The particular TeenScreen survey has been used to screen students for mental illness in the nation’s public school technique reportedly to prevent suicide. Nonetheless, critics adamantly disagree with its stated purpose and say the a advertising scheme invented by the pharmaceutical industry to recruit prescription drug customers. The goal is to promote the actual patently false proven fact that we now have a country of children with undiagnosed mental disorders crying out and about for therapy, based on Republican Colorado Congressman and physician, Ron Robert, in “Forcing Kids Into a Mental Health and fitness Ghetto. ” Implementing such a blatant advertising scheme throughout schools could be impossible without a lot of help from key politicians and policy manufacturers. But in terms of gaining influence over authorities officials, Big Pharma knows when and where you can be generous. Based on the Center with regard to Responsive Money, in their 2 bids for the presidency, George N Bush, has been the number one recipient involving campaign donations from the industry. Furthermore, the consumer advocacy team, Public Citizen, has determined that since 1997, the top 25 drug companies gave Republicans 80% of these $48. 6 million throughout campaign efforts. An analysis of confidential 2002 budget documents from the industry’s big trade team, Pharma, obtained by the New york Times, shows the industry group expended close $60 , 000, 000 on advocacy and related activities at the federal degree, which turned out to be $45 million a lot more than Pharma disclosed in federal filings, the times said. In 2001-2002, the actual analysis showed that Pharma lavished $3. give consideration to million about Republicans, and gave only $161, 300 to Democrats. In substitution for the large numbers owed, lawmakers have been doling out and about tax dollars left and right to fund testing programs just like TeenScreen. Upon September 21 years old, 2005, the Substance abuse and Mental Health and fitness Services Management (SAMHSA) released grants involving over $9. 7 million throughout funding for the implementation of the TeenScreen Program. “The Columbia University TeenScreen Program, ” SAMHSA’s news release said, “provides earlier identification involving mental health conditions, such as depression, that can cause suicide. ” TeenScreen claims its speech computer version of the Diagnostic Meeting Schedule for Children (COMPACT DISK), could show indications of 35 disorders, based on articles by Reuters about October 13, 2003. To get the Teenscreen installed and operating in colleges nationwide, Big Pharma offers funneled vast amounts to front groups like the National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI), who consequently dispatch members of these groups to help promote and implement TeenScreen inside their communities. And its no secret that NAMI will get its buying into drug manufacturers, the group’s corporate sponsors are generally listed as: Abbott Laboratories, AstraZeneca, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly, Woodland Laboratories, GlaxoSmithKline Janssen Pharmaceutica, Magellan Health and fitness Services, McNeil Consumer Healthcare, Novartis Pharaceutical medication, Organon, PacifiCare Behavioral Health, Pfizer Base, Pfizer, PhRMA, WellPoint Health and fitness Networks, Wyeth Pharaceutical medication. Based on the well-known author and certified professional on psychiatric drugs, shrink Dr Philip Breggin, these types of front groups use national conventions to create together is in favor of who promote medications. “They also create newsletters, ” that he notes, “and additional information that praise drugs. ” And just like Dr Breggin expected, on Jan 19, 2005, NAMI create a publication on TeenScreen and treatment with regard to mental health problems, with a headline nevertheless: “Mental Health and fitness Screening Will save Lives. ” “Research shows, ” that read, “that earlier identification and intervention results in improved outcomes and could lessen long-term disability. ” “Sometimes, ” Dr Breggin says, “they actively suppress viewpoints which can be critical involving drugs, for instance, by discouraging the actual media from airing opposing viewpoints. ” As for this tactic, at one NAMI national convention, TeenScreen official, Leslie McGuire, recruited members to “suppress viewpoints” by passing around a list to get signatures from people who would respond if there is a residential district uprising against TeenScreen, by writing letters to the editor throughout local newspapers and attending university board get togethers. Ms McGuire likewise recruited NAMI members to basically walk students through the entire marketing scheme from begin to finish. The girl