corporate feathers--Hmm, it's almost as though Glaxo knew the matter of the retracted data would never lead to a criminal prosecution by the UK's judicial system.
Further on feathers -- we must admit every time we watched, or read Dr Benbow's spirited, but in our opinion, misguided defences of seroxat--a vision of a scrawny, sickly parrot sprang to our minds.
Disclaimer: Just in case we have inadvertently used any company logo,or other (tm) and thereby led any person to take a drug which probably doesn't work and does have many severe side-effects, including a warning of suicidality, we apologise. We are also sorry if the above content implies Dr Benbow lied, or is totally incompetent of discovering the truth. We are also sorry the UK did not have any lawful instrument to
bring GSK before a criminal court, and therefor GSK have not been found guilty of
criminality.
On a more hopeful note, we understand the government intends to remedy the unhealthy to science, and dangerous to patient safety practice, of non-drug trial disclosure in the near future.
Stuart and Claudette.
For the unitiated see the below extracts from the BBC's Panorama, and a Guardian Leader article, or access the URL's for further knowledge.
_______________________________________________
_http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/panorama/6291773.stm_
Secrets of the drug trials
Secret emails reveal that the UK's biggest drug company distorted trial results of an anti-depressant, covering up a link with suicide in teenagers.
Panorama reveals that
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) attempted to show that Seroxat worked for depressed children despite failed clinical trials.
And that GSK-employed ghostwriters influenced 'independent' academics.(cut)
----------------------------------
_http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/mar/07/medicalresearch.glaxosmithklinebusiness/print_
Prescription for change
Leader
The Guardian,
Friday March 7 2008
The regulators of the multibillion-dollar global drugs industry must sometimes feel like a barnacle on a whale: not easily able to influence the direction of travel. Yesterday's report from the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), on GlaxoSmithKline's failure to disclose adverse evidence about its antidepressant drug Seroxat, reveals again how powerless the watchdog is. It has taken four years to extract (it had to use its special powers on no less than 103 occasions) and then to
analyse a million pages of evidence that confirm the drugs company failed to report the findings of Seroxat's potentially suicidal effect on young people in a "timely" manner. There was no warning of the potential problems that led to the MHRA's ban on prescribing the drug to under-18s until 2003, possibly several years after GSK first had evidence. Even so, the MHRA has reluctantly concluded that there is no case for the company to answer in law. (cut)
_____________________________________________________________

hahahaha, the contrast is hilarious, this guy is hilarious... I utterly despise people who try to libel or discredit those who have suffered bc of psychiatric interventions and devote some or all of their life to helping others not go through the same thing. The amount of dishonesty and deliberate deceit in academic psychiatry makes me sick. All at the cost of their patients lives. This man should be commmended for producing an accurate and fair video of facts. I think its curious also that GSK would even be worried about a video on youtube such as this? If it wasn't true, why is this necessary?

Bob Fiddaman should be applauded for his work in bringing attention to the dangers of Seroxat and the gross misconduct of GlaxoSmithKline in regard to this particular medication.

GSK are using scare tactics and intimidation techniques here in an attempt to silence those whom speak out against their unethical practices. They have a long history of bullying , not just activists , but anyone who speaks out against them. They were accused of intimidating Dr Buse when he spoke out about the dangers of their diabetes drug Avandia, they vilified the honorable Dr David Healy when he began to question the truth about Seroxat's side effect profile. Side effects which GSK suppressed, an action which resulted in the deaths of many people from Seroxat induced suicide and violence.

I was prescribed Seroxat and i suffered terribly as a result. This drug is POISON. Alastair Benbow has consistently defended Seroxat over the years, even under mounting evidence from regulators , doctors and patients indicating massive problems of suicidality and horrific withdrawal effects.

He is a highly paid and high ranking employee of GSK and the face of the GSK seroxat defence. Many people have expressed their disgust at his behaviour and apparrant disregard for patients health with his constant defending of a drug which has caused so much harm to so many.

Bob Fiddaman is being targeted and singled out because he is a passionate patient advocate and powerful vocal opponent of the GSK corporate monster.
We need more people in this world like Bob Fiddman. People who are not afraid to stand up for human life, injustice, rights and dignity. He is a voice of David against the crushing force of a Goliath.

