Forum: Bush's Brave New World

[Guest guest]

http://washingtontimes.com/commentary/20041016-115126-9840r.htm

Forum: Bush's Brave New World

President Bush's little-publicized New Freedom Commission on Mental Health has

proposed comprehensive mental-illness screening for all Americans. If this

proposal is carried out, as Mr. Bush's intends, no adult or child will be safe

from intrusive probing by " experts, " backed by drug companies, who believe

mental illness is woefully underdiagnosed and many millions of people should be

taking powerful and expensive psychiatric drugs. Schools and doctors' offices

will become quasi-psychiatric monitoring stations.

Rep. Ron , Texas Republican, tried to forbid the federal funding of

mental-health screening, but the House turned down his amendment to the

appropriations bill for the Department of Health and Human Services. Mr. , a

physician, said the program usurps parental rights, noting parents can already

be charged with child abuse for refusing to give their children Ritalin for

alleged attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. He said, " Psychotropic drugs

are increasingly prescribed for children who show nothing more than children's

typical rambunctious behavior. Many children have suffered harmful effects from

these drugs. "

Dr. Effrem also opposes the plan: " Universal mental-health screening

and the drugging of children, as recommended by the New Freedom Commission,

needs to be stopped so that many thousands if not millions of children will be

saved from receiving stigmatizing diagnoses that would follow them for the rest

of their lives. America's schoolchildren should not be medicated by expensive,

ineffective and dangerous medications based on vague and dubious diagnoses. "

People wrongly assume psychiatric diagnoses are like medical diagnoses.

They're not. Medical diagnoses are ultimately based on objective biological

evidence. Psychiatric diagnoses, as retired psychiatry professor Szasz

shows, are based on what people say and do. This means such diagnoses are moral

and political, not medical, judgments. It begs the question to say brain science

is still in its infancy: Why is one kind of behavior interpreted as a sign of

mental or brain disease but not another kind? Besides, Dr. Szasz writes,

behavior has reasons, not causes. That principle is at the very core of what we

mean by personhood. (Brain-scan technology cannot refute this principle because

it does not identify causes of behavior. Correlation is not causation.)

Thus the New Freedom Commission recommendation that everyone be screened for

mental illness whenever he goes to the doctor and that children be monitored for

mental illness in government schools is simply a plan to stigmatize people for

" inappropriate " behavior and speech. It is also a plan for the widespread

drugging of adults and children under government supervision. Besides the

Huxleyian aspects of this idea, there is also reason to fear the improper

influence of drug companies.

, formerly of the Pennsylvania Inspector General's Office,

revealed a similar program was started in his state after drug companies curried

favor with state officials. The British Medical Journal reported: " In July 2002,

Mr. was appointed lead investigator when he uncovered evidence of payments

into an off-the-books account. The account, earmarked for 'educational grants'

was funded in large part by Pfizer and Janssen Pharmaceuticals. Payments were

made from the account to state employees who developed formulary guidelines

recommending expensive new drugs over older, cheaper drugs with proved track

records. One of the recommended drugs was Janssen's ... Risperdal — a drug that

has recently been found to have potentially lethal side effects. "

In a statement last January, Mr. said: " The industry was influencing

state officials with trips, perks, lavish meals, transportation to and

first-class accommodations in major cities. Some state employees were paid

honorariums of up to $2,000 for speaking in their official capacities at

drug-company-sponsored events. "

Mr. was relieved of his duties after blowing the whistle. In court

papers challenging the state's move, he said the government was trying to " cover

up, discourage and limit any investigations or oversight into the corrupt

practices of large drug companies and corrupt public officials who have acted

with them. "

The New Freedom Mental Health Commission has received little publicity. One

hopes, as Americans learn about its ominous proposal for wholesale

mental-illness screening and psychiatric drugging of adults and children, they

will vehemently object.