told members to first find approaches to convince parents to sign the consent form for the screening, then check out the family’s medical health insurance, after which go in terms of to supply a child to a shrink’s doorstep. “Sometimes, ” she informed members, “we have to call the insurance carrier for them and discover, ya’ understand, who is able to each goes to, how do you get a consultation, sometimes you need to pick them up and bring them to the session. ” “It’s sorta’ the continuum right now there, ” the lady said, “the goal is always to get them to that first session. ” Although NAMI may be the most recognizable front team, TeenScreen gets the same form of support from other groups, including the, “Depression and Bipolar Assist Alliance, ” which information financial backing from drug companies add up to 53% of revenue. In accordance with its 2001 annual report, companies that donated among $150, 000 and $499, 999, to the group contain Abbot, Bristol-Meyers-Squibb, Eli Lilly, Pfizer, Glaxo-Kline, and Janssen, and the other significant drug manufacturers donated an inferior amount. TeenScreen also offers a variety of officials from front groups sitting about its advisor board which, just like intended, causes it to be difficult to explain the funneling procedure for money to TeenScreen since it requires a knowledge of the complicated networking of authorities intertwined between the front groups and the drug companies. As an example, TeenScreen advisory panel member, Jeanne Robertson, may be the Vice President of the group called the Country wide Alliance with regard to Research about Schizophrenia and Depression (NARSAD), which receives the funding from the major drug companies. Another TeenScreen panel member, Robert Nau, will be Vice Chairman of the American Base for Committing suicide Prevention (AFSP), together with board members including Cathryn Clary from Pfizer, Harold Shlevin from Sovay Pharaceutical medication, David Norton from Johnson and Johnson, and Alan Lipschitz from GlaxoSmithKline. Along with a board stacked with pill company associates, the AFSP receives nearly all of its functioning working funding from drug companies. Columbia University psychiatrist, Doctor David Shaffer, inventor of the TeenScreen review, is really a past chief executive of AFSP, and is currently a part of the board involving directors, and a person in the Medical Advisory Council and Research Awards Committee. Doctor Shafer offers financial ties to Big Pharma branching out in all directions. He’s got served being an expert witness with respect to drug companies in several lawsuits, and has earned money as a consultant and presenter from about every single psychiatric pill maker. In accordance with a January 11, 2003, New york Times article, Shaffer at the request involving Pfizer, the actual maker involving Nardil, Sinequan, Zoloft (depressive disorder) and Navane (schizophrenia) experimented with block the actual British results, sending the letter to the British pill agency saying that there is insufficient data to restrict the usage of the prescription drugs in adolescents. Annually later, about December 5, 2004, the newest York Post, speaking about TeenScreen and Dr Shafer, said within an articled called: Pill Pusher throughout His Committing suicide Screening Program.? A Columbia University psychiatrist that has suggested drug companies and calls themself a “big proponent” involving antidepressants desires to expand their suicide-screening program to thousands of kids in public areas and parochial substantial schools,? the actual Post had written. Several Columbia University departments have been associated with drug pushing schemes together with Big Pharma over time. In 1999, the newest York Post revealed that Columbia University? s Workplace of Scientific Trials was receiving regarding $10 million per year for testing new prescription drugs, with much of it granted to the Columbia Psychiatric Institute to conduct the actual trials. At the same time, the actual Post stated, the director of the institute, Doctor Jack Gorman, was being paid $140, 000 per year by pill makers traveling across the country and promote their drugs and in addition received nearly $12, 000 from a drug company to lead a study on panic disorders. For the past many years, records researcher and investigator, Ken Kramer, offers spent much of his time following the money trails ultimately causing and from TeenScreen, and the behind the actual scenes engagement of authorities officials and policymakers, on the federal, state and local levels, to promote and implementing the actual TeenScreen system. As an example, Michael Hogan, Director of the Ohio Division of Mental Health, served as Chairman of the Bush designated