PBS to air tonight: the Medication of Foster Children

 Alliance for Human Research Protection
> A Catalyst for Debate
> www.ahrp.org
>
> FYI
> Tonight Public Broadcasting (PBS) airs an investigative report about the
> drugging of children in foster care.
> http://www.pbs.org/wnet/need-to-know/uncategorized/need-to-know-january-7-20
> 11/6158/
>
> "On this week's episode of Need to Know, we go inside the foster care
> system
> for an installment of The Watch List: We investigate the use and potential
> overuse of powerful antipsychotic medication on foster children, with a
> special look at Texas, which has worked to reform its practices...
>
> Foster children are some of the most heavily medicated children in the
> nation. Need to Know investigates the use and potential overuse of
> powerful
> antipsychotics in our foster care system, which a special focus on Texas,
> which has done much to reform its practices."
>
> The program includes footage from the astounding videotaped deposition of
> Dr. Joseph Biederman, the influential Harvard child psychiatrist whose
> financial relations with Janssen Pharmaceutica prompted Congressional
> investigation as they were deemed in violation of federal conflict of
> interest disclosure regulations.
>
> The deposition includes a slide presentation in which Dr. Biederman
> promises
> Johnson & Johnson/ Janssen pharmaceuticals that his "planned studies of
> [the
> company's] medicines in children would yield results benefiting the
> company." The deposition also includes Dr. Biederman's assertion that his
> Harvard status ranks just below GOD...
>
> Neither conflict of interest violations--nor the breach of scientific
> integrity in drug trials whose results were predetermined--resulted in any
> meaningful sanctions--either by Harvard or the National Institute of
> Mental
> Health--the federal agency that provided taxpayer support for Dr.
> Biederman's commercially driven drug research.
>
> Thus, Dr. Biederman's self assurance may reflect his certainty that his
> privileged position is protected by the power structure.
>
> One is reminded of the ruling class of pigs in George Orwell' Animal Farm,
> who decree:
> "All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others..."
>
> In New York the program airs at 8:30 PM. check your local PBS stations


--

Dennis Lawrence
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