SHELDON RICHMAN

Senior fellow, The Future of Freedom Foundation (www.fff.org) in Fairfax, Va

[Guest guest]

http://washingtontimes.com/commentary/20041016-115126-9840r.htm

Forum: Bush's Brave New World

President Bush's little-publicized New Freedom Commission on Mental Health has

proposed comprehensive mental-illness screening for all Americans. If this

proposal is carried out, as Mr. Bush's intends, no adult or child will be safe

from intrusive probing by " experts, " backed by drug companies, who believe

mental illness is woefully underdiagnosed and many millions of people should be

taking powerful and expensive psychiatric drugs. Schools and doctors' offices

will become quasi-psychiatric monitoring stations.

Rep. Ron , Texas Republican, tried to forbid the federal funding of

mental-health screening, but the House turned down his amendment to the

appropriations bill for the Department of Health and Human Services. Mr. , a

physician, said the program usurps parental rights, noting parents can already

be charged with child abuse for refusing to give their children Ritalin for

alleged attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. He said, " Psychotropic drugs

are increasingly prescribed for children who show nothing more than children's

typical rambunctious behavior. Many children have suffered harmful effects from

these drugs. "

Dr. Effrem also opposes the plan: " Universal mental-health screening

and the drugging of children, as recommended by the New Freedom Commission,

needs to be stopped so that many thousands if not millions of children will be

saved from receiving stigmatizing diagnoses that would follow them for the rest

of their lives. America's schoolchildren should not be medicated by expensive,

ineffective and dangerous medications based on vague and dubious diagnoses. "

People wrongly assume psychiatric diagnoses are like medical diagnoses.

They're not. Medical diagnoses are ultimately based on objective biological

evidence. Psychiatric diagnoses, as retired psychiatry professor Szasz

shows, are based on what people say and do. This means such diagnoses are moral

and political, not medical, judgments. It begs the question to say brain science

is still in its infancy: Why is one kind of behavior interpreted as a sign of

mental or brain disease but not another kind? Besides, Dr. Szasz writes,

behavior has reasons, not causes. That principle is at the very core of what we

mean by personhood. (Brain-scan technology cannot refute this principle because

it does not identify causes of behavior. Correlation is not causation.)

Thus the New Freedom Commission recommendation that everyone be screened for

mental illness whenever he goes to the doctor and that children be monitored for

mental illness in government schools is simply a plan to stigmatize people for

" inappropriate " behavior and speech. It is also a plan for the widespread

drugging of adults and children under government supervision. Besides the

Huxleyian aspects of this idea, there is also reason to fear the improper

influence of drug companies.

, formerly of the Pennsylvania Inspector General's Office,

revealed a similar program was started in his state after drug companies curried

favor with state officials. The British Medical Journal reported: " In July 2002,

Mr. was appointed lead investigator when he uncovered evidence of payments

into an off-the-books account. The account, earmarked for 'educational grants'

was funded in large part by Pfizer and Janssen Pharmaceuticals. Payments were

made from the account to state employees who developed formulary guidelines

recommending expensive new drugs over older, cheaper drugs with proved track

records. One of the recommended drugs was Janssen's ... Risperdal — a drug that

has recently been found to have potentially lethal side effects. "

In a statement last January, Mr. said: " The industry was influencing

state officials with trips, perks, lavish meals, transportation to and

first-class accommodations in major cities. Some state employees were paid

honorariums of up to $2,000 for speaking in their official capacities at

drug-company-sponsored events. "

Mr. was relieved of his duties after blowing the whistle. In court

papers challenging the state's move, he said the government was trying to " cover

up, discourage and limit any investigations or oversight into the corrupt

practices of large drug companies and corrupt public officials who have acted

with them. "

The New Freedom Mental Health Commission has received little publicity. One

hopes, as Americans learn about its ominous proposal for wholesale

mental-illness screening and psychiatric drugging of adults and children, they

will vehemently object.