If Alastair Benbow is so concerned with his reputation then why is he working for one of the most unethical corporations in the world? A corporation which has just recently been let off the hook for suppressing drug data which led to children dying. Suppression of data for the protection of profits above and before the lives of kids.
A corporation which has consitently broken almost evey moral, ethic and law that exists.
A corporaton which is currently being investigated in the UK for alleged bribing of Saddam Husseins regime. A corporation which has a history of defective drugs. A corporation which is detested by animal rights groups and AIDA campaigners. A corporation which has a reputation worse than any other. A corporation which created its own bad reputation through its own misdeeds.

Does Mr Benbow not realize the huge moral obligation a doctor and a man of science is dutied to uphold? By attacking Bob Fiddaman , does he really think that it will restore his reputation in the eyes of the public? Did Mr Benbow not create his own destiny when he chose to assimilate himself into a corporate ideology? And did Dr Benbow not seal his own fate when he decided to defend a drug like Seroxat numerous times on National television in the UK and the US? He chose to be the face of the Seroxat(Paxil) defence and he chose to represent the voice of GSK. Did he think people who were prescribed this dangerous, defective and lethal drug were going to be happy and want to give him a hug when they saw his mug on the TV defending a drug which destroyed their lives?
It's all just so ridiculous...

Philip, In an effort to keep my rhetoric reasonably decent, I'll say this, the high powered lawyers claim the video caused Benbow "serious distress." Nothing happens to Benbow or GSK in spite of the harm the drug they've made millions (maybe billions) off of has killed thousands of people, and yet, when a psychiatrist experiences severe distress he hires a lawyer to stop it. If it were a patient that (reasonably indecent rhetoric deleted) psychiatrist would label his severe distress as a genetic brain disorder and medicate with a pill to exacerbate the ill and then go (reasonably indecent rhetoric deleted).

Why host videos in flash if you want to get the info out? Flash is blocked in my browser( obnoxious advertises first, security second) and its not compatible all over the world.

"Its about security and protecting the copyright"? If I wanted something in flash, there are plenty of browser add ons that allow me to save it to my computer and recode it to a better video format. That whole disable mouse buttons script are even more worthless. The only thing you stop is the lowly unskilled user who needs to have easier access to the information to begin with. Why not use mpeg, avi even wmv (if you are desperate) something that lets unskilled people have it and help disseminate information more quickly. Make it a file where they can simply download it and drop it on a cd/dvd to pass on to their friends. So it'll work in dvd players.

It doesn't make sense, when wanting to get a message out but throttling your hands around its throat to keep control of it. Tight control means your message is easily silenced. Once the video hits some the sites like ebum, 4chan and ED the trying to be censored pisses them and they go all out. Just look at the Anonymous campaign because of the Tom Cruise leaked footage censoring.

Besides why support a file type from a company that pretty much wipes their arse with the lowly end user. Any program that gives outside companies preferred preference/ability/control to hijack/hack/disable your computer and it settings to their wishes . Or has everyone forgotten one of their great up grades gave the flash creator rights (by default) to access your web cam? Its not hard to hack a computer and turn a cam on but still hading it has a feature that most people wouldn't even know where to check to find the settings is wrong. But the computer and bandwidth you bought and paid for is for every company to use first...

It (the video) reminded me of a recent UTUBE of Bush TAP DANCING on stage while waiting for John MCCain to show up, interspliced with shots of fighting in Iraq and other grim reminders of how far this country has sunk. I wonder if Mr. Fiddaman would consider a similar video for the evil killer Zyprexa. Pictures of gravesites, mourning families, maimed children, courtrooms, the actual pills, people who have never lost that weight but who can be eloquent about their diabetes, denials by Lilly execs. Perhaps you could forward Mr. Fiddaman's email address. Thanks.

This U.S.A. blog supports Bob Fiddaman: GSK: GlaxoSmithKline:Paxil:Seroxat.

This is a disgrace.

After their abuse of science GSK moved to the abuse of individual scientists. Now, GSK apparently feels it can abuse and threaten individual patients instead of answering scientific and procedural questions.

Humble apologies to the scientific community and to patients would seemn to be in order.

Putting feathers on this particular pig via legal threats - is not going to make it a chicken.

