Healthy Skepticism Library item: 13547

Warning: This library includes all items relevant to health product marketing that we are aware of regardless of quality. Often we do not agree with all or part of the contents.

Publication type: Journal Article

Sharfstein SS.
Big Pharma and American Psychiatry.
The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease 2008 Apr; 196:(4):265
http://www.jonmd.com/pt/re/jnmd/toc.00005053-200804000-00000.htm;jsessionid=LNfKQzBhMQkthtGLDm6l6LWLG3R66gyFp4ZQGspLLSZj61T7KwyK!670793751!181195628!8091!-1

Abstract:

The pharmaceutical industry is a big business and is primarily governed by the motives of selling products and making
money. Psychiatry is a medical profession, which endeavors to provide the highest quality of care to persons who suffer
from psychiatric conditions. When the profit motive and quality health care are aligned, it is a “win-win” situation for
both the pharmaceutical industry and the psychiatric profession. In the current era of treatment of mental disorders,
new medications have been developed and brought to market to more effectively treat intractable illnesses such as
schizophrenia, bipolar illness, attention deficit disorder, and severe anxiety. The use of these medications has led to
a broad perception that treatment works as psychiatric care can make a major difference in people’s lives. This has led
to an expanded market for both medications and psychiatrists’ services.