Healthy Skepticism Library item: 16208

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: Broadcast

Hill M
Rewriting the Psychiatrist's Bible
Radio 4 : BBC 2009
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00kf117

Abstract:

Matthew Hill investigates the links between psychiatrists and the pharmaceutical industry. Should there be increased transparency over top psychiatrists’ links to the industry?

He looks at the influence of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders (DSM), produced by the American Psychiatric Association (APA), which has been heavily criticised in the past for a lack of transparency between the panel members and pharmaceutical companies. Matthew also examines the ‘Chinese menu’ aspect of the DSM’s diagnostic criteria and the sheer number of conditions it includes. Matthew investigates whether the APA’s transparency policy goes far enough and if we are medicalising real conditions or just traits of human personality.