Aubrey

Good on you Bob. You really should be applauded not singled out but,then again the likes of Benbow et al are not going to admit to their "True Lies" are they? As I've said many times, if I had my way I woud happily drip feed Benbow et al Seroxat for the rest of their lives. Just imagine that! I don't condone "Legalised Murder"! We're all behind you Bob. Jo.

I decided to do a google search on our "favorite" GSK manager Alastair Benbow to see how widespread the smut really is on this guy and came up with this rather hilarious detail -- pretty sure it's the same Alastair because I found an image of twin brother Nick and sure enough he does look like our man in the video. I'm sure some stand-up comedian or blogger could do something interesting with this fact:
"The current record is held by identical twins Nick and Alastair Benbow who completed the 1998 London marathon in a time of 3 hours 40 minutes and 16 seconds. They were tied together at the wrist and shared a three-legged pair of running trousers."

i just want to say that i'm glad something is prickng up the ears of a major pharmaceutical company...and hopefully others. they should be scared! we (patients/consumers) have been lambs to a slaughter for far too long. that so many are here, now, writing and supporting eachother...it gives me chills and sometimes a tear...it's great.

i'm not the high impact blogger that many are, but in solidarity for bob f. i'm going to post his video because i want people to see it and link to these great commentaries. i do wish he would re-edit and remove their logo because aside from that i can't see anything in there that he's not with in his rights to comment about. all that he has in there is public information and does not say anthing derogatory about _________. he leaves it up for us to interpret...it screams volumes and it's music to my ears. he did the right thing.

so go bob and i think this is a great day for all who are speaking out and reaching out...i believe bob and fellow bloggers are in the right simply asking for respectful, honest, safe and proper treatment for our community. and sharing information that professionals, with great disregard for our wellbeing, have irresponsibly withheld.

thank you for your good work
s

There's two of them!!!
FREAKY...

I had quit my job from a hostile working environment in July 2007. It took me until November 1 to find seasonal-to-permanent work with Amazon. I had hoped to stay beyond Christmas, and establish health insurance. That didn’t happen.

Until unemployment, and no insurance, I had been 4 taking medications. It first began with anxiety. I was given Effexor for that. The Effexor caused depression. Then I was given Lamictal for the depression. The Lamictal caused insomnia. Then I was given Seroquel for that and so forth.

All the while this was happening, I still had my trusty Valium prescription AS NEEDED. This had, and has been the case ever since I was a patient at the UCLA Medical Group, Santa Monica, in 2000.

When I lost my health insurance last year, I applied for Partnership for Prescription Drug Assistance, or PPA (Montel Williams). All of the paperwork was transitioning smoothly, and had taken longer than 2 months. Just as the paperwork was to be signed over for assistance, my doctor decided that he wouldn’t authorize it unless I came in to see him, out of the blue. Furthermore, he decided that he wouldn’t issue these medications under the same reason.

During the time this all came about, the holiday season at Amazon was in full-swing. I was working 12 hours a day on the night shift. If that wasn’t enough, I had barely enough time to eat and sleep during the day.

My doctor was only available 3 days a week, and continued to refuse to issue medication that is WELL KNOWN TO NOT BE STOPPED TAKEN ABRUPTLY. I tried to explain the situation, and my phone calls went unanswered more than twice. His nurse didn’t return my calls either. I finally had to resort to unreturned email. Needless to say, at the beginning of the year I fired my psychiatrist.

When I finally ended up severing my ties to that doctor, I managed to get a 90 day supply of each medication. Well, I had to WITHDRAW from these horrendous medicines without supervision. AND IT WAS HELL. The definition of addiction would fall under a class of drugs that needs supervision to WITHDRAW FROM.

Carrying on… yesterday (now employed part-time) I paid cash to see my physician. I took my medical record with me. I had to see the Physician’s Assistant to see about refilling Valium only (I would have had to wait over a month to see my physician). Valium is something I have taken for years; as has my mom, AS NEEDED. I don’t even take 3 a day as the bottle says. I don’t even take them everyday!

When I spoke with the P.A. she insisted that I go back on some of the other medications that I have decided I don’t need, otherwise they will not issue any Valium. WHAT??? I have come TOO far, managing to escape THE ADDICTION of Effexor, Lamictal, and Seroquel. While ironically, I can come and go easily with Valium alone.

