Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Iraq Vets With PTSD Used as Chantix Guinea Pigs

Why Is The VA Is Using A Known Dangerous Drug On Our Troops?

Posted by: Scott Kappes

June 17, 2008 - 05:48 PM Edited by: E. Everett McFall

Category: FDA & Prescription Drugs
Tags: Chantix, PTSD,

Today the Washington Times and ABC News are reporting
that our Combat Units-Marines and soldiers returning from Iraq
are being used as test patients for medications that have been
linked to serious adverse reactions.

According to reports, the Veterans Adiministration is offering cash
incentives to entice returning soldiers to participate in studies.
In one of the most disturbing cases, it took the VA over three
months to notify the veterans of a link to severe
nueropsychiatric events associated with Pfizer’s controversial
anti-smoking medication Chantix. The warning was not issued
until after one veteran taking the medication was nearly gunned
down by police while suffering from a psychotic episode allegedly
induced by Chantix.

Many of the soldiers / Marines returning from Iraq and
Afghanistan suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
and are in a very fragile state of mind when the initially get back
to the US. Taking advantage of soldiers in this condition is
simply unacceptable. The label of Chantix was updated in
February to advise patients that the drug may induce
thoughts of suicide and trigger even latent mental
health conditions to resurface.

To subject veterans in such delicate mental condition to a
medication that has been linked to mental problems is
tragedy waiting to happen.

In all, nearly 1,000 veterans with PTSD were enrolled in the
study to test different methods of ending smoking, with 143
using Chantix. Twenty-one veterans reported adverse effects
from the drug, including one who suffered suicidal thoughts,
the three-month investigation by The Times and ABC News found.

[Arthur] Caplan, who reviewed the consent and notification
forms for the study at the request of The Times and ABC News,
said the VA deserved an "F" and that it has an obligation to end
the study, given the vulnerability of veterans with PTSD and the
known side effects of Chantix. "Continuing it doesn't make
any ethical sense," he said.

Late last month Chantix was removed from the list acceptable
medications for pilots and air traffic controllers after a non-profit
foundation released a study further affirming suspected
adverse reactions associated with the drug.

RELATED:
Chantix Tested on Vets with PTSD
The Veterans Administration has recruited veterans with PTSD
for Chantix clinical trials, but did not inform trial participants of the
drug's link to suicide until late February. Digg / Health / upcoming - http://digg.com/health
Government is Testing Drugs on Vets with PTSD
By Michael Connery ABC News is reporting that the government is
testing drugs with possible violent and suicidal side effects on
veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan with PTSD. Worse, it failed to
notify those veterans of these possible side effects:
Future Majority - - blogging... - http://www.futuremajority.com ----------------------------------------------------- For more information: The toll-free Veterans Affairs Department Suicide hotline number is 1-800-273-TALK (8255). Veterans Affairs Department: http://www.va.gov/ Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America: http://www.iava.org/

--------------------------------------------> Flashback, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Suicide, and the Lessons of WAR ---> by Penny Coleman I Can Still Hear Thier Cries, Even In My Sleep.. A Journey Into PTSD By E. Everett McFall Both Books are Available on Amazon.com

No comments: