Lobbyists for Your Insanity

The Pharma-Industrial-Government Complex
Natural News
Wednesday, July 02, 2008
by Tony Isaacs

Thanks to a recent question sent in to this forum*, I discovered that it appears to be common to prescribe the dangerous drug Prozac for PMS -- at least in the United States, that is. Not only that, but it is evidently often prescribed not by the Psychiatrists who successfully lobbied the FDA for approval over the objections of the WHO (World Health Organization), but by ordinary ob/gyn doctors who are making diagnosis of a specially created condition the psychiatrists came up with to justify prescribing it: Pre Menstrual Distress Disorder, or PMDD.

The initial question asked in the forum was :

"Went to the ob/gyn yesterday. I am well into premenopause and he diagnosed me with PMDD. No doubt my PMS is getting worse as I get older. He wants me to start on Prozac for several days a month before I get my period to help with my symptoms. I don't want to go on Prozac or hormone therapy. What can I use naturally to help my symptoms? I think I need to revamp my diet as well. How can I ease into a diet change slowly so as not to overwhelm myself all at once? Also, any supplements I should add? I know there are lots of questions, but I NEED HELP! Thanks."

My initial reaction was one of shock and outrage. Prozac for PMS? What the heck was an ob/gyn doing prescribing that scary drug? And what was PMDD anyway? A quick check of Wikipedia made it all too clear:"Originally called late luteal phase dysphoric disorder (LLPDD), the disorder was renamed PMDD by the American Psychiatric Association in its May 1993 revision of the DSM-IV. PMDD was moved from a position in the appendix of the manual to a "disorder requiring further study."[2][3] Some groups of psychiatrists and women's groups object to the labeling of a severe form of PMS as a psychiatric disorder.

PMDD is accepted as illness by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) but has not been listed as a separate disorder in the World Health Organization's International Classification of Diseases. In 2003, the manufacturer of Prozac (fluoxetine) was required by the Committee for Proprietary Medicinal Products to remove PMDD from the list of indications for fluoxetine sold in Europe.[4] The committee found that

...PMDD is not a well-established disease entity across Europe... There was considerable concern that women with less severe pre-menstrual symptoms might erroneously receive a diagnosis of PMDD resulting in widespread inappropriate short and long-term use of fluoxetine.[5]

PMDD is not listed on the Australian Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. [6]

Some commentators suggest that PMDD (along with social anxiety disorder, restless leg syndrome, and female sexual dysfunction) has been marketed by pharmaceutical companies in order to increase the demand for treatments.(PMID 16597181)."

For full article, go to: http://www.naturalnews.com/023555.html

*the Ask Tony Isaacs Curezone forum

About the author
Tony Isaacs, is a natural health advocate and researcher and the author of books and articles about natural health including "Cancer's Natural Enemy" and "Collected Remedies"as well as song lyrics and humorous anecdotal stories. Mr. Isaacs also has The Best Years in Life website for baby boomers and others wishing to avoid prescription drugs and mainstream managed illness and live longer, healthier and happier lives naturally. He is currently residing in the scenic Texas hill country near Utopia, Texas where he serves as a consultant to the Utopia Silver colloidal silver and supplement company and where he is working on a major book project due for publication later this year. Mr. Isaacs also hosts the CureZone "Ask Tony Isaacs" forum as well as the Yahoo Health Group "Oleander Soup"