open debate needed on drug company involvement in psychiatry

antrim | rights, freedoms and repression | opinion/analysis Tuesday May 04, 2004 13:29 by Vincent's bandage

The Irish College of Psychiatrists refuses to declare the extent of its involvement in drug company sponsorship

Society needs an open debate on the influence of the drug companies in psychiatry. An indication of the lack of transparency in this area is the fact that the Irish College of Psychiatrists, a division of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, does not disclose how much money is received each year from drug company sponsorship. The College does not keep a register of members' interests in drug companies to ensure that psychiatrists declare how much sponsorship they receive as individuals. The College has over 10,000 members and only the trustees of the College, that would be Officers and elected members to Council, do have to declare any interests. The College believes that keeping such a register would not be workable.

Each year the College offers exhibition space to the drug companies to advertise their neuroleptic ‘killer’ drugs. Members of the public cannot attend these meetings. People who have suffered the horrific effects of these drugs are unable to present their stories. Anti/Critical psychiatry activists are not given an opportunity to speak out against the drugs and the fact that there is no strong scientific evidence that they work in the way that they are alleged to.

Given the increasing accountability expected of those in positions of authority it is only right that a full declaration of the breadth of the drug firms involvement is made known. The College could begin to play its part or do they have something to hide?