The public is becoming increasingly aware of adverse effects some people suffer long after discontinuing SSRIs. This NY Times article covers PSSD. We’d like to see an article published about withdrawal akathisia next. Read the full article at https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/09/health/antidepressants-ssri-sexual-dysfunction.html?fbclid=IwAR3XQ3lSo4feRqsRRgQZzYYNOvJxyO_tRn8fVqzdfADuk4UW8Jt395wxga8.

Dr. Dennis Miller, is a retired chain store pharmacist, and author of The Shocking Truth About Pharmacy: A Pharmacist Reveals All the Disturbing Secrets, has written an excellent article listing 25 things the FDA can do to improve patient safety and regain public trust. Read them at https://www.peoplespharmacy.com/articles/25-things-fda-must-do-to-rebuild-its-reputation.

The UK has issued new risk warnings & prescribing regulations for the acne drug, Isotretinoin (Roaccutane). They include additional treatment oversight for consumers under 18. This drug can cause sexual dysfunction, akathisia-induced violence, self-harm & suicide. Read the full article at https://www.gov.uk/drug-safety-update/isotretinoin-roaccutanev-introduction-of-new-safety-measures-including-additional-oversight-of-the-initiation-of-treatment-for-patients-under-18-years-of-age.

Doctors should inform patients to be alert to any mood changes, distressing thoughts, or feelings about suicide or self-harm when prescribing fluoroquinolone antibiotics.

This respected cardiologist who died after taking Cipro had no history of either depression or mental health problems beforehand. Read the full article at https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-12570531/Warning-suicide-risk-patients-taking-common-antibiotics-following-death-newly-retired-doctor.html

Given that October is filled with awareness days focused on health literacy and mental well being, we wanted to take a moment to again share our annual highlights and thank you for your support. Together, we are saving lives.

It’s great to see Dr. Josef Witt-Doerring, a Board Certified Psychiatrist, former FDA Officer and drug-tapering expert highlighting akathisia. “Everyone needs to know the word akathisia,” says Witt-Doerring. Listen and learn at https://x.com/wdpsychiatry/status/1714739709015212519?s=20.

October is Health Literacy month and an appropriate time to integrate akathisia education into professional development.

Akathisia can cause self-harm, violence, and iatrogenic suicide.

See MISSD.co & take our free accredited course at MISSD.LearnUpon.com.

For valid reasons, MISSD accepts no money from the pharmaceutical industry. A new study finds that pharma-funded patient advocacy groups may be compromised which can lead to skewed priorities, biased information and dissemination, and recommendations that favor the industry’s interests over those of patients. Read the full article at http://Pharma funded patient advocacy groups is an oxymoron phrase… –advocacy efforts may be compromised –this could lead to skewed priorities –biased information dissemination, and –recommendations that favor the industry’s interests over those of patients.

When it comes to drug-induced problems ”like protracted withdrawal, PSSD, or drug induced akathisia, which we have known about for 7 decades but still don’t understand, for instance, it’s difficult to see how there can be experts.” — Dr. David Healy

In the case of akathisia in particular, groups like MISSD are doing extraordinary work explaining the problem, offering helpful suggestions and raising the profile of a problem that takes so many lives you’d have thought we be working all out to make sure people knew about it. MISSD are doing the kind of work you’d figure the experts or professionals in psychiatric associations like the Royal College of APA should be doing but aren’t. Read the full article at https://rxisk.org/treatment-complications-good-expert-needed/.

October is Health Literacy Month and a good opportunity for healthcare professionals and consumers to learn more about akathisia and medications that can cause self-harm, violence, and suicide. See our educational resources at MISSD.co and take our free accredited course at http://MISSD.LearnUpon.com. Knowing the causes and symptoms of akathisia can save lives.