DSM-5 Proposals Should Undergo An Independent Cochrane Review Of Scientific Evidence
September 15th 2011A newly appointed DSM-5 scientific review group is meant to “review the reviews”-but it is working in secret and so far appears to be a remarkably porous filter . . .DSM-5 has shown no capacity to self-monitor and self-correct. An outside review is sorely needed-and fortunately a ready mechanism is in place.
Are the Media and the Public Still Missing the Clues?
It is our responsibility as psychiatrists to educate the media and the public in general.
Polypharmacy: Some Art, Some Science-Much Alchemy
July 28th 2011Polypharmacy has become so ubiquitous that more accidental overdoses are now caused by prescription drugs than by street drugs. The question naturally arises whether this almost routine use of multiple psychotropic medications make sense?
DSM-5 Will Further Inflate the ADD Bubble: Child Work Group Fails to Learn From Experience
July 28th 2011Martin Whiteley is an MP who represents Perth in the Australian parliament. He has been actively involved in mental health issues and succeeded in a crusade to curb what had been Perth's alarming overdiagnosis and overmedication of Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD).
Suicide: Troops' Families to Get Condolence Letters
July 22nd 2011President Obama announced that he would begin sending letters of condolence to the families of troops who kill themselves in combat zones. He noted that this was a decision that was made after a difficult and exhaustive review of the former policy.
“Morality” Professor Responsible for Research Misconduct Resigns
July 20th 2011Harvard University Psychology Professor Marc Hauser, who last year was found solely responsible for 8 counts of scientific misconduct following an internal investigation, has resigned from his tenured position at the university effective August 1, according to recent press reports.
Going For Wins in Sexually Violent Predator Cases
July 8th 2011During the past year, I have been involved as an expert witness for the defense in 14 SVP cases (tried in California, Washington, and Iowa). My role has been to clarify what is meant by the wording of the Paraphilia section in DSM-IV. And it certainly does badly need explaining.
After 40 Years (in the Wilderness), Where is Our Promised Land?
June 22nd 2011I just attended the 40th year reunion of my medical school class at Yale. As is common at these 5-year reunions, we compare our careers and the progress of medicine, although this time more of the focus seemed to be on our personal lives and our new Medicare cards.
Biomarkers Oversold In Medicine: Implications for Psychiatry
June 8th 2011John Ioannidis, MD, of Stanford University has published a paper with wide implications for medicine and also for psychiatry. He finds that many influential studies have made exaggerated claims purporting to find connections between biomarkers and medical illness.
Who Needs DSM-5? A Strong Warning Comes From Professional Counselors
June 8th 2011I just received a very important email from Dr Dayle Jones who chairs the DSM-5 Task Force of the American Counseling Association (ACA). The ACA has provided a much needed wake-up call for the American Psychiatric Association.
Australia's Reckless Experiment In Early Intervention
June 8th 2011A charismatic psychiatrist, Patrick McGorry has recently gained heroic status. First he was chosen to be Australia's Man Of The Year. Now, he has convinced the Australian government to spend more than $400 million over 5 years to fund his plan for a nationwide system of Early Psychosis Prevention and Intervention Centres.
Insurance Practices: This Insanity Must Stop
May 20th 2011By now, insured Americans are familiar with the routine “cost-saving” measures created and implemented by insurance companies. What is probably not known to most people, however, are the routine oversight procedures that intrude on patient care, aggravate “providers,” and consume untold amounts of time.
The Epidemic of Attention Deficit Disorder: Real or Fad?
May 20th 2011Attention Deficit Disorder is now two or three times more common than it was just twenty years ago. A recent study reported that a whopping 10% of kids in the general population would qualify for the diagnosis. There has also been an incredible explosion in the use of medication in treating it.
Psychiatry Should Stay Comfortable In Its Own Skin: No Good Comes From Overselling Our Science Base
May 14th 2011Psychiatry is a wonderful specialty. We have highly effective medication and psychotherapy tools. Forty years of accumulated clinical research have given us a pretty clear idea of optimal treatment guidelines. With an accurate diagnosis and an appropriate treatment, most of our patients benefit greatly and many recover completely.
DSM-5 Rejects Coercive Paraphilia: Once Again Confirming That Rape Is Not A Mental Disorder
May 12th 2011The proposal to include "coercive paraphilia" as an official diagnosis in the main body of DSM-5 has been rejected. This sends an important message to everyone involved in approving psychiatric commitment under Sexually Violent Predator (SVP) statutes.