New Freedom Commission (NFC), where the recommendation to screen almost all Americans with regard to mental illness originated to start with. Mr Hogan serves as a hub for the network involving federal and state officials and policy makers associated with promoting TeenScreen. He is a part of TeenScreen’s advisory council, and a past chief executive of another Big Pharma-backed front group, called the Country wide Association involving State Mental Health Program Directors. Being chairman of the NFC and recommending mental health screening for all Americans made Mr Hogan the hero among drug manufacturers. On The fall of 11, 2004, Lilly, released the winners of the year’s “Helping Shift Lives Forwards Reintegration Honours, ” and a Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Mr Hogan. Lilly commended Mr Hogan “for their stewardship and advocacy in the implementation of the New Freedom Commission Report’s recommendations, ” and for their “lifelong commitment to enhancing services for those who have mental health problems. ” “The Reintegration Honours program, ” Lilly observed, “underscores the actual powerful and collaborative tasks of customer involvement, therapy team support and use of effective medication in aiding people transfer their lifestyles forward. ” In affording the merit, it had been noted that Mr Hogan experienced given more than 75 delivering presentations at conferences since that he became chairman of the NFC. Nonetheless, a well known fact not mentioned was that every event where that he gave the presentation was sponsored by way of a drug company and each group that organized the big event received money from Big Pharma to cover the main element note speaker, based on records specialist, Sue Weibert, who has been investigating the actual TeenScreen system for going on 2 years. Mr Hogan and TeenScreen’s Executive Director, Laurie Flynn, have been at this drug pushing business quite a while. In 1999, while Ms Flynn was the movie director of NAMI, just before being promoted to TeenScreen, she and Mr Hogan had taken part in the creation of a guide for treating Schizophrenia. In this process, “experts” choose which certain drugs is going to be on a list for doctors to utilize as a first type of treatment with regard to Schizophrenia. Because all of the major companies want their newest and most expensive drugs on the list, this project was funded by unrestricted educational grants from Eli Lilly, Janssen Pharmaceutica, Novartis Pharaceutical medication, Ortho-McNeil, Pfizer, and Zeneca Pharaceutical medication. With Mr Hogan behind this system in Ohio, based on Ms Weibert, TeenScreen offers 68 sites in Ohio, a lot more than double the amount of any state. The particular Ohio budget proposal for the years 2006 and 2007, included an overall total of $140, 000 with regard to TeenScreen. Microsoft Weibert also found that while Mr Hogan was chairing the actual NFC, he had Ms Flynn offer a presentation about TeenScreen to a NFC committee in Arlington, Virginia and subsequently, when the NFC given its last report, TeenScreen ended up being the actual recommended system for schools in every 50 declares. Mr Hogan can also be a favorite with additional front groups. Based on the 2003 Twelve-monthly Report of the National Mental Health Relationship (NMHA), that he was a key-note speaker at the group’s 2003 Twelve-monthly Convention. TeenScreen listings NMHA as a supporter. NMAH claims that it desires to raise awareness that mental illnesses are normal and treatable and to make sure that those almost all at-risk receive treatment. It seeks to increase the amount of Americans that receive treatment and also to improve the manner in which mental health problems are detected and treated. The particular message on the bottom of the NMAH website, says their advertising campaign is underwritten by unrestricted educational grants from Eli Lilly, Abbott Laboratories, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Woodland Pharmaceuticals, Organon, Pfizer, and Wyeth-Ayerst Pharaceutical medication. Lilly has been funneling money to the NMHA to advertise mental illness screening for over a decade. In 1993, Lilly covered a campaign designed to reach 93% of American grown ups. Based on the Wall Street Journal about April twelve, 1993, Lilly paid out between $3 and $4 million for a 3-week publicize blitz. The goal was to encourage people to seek professional help for depressive disorder. Lilly likewise gave the actual NMHA $500, 000 to conduct the nine-month public education program to recognize potential applicants for therapy of depressive disorder, the Log said. In the group’s 2003 Twelve-monthly Report, recognition was noted with regard to financial support to NMHA involving amounts