Campaign continues in Scotland

One of the Scottish newspapers is running a series of articles this week on prescription drugs.  Today I was mentioned in one of the articles.  The journalist, I felt, sugar-coated what I had said so I have added a comment at the end of the article.  In the absence of any action from the UK Government, we are trying to put pressure on the Scottish Government. 

http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/15571708.Thousands_prescribed_wrong_pills_left_to_suffer/

The Petitions Committee will further discuss our petition on Prescribed Drug Dependence next month.  I listened to a discussion by the Committee on mesh implants for urinary incontinence etc which have left many women damaged and was pleased with the level of interest that was shown by the politicians present.  The Scottish Government called for a moratorium while the matter was investigated, that has now been done but there is immense dispute about the final report contents. Now the drug company has withdrawn them from sale in Europe but not in the US.

There is another Petition on the go asking the Scottish Government to ensure that all suicides in Scotland are properly investigated.  There was another petition asking for patients' families to be informed if under 18s were prescribed psychiatric drugs.  This was after a teenager committed suicide having been given prescription drugs for anxiety / depression.  I feel there is a momentum building up, I hope so anyway.

We continue to target the medical journals particularly around the label of medically unexplained symptoms which we believe is being used deliberately as a cover for prescription drug damage.

http://www.bmj.com/content/356/bmj.j268/rr-10

http://gpview.co.uk/update-managing-patients-with-medically-unexplained-symptoms/

Best wishes to all.

Fiona

You're doing very strong work, Fiona!! I'm thankful that Marion Brown is supporting you in your efforts. SOMETHING has got to change the old, well-worn system of NOT WANTING to recognize that benzos and ADs are terrible drugs. I think, personally, that doctors want to continue to keep these drugs in their arsenals and are refusing to see any issue. After all, they're easy to prescribe, and since people still don't realize that they can cause deep problems, simply because there are people who get off the drugs easily, they continue to use them without giving any informed consent. This cannot keep happening.

I greatly admire your efforts, Fiona. I am a coward compared to you. You won't give up, and I wish you could be cloned to spread your words around the world!!  :thumbsup: