Senator Charles Grassley has hit the bull’s eye when he asked the NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) to submit financial documents showing where it gets its funding. The documents submitted to Sen. Grassley confirm that NAMI is a front organization for pharmaceutical companies who underwrite ¾ of NAMI donations—in 2006 to 2008 that was a hefty $23 million.

In return for industry’s largesse, NAMI devotes its efforts to help increase industry profits: NAMI promotes the most toxic drugs in pharmacopoeia to its ostensible constituents—the families of persons diagnosed with mental illness—disregarding the irrefutable, documented evidence of these very drugs’ propensity to induce debilitating, irreversible severe adverse effects.
See: Anatomy of an Epidemic by Robert Whitaker:

Rather than putting its efforts on improving the quality of life with humane care for the mentally ill, NAMI has been instrumental in promoting the expanded use of toxic drugs even for use in children.

And NAMI has been instrumental in lobbying state and federal legislators for unrestricted use of these highly toxic drugs and increased taxpayer funding through Medicaid.

Documents have surfaced during the course of litigation indicating the extent to which NAMI cavorted with one or another drug maker, promoting their antipsychotic drugs.

For example, the case against Pfizer brought by states attorney general:

Pharmalot reported (Oct 23) that Jim Daily, NAMI Kentucky official, accepted money to be on the AstraZeneca consultant program to promote Seroquel:
NAMI refers to AstraZeneca as “a strong effective partner.
“The purpose of the Seroquel Consultant Program is to discuss ways that AstraZeneca can better partner with our consumer groups at the national, regional and local levels…” See, AstraZeneca letter to Daily

Furthermore, Mike Fitzpatrick, NAMI’s Executive Director, made presentations at an AstraZeneca meeting (2003) when he headed NAMI’s policy research institute. His presentation, Pharmalot reports, included details on the crisis in state budgets at the time, Medicaid funding and tips on building community coalitions - at state and local levels - to further support for using antipsychotics.

The agenda at the meeting included a discussion of MAP initiatives. MAP is an acronym for Medication Algorithm Project, a program that began in Texas as a means of determining when to prescribe psychotropic drugs - such as Seroquel and other antipsychotics - for people in state-run programs. However, MAP has drawn controversy as an alleged stalking horse for drug makers that simply want to boost prescriptions.

Beyond these questionable activities for a 501-C3 non-profit actively working to divert much needed Medicaid funds on behalf of corporate interests, the real crime is NAMI’s betrayal of the people it claims to represent.

How many families were persuaded by corporate-generated propaganda disseminated by NAMI (in return for “donations”) into urging their loved ones to ingest antipsychotic drugs—such as Risperdal, Zyprexa, Geodon, Seroquel, Abilify?

How many family members suffered catastrophic, drug-induced debilitating, irreversible harm as a result of false claims disseminated by NAMI about these drugs’ safey profile and benefits?

How many families buried loved ones who died as a result of a toxic drug reaction from the drugs promoted by NAMI?

Posted by Vera Sharav

Wherever mental screening kids is promoted - NAMI is there. And Pharma would pull in the profit.

It’s good to see this is being exposed now.

“Thus far we have buried Trials 15, 31, 56 and
are now considering COSTAR.

The larger issue is how do we face the outside world when they begin to criticize us for suppressing data. One could say that our competitors indulge in this practice. However, until now, I believe we have been looked upon by the outside world favorably with regard to ethical behavior. We must decide if we wish to continue to enjoy this distinction.”

Indeed. Thus, one of NAMI’s “strong, effective” partners; by its own suggestion, not unique.

JNJ held a press conference in NJ at 9 AM and provided the following press release regarding the approval of Invega (paliperidone) on December 20, 2006. (see http://www.drugs.com/newdrugs/invega-approved-fda-new-schizophrenia-305.html and other sources).

The following is directly from JNJ’s press release:

(Leading national mental health advocacy and patient organizations also recognize the importance of new treatments for schizophrenia.

“We are pleased that innovative delivery technologies are being applied to new treatments for schizophrenia,” said Michael J. Fitzpatrick, MSW, Executive Director, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). “New and efficacious treatment options, like Invega, provide significant opportunities for more people with schizophrenia to manage their disease as they work with their treatment teams to live more fulfilling and productive lives.”)

Since this was released at 9 AM it’s likely that the approval was received the previous day and as Mr. Fitzpatrick needed to travel to NJ to be at the press conference.

Besides Mr. Fitzpatrick’s involvement in promoting as an advance ‘the son of risperdal’ (paliperidone is the active metabolite of risperidone). It’s clear from the press release that JNJ is trying to imply that Invega is useful for bipolar disorder (even though it was not, and has not been approved for it. (Makes you wonder why?)); and for austistic disorder by mixing the adverse effect profiles for Risperdal and Invega together in the press release so as it to make it difficult to follow which indication is approved for which drug.

Salmon

NAMI needs to clean house