of more than $700, 000, to Bristol-Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly, and Pfizer. For the range of $300, 000-699, 999, recognition was given to GlaxoSmithKline and Janssen, and drug companies that gave among $100, 000-299, 999, incorporated AstraZeneca, Woodland Pharmaceuticals, McNeil, and Wyeth. Another major drug companies gave reduced amounts. Big Pharma likewise uses front groups just like NAMI and NMHA, to carry out advertising campaigns. As an example, about June some, 2003, the actual Washington Post reported the actual arrival of a new quarterly magazine “replete together with direct-to-consumer ads for psychiatric drugs” is placed to debut. ” The Usa edition, the actual Post stated, was unveiled at the annual conference of the NMHA, and had a preliminary printing involving 50, 000 copies that have been to be mailed to 5, 800 psychiatrists and distributed through the NMHA and NAMI. Another supporter involving TeenScreen may be the American Psychiatric Association, to which almost all psychiatrists fit in. A sizable percentage of its revenue arises from Big Pharma advertising and marketing in the journals and unrestricted educational grants. At the group’s annual conventions, drug companies sponsor exhibitions, and pay $1000 to $2000 with regard to speakers chosen from lists involving psychiatrists that endorse their drugs. For a long time, honorable doctors have been complaining concerning the APA’s devotion to drug pushing and Big Pharma. As an example, about December give consideration to, 1998, after being a person in the team for thirty five years, today deceased, Doctor Loren Mosher, the psychiatrist that graduated from Stanford University and Harvard, sent a notice of resignation expressing:? At this time ever, psychiatry has been almost completely purchased out by the drug companies. ” “The APA could not keep on, ” that he wrote, “without the actual pharmaceutical organization support involving meetings, symposia, classes, journal advertising and marketing, grand models luncheons, unrestricted educational grants etc. etc.? “American psychiatry, ” that he said, “has become drug reliant (that’s, devoted to pill pushing) at all levels quick private experts, public technique psychiatrists, university faculty and organizationally.? Doctor Mosher concluded his notice of resignation by saying:? The particular major basis for this course of action is my belief that i am in fact resigning from the American Psychopharmacological Relationship.? Mr Hogan symbolizes a TeenScreen promoter in one state, yet through their investigation, Mr Kramer discovered that the TeenScreen people have were able to gain influence with the same sort of decision manufacturers who control or immediate funding in several other declares. As an example, a lot of Federal and State government officials got active in the plant to get TeenScreen create in California schools. Upon March twenty-three, 2004, Governor Jeb Rose bush held the press conference and issued a news release, claiming suicide was a respected reason behind death among youth throughout Florida. Charles Curie, Administrator of the National Substance abuse and Mental Health and fitness Services organization traveled to Florida from Washington to participate Jeb Bush at the press conference to announce the actual SAMHSA’s support of an initiative to conduct TeenScreen preliminary programs throughout Florida to screen with regard to mental illnesses such as depression and panic disorders that place them at greater risk with regard to suicide efforts, the news release noted. At the press discussion, Jim McDonough, Director of the Florida Workplace of Drug Get a grip on, informed reporters, “Suicide is certainly a widespread threat that claims the actual lives of thousands of Floridians each year. ” The middle for Mental Health Services may be the federal organization within SAMHSA, charged with the task involving implement the recommendations of the NFC. In June involving 2004, Mr Kramer found that SAMHSA, experienced given the actual Florida Mental Health Initiate (FMHI), a twelve months $98, 641 contract to implement the public information campaign, while simultaneously employing TeenScreen throughout school districts in the Tampa area. Mr Kramer monitored down the copy of the contract nevertheless area of the campaign was to judge “the adherence to treatment recommendations of youngsters identified through the screenings” and “issues such as parental approval of treatment recommendations. ” Put simply, that he says, that they wanted to discover whether parents allows their kids to take the prescription drugs prescribed. In accordance with Mr Kramer, during those times that the FMHI was awarded the actual federal contract, David