NAMI Board Member Consulted For AstraZeneca
7 CommentsBy Ed Silverman // October 23rd, 2009 // 6:51 am
For those who might have missed this yesterday - we included it in an item about NAMI here - we thought we’d point out more specifically an example of how the advocacy group developed close ties with drug makers. In this case, Jim Dailey, who was the NAMI state advocacy director in Kentucky (in photo, at left), agreed to participate in the Seroquel consultant program run by AstraZeneca for $600, including $100 in travel expenses (these are the documents).
“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,” reads the Oct. 30, 2003, letter to Dailey from the drug maker. Ironically, the letter closes by noting that AstraZeneca “fully abides by the PhRMA code on Interactions with Health Care Professionals and, as a result, will not pay for the attendance of spouses or guests at this program.” Interesting distinction - no spouses, but astroturfing is okay…
Another interesting point - one of those who attended the December 2003 program at AstraZeneca headquarters was Mike Fitzpatrick. At the time, he was director of NAMI’s Policy Research Institute, and is now NAMI’s executive director. This week, he told The New York Times that industry donations to NAMI have been excessive and the organization is altering its practices (UPDATE: see below for an internal NAMI email concerning the story).
The agenda at the meeting, by the way, 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.
Texas officials, in fact, filed a lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson’s Jannsen unit for allegedly using false advertising and improper influence - such as grants, trips and other perks - to get its Risperdal antipsychotic on the now-mandatory adult protocol, the Texas Medication Algorithm Project. Drugmakers also reportedly paid decision makers to promote their meds.
From: Mike Fitzpatrick [mailto:mfitzpatrick@nami.org]
Sent: Thursday, October 22, 2009 11:59 AM
To: boardg@nami.org; edgroup; statepres; ccgroup; allstaff; namivets
Subject: [statepres] Grassley Inquiry Update
This e-mail is an update regarding activities related to Senator Grassley’s inquiry into the support NAMI receives from the pharmaceutical industry.
I have pasted below a story that appeared in the New York Times today. We are in the process of preparing a response to this story. The challenge in working with the press is always what gets printed from an interview. Unfortunately this story does not speak to all that NAMI does in communities across America or how pharmaceutical dollars underwrite many of our most important programs. If you get calls related to this article, I would stress for following:
NAMI has always advocated for system change and wide array of services and treatments: housing, emergency services, ACT teams, family and peer education, inpatient beds, police training and medications.
NAMI has advocated for access to medications and for research to produce a new generation of medications for many years long before developing a partnership with the pharmaceutical industry.
Contrary to the reporting found in this newspaper article, dollars from pharmaceutical companies do not support NAMI’s advocacy. Pharmaceutical dollars have supported and continue to support the following NAMI programs: Family-to-Family, Peer-to-Peer, In Our Own Voice, NAMI Connection, NAMI Basics, Mental Illness Awareness Week (MIAW), the Beginning magazine, and Convention and gala underwriting.
If you have any questions regarding this information, please contact me. Thanks,
Mike
Crazy
Well, we know about the antipsychotic wars.
It was some of the AZ internal memos included in the WSJ last year that made reference to their success burying or spinning studies that associated Seroquel with weight gain/diabetes (and their fear J&J would blow call them on it, having done the same thing with Risperdal).
Crazy, man, crazy.
Lilly
NAMI is a mess.
Stan
Great this is all coming out.
Looks like the pharma money is being exposed all over.
Joseph A. Mungai, RN
Mr. Silverman did some great reporting. I was a registered nurse nationally certified as a psych generalist. I worked at a state facility in the 1990’s. Most employees considered the mental health center little more than a hotel with meds and far fewer staff.
Though disciplined harshly for reporting unsafe conditions I remember reading a study about zyprexa in the late 90’s. It revealed hyperglycemia in patients taking the drug in patients with risk factors of family history of diabetes, obesity and of African decent.
That very same day an African American with a family history of diabetes and obesity was to be discharged. I took it upon myself to get a blood sugar, it was over 200. I reported the results knowing another nurse was suspended providing minor care without an explicit order.
I came back after lunch and found the patient had been discharged. I made a stink to no avail. Previously I had reported 1 RN for 27 patients was unsafe and received a 5-day suspension which led to 2 wrongful terminations and reinstatements through Civil Service.
Patients had committed suicide on several other units and I was outraged, but kept my cool and started a letter writing campaign.
Finally, I was injured on the job and fired a third time.
Even if the meds performed as advertised 1 RN for 27 patients or even 20 patients is not enough to catch all side effects and other problems, monitor patient safety and have meaningful interactions with each patient.
Great reporting. Keep it up, I think your getting their attention.
Evelyn Pringle
Detective Grassley needs to look into the drug company funding of the other front groups, such as the Depression and Bipolar Alliance, Mental Health America, CHADD, and a few more.
Confused
What is most disturbing about this blog is the fact that it professes some sort of “service” at disclosing supposed pharmaceutical industry conflicts while at the same time ADVERTISING pharmaceutical medications (and soliciting for them), in this case for ADHD medicines, on this exact site. What is that they say about those in glass houses?
Ed Silverman
Dear Confused,
I apologize for any confusion. The site is independently owned and operated, and I am in the process of having some technology tweaked, since it languished for several months.
I am also experimenting with Google Ad Sense, which places various ads here. Some of this may be temporary, but I am still in the earliest stages of coordinating necessary tech changes and advertising possibilities. This is a process.
Nonetheless, you raise an interesting point. At this moment, I can only say that I will attempt to monitor what transpires. That said, the site, hopefully, does more than focus on industry conflicts, although that’s clearly an element of the coverage here. There is, however, an attempt to provide a wider mix of topics.
And while I don’t wish to debate the advantages or disadvantages of any one drug or class of drugs, I never stated that I was against or for ADHD drugs. I have heard both points of view over the years from both sides and simply wish to present a forum where news is conveyed and, for those who want to do so, can be discussed.
I hope this helps,
ed