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UK - Doctors Sued for Creating Valium Addicts

nAON

Bluelight Crew
Joined
Mar 23, 2009
Messages
2,885
About damn time.



Doctors are being sued for creating prescription drug addicts amid claims they have failed to follow safety guidelines published more than 20 years ago.

Lawyers and medical experts have reported an increase in clinical negligence cases by patients left physically and psychologically broken by "indefensible" long-term prescribing of addictive tranquillisers such as Valium, collectively known as benzodiazepines.

Patients taken off the drugs too quickly, leaving them disabled with pain for months if not years, are also seeking legal redress. Many say they were never told about the dangers of rapid detoxification, which can lead to seizures and even death in severe cases. Doctors have been accused of being "in denial" about the problem.

Experts have warned of a coming flood of legal action against doctors who failed to inform their patients about the addictive nature of some tranquillisers, currently given to millions of people worldwide. They are prescribed to deal with common social and psychological complaints, from exam stress to relationship problems and bereavement.

Professor Malcolm Lader, whose research in the 1980s suggested a link between long-term tranquilliser use and brain damage, said he now gives legal advice about negligent prescribing and dangerous detoxifications "at least every three months".

He told The Independent: "There is no sign that such prescribing is diminishing. The Royal College of GPs is in denial about this because they fear being sued. With around a million long-term users, the [legal] defence unions will at some point decide that these cases are indefensible and GPs will have to pay their own costs." A report by the All Party Parliamentary Group on Drug Misuse estimated in 2009 that there were 1.5 million involuntary tranquilliser addicts in the UK. More than 6.6 million benzodiazepine prescriptions for anxiety were dispensed by England's pharmacies in 2010, a 15 per cent increase in 10 years. Prescriptions for Valium have increased by 20 per cent over the same period.

The first successful legal claim against individual doctors dates back to 2002, when Ray Nimmo, who was prescribed Valium for 14 years, won his case against GPs in Scunthorpe. His lawyer, Caroline Moore, has had five new referrals in the past month.

Some people develop a tolerance after regular use for two weeks, needing a higher dose to induce the same effects; others report using them for years with few adverse effects. For most, stopping is the problem: they can experience a range of painful psychological and physical symptoms, worse than their original complaint.

Dr Adrian Rogers, a GP who is also an expert in medico-legal cases, said: "I can't believe there aren't more claims. The fact that lots of doctors are prescribing long-term isn't an excuse – no responsible GP would do it."

There are only a handful of specialist tranquilliser withdrawal services across the UK. Most people rely on inexpert help from GPs or addiction services aimed at illegal-drug addicts. Recovery Road, a new helpline, receives around 250 calls a month, mainly from those who have detoxified too rapidly. "These poor people describe being in a kind of torture chamber," said Baylissa Frederick, of the organisation.

The Bridge Project in Bradford tracks down long-term benzodiazepine users. In five months this year, one of its specialist drugs workers helped 102 patients.

Dr Chris Ford, a GP and benzodiazepine expert, is drafting new guidance to help doctors avoid creating addicts and advise them on the best way safely to detoxify those who are already dependent. Controversially, it will endorse long-term use for a limited number of patients. "These are good drugs – they work, but it is a slippery slope if doctors do not have systems in place to make sure they are only used in the short term," she said.

"These people should not be treated like illicit drug users. Any detox has to be done very slowly. These drugs can cause serious long-term problems, so GPs should encourage people to come off them, but, for some, it is necessary to compromise. No one should be forced to withdraw," she added.

A Department of Health spokeswoman said: "The Government's drug strategy set out [in the White Paper Healthy Lives, Healthy People] an ambition to tackle dependence on all drugs, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines. It is clear that this is a problem that affects some people in most areas and is much unreported. Public health bodies will be responsible for the commissioning of services to support people recovering from dependence."