Shern, who that he refers to since the “dean” involving FMHI, already had the contract together with TeenScreen scalp quarters in New york, and had approved $180, 000 to offer the thought of this system to school districts through the state involving Florida. Actually, as it turns out, Mr Shern was working with respect to TeenScreen New york office, while pushing TeenScreen with regard to SAMHSA, and was also working for Eli Lilly on a Schizophrenia research, all at the same time. Mr Shern and FMHI got funding from drug companies to review antipsychotic prescription drugs totaling $381, 664 in one company and $130, 416 from another. In accordance with Mr Kramer, to promote TeenScreen, FMHI worked together with the “social marketing” firm, Roberts Communications, to complete a media blitz in the Tampa These types of area. The goal, that he says, was to “foster a breeding ground in California, from Tampa These types of, which facilitates large-scale mental health testing programs with regard to teens. ” On the list of “target audiences, ” listed, Mr Kramers says,? were elected officials, university district managers, community leaders and mental medical researchers. ” The planned blitz incorporated such goals as: (just one) Obtain the Tampa Tribune to complete an editorial series and gives a summary of the “need” with regard to TeenScreen throughout Tampa These types of; (some) Perform a TeenScreen Florida web page; (several) Keep a press conference; (give consideration to) Do an “editorial briefing” with the St. Petersburg Periods; (5) Make a Press Package; (6) Receive Laurie Flynn, the actual director involving TeenScreen and David Shern of the FMHI on the “Kathy Fountain” display, a lunch talk display; and (7) Receive fundraising carried out. The FMHI’s plan was to increase the level of involvement in testing. Compared to that end, FMHI decided to implement TeenScreen throughout schools, acquire information from parents and children, and also to employ “Social Marketing” ways to gather information and determine the most often raised arguments by parents to the program. >From this data, Mr Kramer describes, a systematic message and dissemination strategy was to be developed to help sell this system in schools all over the usa. That he says the actual bait used to get kids to participate in the testing included gift ideas like megavideo movies control cards or $5 throughout cash or take out coupons. Upon March 22, 2004, unsatisfied about paying $180, 000 and never getting sufficient bang for the buck, Microsoft Flynn approached Mr McDonough. Through formal records requests, Mr Kramer obtained an email to Mr McDonough from Ms Flynn that complained regarding FMHI? h inability to obtain a program planning Florida after 18 months. The girl criticized Justin Doan, a worker of FMHI, saying that he was “young, full of himself, not politically savvy, had never screened a kid and when that he switches into meetings together with local university officials that he gets to deep drinking water. ” Mr Flynn particularly told Mr McDonough that she required? a horse to ride throughout on? and needed to get some kids screened. Notably, the email contained not really a peep regarding concerns over children committing suicide due to an incapability be processed. Advocacy groups says kids who screen positive together with TeenScreen get medications only. During an interview in 2003, Doctor Safer was asked,? exactly what are your thoughts about non-pharmacological approaches to suicide prevention?? That he basically said therapy does not work and recommends prescription drugs.?… psychotherapy isn’t terribly successful, ” that he said. “So if there really is evidence that certain or almost all antidepressants could cut this cycle involving depression, and also stress, and also this fast response, ” that he continued, “then that is apparently where the big hope is.? Based on the May 20, 2006, Country wide Journal article, more recently, Doctor Shafer made the statement that:? The easy accessibility to alcohol — not biology — probably may be the main car owner of youngsters suicide.? That critics point out, begs the actual question of so what can either TeenScreen or maybe an SSRI do to alter the? accessibility to alcohol? throughout society so that you can prevent committing suicide. Does Doctor Shafer maintain that there’s a drug that may convince a child never to drink alcohol? A fresh study released this month in the journal, Pediatrics, is made up of an every bit as ridiculous concept, with claims that teenagers who are depressed may take part in risky intimate behavior and could use sex in an effort to handle depression. This particular band involving pushers is currently applying this study as justification