SHELDON RICHMAN

Senior fellow, The Future of Freedom Foundation (www.fff.org) in Fairfax, Va

[Guest guest]

http://washingtontimes.com/commentary/20041016-115126-9840r.htm

Forum: Bush's Brave New World

President Bush's little-publicized New Freedom Commission on Mental Health has

proposed comprehensive mental-illness screening for all Americans. If this

proposal is carried out, as Mr. Bush's intends, no adult or child will be safe

from intrusive probing by " experts, " backed by drug companies, who believe

mental illness is woefully underdiagnosed and many millions of people should be

taking powerful and expensive psychiatric drugs. Schools and doctors' offices

will become quasi-psychiatric monitoring stations.

Rep. Ron , Texas Republican, tried to forbid the federal funding of

mental-health screening, but the House turned down his amendment to the

appropriations bill for the Department of Health and Human Services. Mr. , a

physician, said the program usurps parental rights, noting parents can already

be charged with child abuse for refusing to give their children Ritalin for

alleged attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. He said, " Psychotropic drugs

are increasingly prescribed for children who show nothing more than children's

typical rambunctious behavior. Many children have suffered harmful effects from

these drugs. "

Dr. Effrem also opposes the plan: " Universal mental-health screening

and the drugging of children, as recommended by the New Freedom Commission,

needs to be stopped so that many thousands if not millions of children will be

saved from receiving stigmatizing diagnoses that would follow them for the rest

of their lives. America's schoolchildren should not be medicated by expensive,

ineffective and dangerous medications based on vague and dubious diagnoses. "

People wrongly assume psychiatric diagnoses are like medical diagnoses.

They're not. Medical diagnoses are ultimately based on objective biological

evidence. Psychiatric diagnoses, as retired psychiatry professor Szasz

shows, are based on what people say and do. This means such diagnoses are moral

and political, not medical, judgments. It begs the question to say brain science

is still in its infancy: Why is one kind of behavior interpreted as a sign of

mental or brain disease but not another kind? Besides, Dr. Szasz writes,

behavior has reasons, not causes. That principle is at the very core of what we

mean by personhood. (Brain-scan technology cannot refute this principle because

it does not identify causes of behavior. Correlation is not causation.)

Thus the New Freedom Commission recommendation that everyone be screened for

mental illness whenever he goes to the doctor and that children be monitored for

mental illness in government schools is simply a plan to stigmatize people for

" inappropriate " behavior and speech. It is also a plan for the widespread

drugging of adults and children under government supervision. Besides the

Huxleyian aspects of this idea, there is also reason to fear the improper

influence of drug companies.

, formerly of the Pennsylvania Inspector General's Office,

revealed a similar program was started in his state after drug companies curried

favor with state officials. The British Medical Journal reported: " In July 2002,

Mr. was appointed lead investigator when he uncovered evidence of payments

into an off-the-books account. The account, earmarked for 'educational grants'

was funded in large part by Pfizer and Janssen Pharmaceuticals. Payments were

made from the account to state employees who developed formulary guidelines

recommending expensive new drugs over older, cheaper drugs with proved track

records. One of the recommended drugs was Janssen's ... Risperdal — a drug that

has recently been found to have potentially lethal side effects. "

In a statement last January, Mr. said: " The industry was influencing

state officials with trips, perks, lavish meals, transportation to and

first-class accommodations in major cities. Some state employees were paid

honorariums of up to $2,000 for speaking in their official capacities at

drug-company-sponsored events. "

Mr. was relieved of his duties after blowing the whistle. In court

papers challenging the state's move, he said the government was trying to " cover

up, discourage and limit any investigations or oversight into the corrupt

practices of large drug companies and corrupt public officials who have acted

with them. "

The New Freedom Mental Health Commission has received little publicity. One

hopes, as Americans learn about its ominous proposal for wholesale

mental-illness screening and psychiatric drugging of adults and children, they

will vehemently object.

