Posted by noa on June 22, 2000, at 12:02:04
In reply to Re: 20/20 Tonight- Synopsis, posted by Adam on June 22, 2000, at 11:27:10
Thanks for the synopses and the link to the transcript.
I guess I stand by my general thought that good care from a responsive, astute and attuned psychopharmocologist is key, whether there are small but significant risks from these meds, or whether there might be a rare risk due to a predisposition to a neurological disorder.
I also agree that the 2 out of 20 anecdotal report is hardly scientific, and the televised report about it could end up doing more harm than good, but I am not willing to discount it altogether. I think it is possible for some individuals to have adverse psychiatric or neurological (or other physiological) reactions to some drugs. I think we all know how much variation there is among all of us. Look at how I experienced increase mood lability and rage as an initial effect of serzone. It is important for us to consider these anecdotes as valid, for what they are, so that when a patient is initiating a med, they and the doc can look out for early signs of such adverse reactions. I agree, though, that it hardly is cause for wholesale panic about the medications themselves.
I wonder---Did they address the attentiveness of the doctors in these cases and how closely the initiation of meds was monitored, how much communication there was between doc and patient, etc? I would probably go after the managed care companies before going after the drug companies!!
poster:noa
thread:37996
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20000619/msgs/38109.html