to screen and drug kids. In accordance with Dr Jocelyn Lehrer of the University involving California the actual study’s guide author, cited by Reuters Health and fitness on June 10, 2006, the actual findings supply “only further reason to increase our efforts to advertise mental wellness, and also to prevent, identify and treat depressive symptoms and disorders among adolescents, ” And for an alarmist kick-off of the new concept, she informed Reuters that half of the newest cases involving sexually transported infections occur in adolescents, and that depressed kids also face a disproportionate risk of contracting HIV. Just like alcohol, really does Dr Lehrer contend that there’s a pill that may stop kids from sex? Would it not become more likely that children having incorrect sex may be depressed since they feel guilty and ashamed more than behaviors that compromise their moral and value technique? Rather than drugging a child, medical experts say, the goal ought to be to discover what may be leading the kid to have promiscuous sex after which cope with the fundamental problem. While wanting to milk tax dollars from Congress, throughout March 2004, Microsoft Flynn asked a Congressional committee to create TeenScreen throughout schools by redirecting monies appropriated with regard to alcohol and substance abuse treatment programs. To fully realize the actual irony of the request, activists point out, parents have to understand that in addition to the new generation of SSRI antidepressants and atyical antipsychotics, with kids who? flunk? TeenScreen, additional drugs prescribed include the highly hard to kick stimulant prescription drugs like Ritalin, Adderall, and Dexedrine, or maybe “speed” throughout simple addict terms. Then in addition to that, when the stimulant prescription drugs make kids jittery or maybe keep them awake, they’ve been fed “downers” just like Xanax, Valium, and sleeping tablets, from another class involving highly hard to kick drugs. And this means Microsoft Flynn wants Congress to take tax dollars, put aside to help kids with alcohol and drug problems, and make use of the money to create a advertising scheme that may jump-start millions of children later on to the life-long self applied of pill addiction and convert them into life-long customers of Big Pharma. Truth be told, the nation involving junkies has already been being made because so several drugs are plentiful in the family remedies cabinet. Based on the report, “Under the actual Counter: The particular Diversion and Abuse involving Controlled Prescription drugs in the usa, ” released throughout July 2005, by the National Target Addiction and Substance abuse, the amount of Americans that abuse prescribed drugs has nearly doubled from 7. 8 million throughout 1992, to 15. just one million throughout 2003, and abuse of the drugs among teens has a lot more than tripled. The particular 3-year research examined the actual abuse involving prescription opioids such as OxyContin, and Vicodin, central nervous technique depressants just like Valium and Xanax, and stimulants just like Ritalin, Dexedrine and Adderall, and discovered that from 1992 to 2003, the amount of 12 to 17-year-olds that abused prescribed drugs jumped 212%, and with adults 18 and older there is an 81% boost. The study said that the 15. just one million People in america abusing prescribed drugs exceeds the actual combined overall of individuals abusing cocaine (5. 9 , 000, 000), hallucinogens (give consideration to. 0 , 000, 000), inhalants (some. 1 , 000, 000) and heroin (#(#(. several million). In 2002, the study found mistreatment of prescribed drugs was implicated in at least 23% involving drug-related hospital emergency room admissions, and 29. 9% involving drug related emergency room deaths. Several activists against TeenScreen have posted the petition online for folks to sign that object to the screening, which they want to send to federal, state and local lawmakers. Mr Kramer says the petition could also be used to teach people regarding TeenScreen since it conveys the important points about mental health screening and can be imprinted off and presented to school panel members or maybe legislators. Persons thinking about signing the actual petition can click the following link: http: //www. petitiononline. com/TScreen/petition. html All Critics appear to agree with one problem; that mental wellness screening need to first end up being conducted all of the lawmakers and policy makers associated with backing TeenScreen to determine how they could allow such a blatant pill pushing scheme to be create in the nation’s university system, without experiencing any kind of guilt or maybe shame. Evelyn Pringle evelyn. pringle@sbcglobal. internet