SHELDON RICHMAN

Senior fellow, The Future of Freedom Foundation (www.fff.org) in Fairfax, Va

[Guest guest]

http://washingtontimes.com/commentary/20041016-115126-9840r.htm

Forum: Bush's Brave New World

President Bush's little-publicized New Freedom Commission on Mental Health has

proposed comprehensive mental-illness screening for all Americans. If this

proposal is carried out, as Mr. Bush's intends, no adult or child will be safe

from intrusive probing by " experts, " backed by drug companies, who believe

mental illness is woefully underdiagnosed and many millions of people should be

taking powerful and expensive psychiatric drugs. Schools and doctors' offices

will become quasi-psychiatric monitoring stations.

Rep. Ron , Texas Republican, tried to forbid the federal funding of

mental-health screening, but the House turned down his amendment to the

appropriations bill for the Department of Health and Human Services. Mr. , a

physician, said the program usurps parental rights, noting parents can already

be charged with child abuse for refusing to give their children Ritalin for

alleged attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. He said, " Psychotropic drugs

are increasingly prescribed for children who show nothing more than children's

typical rambunctious behavior. Many children have suffered harmful effects from

these drugs. "

Dr. Effrem also opposes the plan: " Universal mental-health screening

and the drugging of children, as recommended by the New Freedom Commission,

needs to be stopped so that many thousands if not millions of children will be

saved from receiving stigmatizing diagnoses that would follow them for the rest

of their lives. America's schoolchildren should not be medicated by expensive,

ineffective and dangerous medications based on vague and dubious diagnoses. "

People wrongly assume psychiatric diagnoses are like medical diagnoses.

They're not. Medical diagnoses are ultimately based on objective biological

evidence. Psychiatric diagnoses, as retired psychiatry professor Szasz

shows, are based on what people say and do. This means such diagnoses are moral

and political, not medical, judgments. It begs the question to say brain science

is still in its infancy: Why is one kind of behavior interpreted as a sign of

mental or brain disease but not another kind? Besides, Dr. Szasz writes,

behavior has reasons, not causes. That principle is at the very core of what we

mean by personhood. (Brain-scan technology cannot refute this principle because

it does not identify causes of behavior. Correlation is not causation.)

Thus the New Freedom Commission recommendation that everyone be screened for

mental illness whenever he goes to the doctor and that children be monitored for

mental illness in government schools is simply a plan to stigmatize people for

" inappropriate " behavior and speech. It is also a plan for the widespread

drugging of adults and children under government supervision. Besides the

Huxleyian aspects of this idea, there is also reason to fear the improper

influence of drug companies.

, formerly of the Pennsylvania Inspector General's Office,

revealed a similar program was started in his state after drug companies curried

favor with state officials. The British Medical Journal reported: " In July 2002,

Mr. was appointed lead investigator when he uncovered evidence of payments

into an off-the-books account. The account, earmarked for 'educational grants'

was funded in large part by Pfizer and Janssen Pharmaceuticals. Payments were

made from the account to state employees who developed formulary guidelines

recommending expensive new drugs over older, cheaper drugs with proved track

records. One of the recommended drugs was Janssen's ... Risperdal — a drug that

has recently been found to have potentially lethal side effects. "

In a statement last January, Mr. said: " The industry was influencing

state officials with trips, perks, lavish meals, transportation to and

first-class accommodations in major cities. Some state employees were paid

honorariums of up to $2,000 for speaking in their official capacities at

drug-company-sponsored events. "

Mr. was relieved of his duties after blowing the whistle. In court

papers challenging the state's move, he said the government was trying to " cover

up, discourage and limit any investigations or oversight into the corrupt

practices of large drug companies and corrupt public officials who have acted

with them. "

The New Freedom Mental Health Commission has received little publicity. One

hopes, as Americans learn about its ominous proposal for wholesale

mental-illness screening and psychiatric drugging of adults and children, they

will vehemently object.

SHELDON RICHMAN

Senior fellow, The Future of Freedom Foundation (www.fff.org) in Fairfax, Va