I tried to explain that I don’t need those other medicines; that I only need an AS NEEDED medicine. History has shown me that I can do fine with Valium only, and not even daily. I’m willing to suffer through anxiety, and as needed Valium, if it means not becoming dependent upon those foul medications that are claimed to be “NON ADDICTIVE”. I say “GIVE ME A BREAK!”

What is going on with our health care system? It seems like a conspiracy. The insurance companies, drug companies, and doctor practices are seemingly trying to brain-wash people.

I am not, have never been, and will never be addicted to Valium! Did I have to painfully withdraw from Effexor? YES! Did I have to withdraw from Seroquel (which BTW can shorten your life by 20 years)? YES! Did I have to painfully withdraw from Lamictal? YES! I AM STILL DOING SO! Gradually!

How do they have the nerve to claim that the “as needed” drug is more addictive than the daily regimen that “can not be stopped taken abruptly”???

How can they force me to take pills that I know cause me more harm than good, as a prerequisite to obtain the medication that I know works for me alone, WITHOUT ADDICTION???

While I feel lucky to be able to see through their transparent deception, what are my options? No one will listen!

Is there a last frontier for truth in medicine? I have reached my wit’s end, and have begun to lose all hope in medicine, and all trust in doctors. Please! Someone offer me some hope!

We need a fucking revolution!

I know I will be the only one here and might get shot down completely. I was helped by Seroxat. I was on it 1999 - 2006 for OCD and anxiety and it worked for me from the start (about 2 weeks into it) and .... drum roll... I had no side effects whatsoever! I don't know why. Don't ask me. It just took away the repetitive, distressing thoughts and anxiety. I went back to University and continued to do well on it on the minimum dose 20mg.

I tried to stop after one year thinking I was 'cured' and it was a nightmare to get off it. The buzz in my brain and the electric shocks, panic and OCD came back. I went back on it and stayed for another 4 years on 30 mg. In 2003 I started reducing the dose but suuuuuuper slowly, first taking 20mg one day and 30mg other day for a few months. Then switched to 20mg for at least 6 months. Then 20mg and 15mg every other day. Then I was for ages splitting my 30mg tablet and taking 15mg. Then another few months on 10mg, maybe even a year.

I went travelling and noticed after a week that I didn't take the 10mg for about a week so I stopped altogher. I was off it in Dec 2006.

Then had a really good year (the whole of 2007), there ware massive doses of stress but the OCD didn't come back. I was emotional sure, but not really pathologically, what I mean I could handle it without intervention.

But then I was poisoned with an antibiotic that has as much bad press as all the anti-depressants and anti-psychotics, the quinolones. Pure evil, the side effects actually include psychosis and severe CNS damage. I don't believe I thought I was going to be ok. I never had any problems with anitbiotics. Well, it was hell. After just 2 tablets, I had insomnia, shaking, brain 'burning', pins and needles and anxiety. Ended up in ER and the doctor said it was impossible it's the quinolones and said I had migraines! Brain burning = migraines!

Aaanyway, the sad story is I had to go back on Seroxat as it was the only thing that calmed me down again.

I was so happy and proud of myself to get off of it and stay ok for a year, I still believe maybe I will be able to do it again. But for now, all I can say is that I understand that drugs ARE bad, but I was 'saved' by Seroxat twice.
Aleks
x

Interesting.

You state you had no side effects then you write:

"I tried to stop after one year thinking I was 'cured' and it was a nightmare to get off it. The buzz in my brain and the electric shocks, panic and OCD came back. I went back on it and stayed for another 4 years on 30 mg. In 2003 I started reducing the dose but suuuuuuper slowly, first taking 20mg one day and 30mg other day for a few months. Then switched to 20mg for at least 6 months. Then 20mg and 15mg every other day. Then I was for ages splitting my 30mg tablet and taking 15mg. Then another few months on 10mg, maybe even a year."

Do you think it acceptable that it took you so long to withdraw?

"Nightmare to get off it"

"Buzz in my brain"

"Electric Shocks"

..and you had no side effects?

What on earth do you think the above were?

Fid