http://www.whale.to/drugs/us_justice_dept.html
Pa*il.
Helping cancer patients think more clearly as they reach for the rope.

If you do a background check on the source of this study..

(The ASCO Annual meeting)

It turns up some interesting findings..

http://abstractsearch.asco.org/cgi-bin/ts.pl?index=442064&query=paxil&opt=any

http://www.abstract.asco.org/abst_files/2009-Annual-Meeting-Planning-Committee_Disclosures.pdf

Check out the disclosures and the sponsored talks..

The ANCO is rife with pharmaceutical influence..

To even trial Paxil for cancer patients is akin to doing a clinical trial on thalidomise as a toothpaste...

Helping cancer patients think more clearly as they reach for the rope."

Making jokes about cancer patients is a new low for this blog.

"The ANCO [sic] is rife with pharmaceutical influence."

Any medical organization has some involvement with the medical industry. It's just common sense the two are aware of each other and, surprise!, attend the same conferences.

Really. I would think any opportunity to improve the quality of life of someone living with, and perhaps dying of, cancer a blessing. This is using Paxil as an adjunct medication for something entirely outside of psychiatry.

You've stepped beyond the pale, and beyond credibility, when you think you can start dictating what medications cancer patients can and cannot have access to.

I'm sorry for the tone but not the statements. I had a recent death in the family and if Paxil were shown to improve my aunt's awareness and presence in the last months we nor her would have hesitated to use it.

Stewart, don't make assumptions - you don't know me, and your faith in Paxil indicates your background in chemistry isn't too strong.

Don't patronize me, honey. You don't know me either; I work as a biochemist. Faith in Paxil? Don't be silly. I'm only interested in if something works. What "chemistry" has to do with any of this, please enlighten me.

Stewart, I am sorry for your loss.

As an FYI, I fortunately never had had cancer but I have a learning disability in which I share some of the same cognitive issues that people get from chemotherapy. These meds in the long term, worsened my LD issues. Heck, even people without LD complain about cognitive side effects from these meds.

I suppose if someone has a very short term prognosis, perhaps this is a risk worth taking. I say that very reluctantly because people have even suffered horrendous side effects after just a few doses. I can't imagine living out the last few months of your life dealing with that.

By the way, if you are concerned about the cognitive issues from chemotherapy, why not try fish oil capsules assuming they aren't contraindicated with chemotherapy drugs? Seems like the side effect profile would be alot better with the same benefits.

Correction: Stewert Simpson
Hmmmmm