Anti-psychotic drugs for kids get state look

Arkansas Democrat
BY CAROLYNE PARK
… Millions of kids nationwide are prescribed atypical antipsychotic drugs for a variety of mental-health diagnoses, including attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, bipolar disorder, autism and schizophrenia.
In Arkansas, 11, 404 children and teenagers under 18 on the state Medicaid program took antipsychotics between July 2007 and June 2008, according to the state Department [...]

Antipsychotic Drugs Boost Stroke Risk

ABC News
Antipsychotic Drugs Boost Stroke Risk
Patients with dementia face a more than 3-fold danger
By Steven Reinberg

All antipsychotic drugs can increase the risk of stroke, but the risk is greatest among older patients with dementia, British researchers report.
Concerns about the risk of stroke and antipsychotics were first raised in 2002, especially in people with dementia. [...]

Allegations halt drug recommendations

The Daily Texan
By Stephany Garza
The Texas Attorney General’s Office has halted a guideline that lists preferred psychiatric drugs for children in light of allegations of drug companies influencing researchers.
UT researchers based the children’s guideline on an adult version called the Texas Medication Algorithm Project, which came under scrutiny after the state of Texas filed [...]

Antipsychotic Drug Use Up in Elderly Despite Warnings

U.S. News & World Report
Safety warnings slowed the use of antipsychotic drugs in seniors with dementia. But the overall use of the drugs in the elderly increased, a finding which suggests that warnings may not be sufficient to protect patients, Canadian researchers say.

Between late 2002 and June 2005, Health Canada issued three warnings that three [...]

Texas AG seizes hard drives in Antipsychotic Drug Scheme

The Dallas Morning News
MEDICATION PROTOCOL
By EMILY RAMSHAW
AUSTIN – A state mental health plan naming the preferred psychiatric drugs for children has been quietly put on hold over fears drug companies may have given researchers consulting contracts, speakers fees or other perks to help get their products on the list.

The Children’s Medication Algorithm Project, or [...]

Not approved by the FDA for children

North Dakota – WDAY-TV
Video NewsCast, click here:
Geodon, Seroqel and Zyprexa not FDA approved for children.

Texas foster kids’ doctors have ties to drug firms

The Dallas Morning News
By EMILY RAMSHAW
AUSTIN – One in three Texas foster children has been diagnosed with mental illness and prescribed mind-altering drugs, including some that the federal government has not approved for juveniles, state records show.
Many of these drugs are prescribed by doctors who have a financial stake in pharmaceutical companies’ [...]

Pharmaceutical company settles with Rhode Island for $600,000+

Providence Journal
Brandie Jefferson
The state has received a settlement from a New York-based pharmaceutical company accused of inflating prices and paying doctors and pharmacies to use their products.
Bristol-Myers Squibb paid Rhode Island $628,071 as part of a $389 million settlement paid out to 42 states and Washington D.C., according Berryl Kenyon, spokeswoman for the Attorney General.
The [...]

N.D. gets part of drug company settlement

Grand Forks Herald
HEADLINES: NORTH DAKOTA
N.D. drug settlement: North Dakota has received nearly $200,000 as part of a nationwide settlement paid to states by Bristol-Myers Squibb regarding allegations that the company engaged in illegal drug marketing and pricing with state Medicaid programs.

The settlement payments went to 43 states, the District of Columbia and the federal government.
The [...]