Rewriting the Psychiatrist's Bible on Radio 4
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.
the programme makes particular focus on what in the UK, & increasingly in the US, is considered the highly controversial diagnosis of bi-polar disorder in children and equally, if not more, controversial treatment of children with anti-psychotic drugs.
which is to say, there's really not much in the programme that makes for easy listening. but it's a well produced show about a serious issue.
available for the next week at the link above.
LB
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