Case studies: Lives blighted by addiction

'It was like the doctors were my drug dealers'

Rachel, 62, from the Midlands. Rachel (not her real name) is trying to sue an NHS clinic that detoxed her from tranquillisers so rapidly she has been left bedridden

"Around nine years ago my GP prescribed me Valium. I didn't know it was addictive; my doctor kept giving me repeat prescriptions over the phone. I didn't have any problems until five years ago when I started to get numbness in my face and irregular heartbeats.

"I was offered a detox in an NHS rehab unit... I was in for five weeks, and they cut me down 1mg every other day, which they insisted was very slow. It was absolute hell.

"I didn't want to go back on the drug but I had no choice. Most days I can't stand up... my memory has gone. Listening to those detox people is the biggest mistake I ever made. The doctor won't accept the pain is caused by the withdrawal."

'Listening to those NHS detox people is the biggest mistake I ever made'

Janet Marshall, 53, from Wakefield, West Yorkshire, won £25,000 in an out-of-court settlement from her GP after "losing" 28 years to prescribed benzodiazepines

"I was 26, I'd just had my fourth baby, and I had a panic attack. I called the GP because I thought I was dying, and was prescribed oxazepam, even though I was breast-feeding. I became hooked, taking 15 10mg tablets a day at one point.

My fifth child was born an addict; he suffered withdrawal symptoms, but by this time I couldn't cope without them. Sometimes my pharmacist would give me some to tide me over the weekend if I'd run out. Five years ago, I changed GP, and she said I had a problem and started cutting me down, but far too quickly. It was like the doctors were my drug dealers. I couldn't talk properly or stop shaking. It lasted for months, but I felt so much more alert and got my senses back.

"I feel angry and bitter at the Government, the pharmaceutical companies, the GPs – they all knew about it. I was a healthy normal person before the benzos; I was a good mother but I was robbed of that. I feel so guilty about my kids."
 
Excellent. I've read a lot about UK doctors' ignorance concerning benzodiazepines and this is totally warranted. Benzo withdrawal is extremely crippling and prolonged. I'm glad to see increased awareness of this potential.

I shudder to think of being ripped off of long-term benzo maintenance without a proper taper, as many people unfortunately have.
 
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I blame the lady for taking an obvious escape route by means of circumventing her own ignorance.

Perhaps if they were sold over the counter and had clear warning lables in big colorful letters on the boxes and bottles, we wouldn't even have to read about this shit, and instead hear about it on the local evening news, right after the part where a gerbil was found in a trash can.
 
This is huge , i believe that i have been mis prescribed Benzos over the last 15/6 years .
I am not looking to sue anybody although their is one particular GP whos name does spring to mind .

THing is GPs should be aware that certain clients are manipulating them , many do not realise .
Gps that are younger are mos def more likely to go with the proper prescribing guidlines imo . Some Gps that have been in surgery for decades don't realise the dangers of long term benzo scripting.
 
I blame the lady for taking an obvious escape route by means of circumventing her own ignorance.

Perhaps if they were sold over the counter and had clear warning lables in big colorful letters on the boxes and bottles, we wouldn't even have to read about this shit, and instead hear about it on the local evening news, right after the part where a gerbil was found in a trash can.

couldnt have said it better myself
 
This is ridiculous, all part of society's lets blame someone else mentality, it's not like we are talking about thalidomide here!
Maybe I can sue the government for my tobacco addiction, when I was growing up tobacco sponsored every major sporting event and was associated with sexy girls and "being cool" and it was readily available even as an underage child.

The government never encouraged you to smoke, the tobacco companies did.


But it's a different situation altogether: people trust their doctors because they expect them to know their shit and not put them in danger or risk of harm. Most people don't know anything about medications, especially when most of these addictions began. And if benzos are handed out like candy by doctors, nobody thinks there is anything dangerous about them.

The whole 'doctor prescribes and pharmacist hands out' situation is outdated imo. A doctor doesn't know alot about drugs, he knows diseases. A system of doctor-pharmacist interaction for prescription would be better I think.
 
Clearly, there is something wrong with everything.

Doctors should research extensively the drugs they prescribe. If they wouldn't put it into their bodies, they shouldn't give it to others. Patients should research extensively the drugs they ingest. In the end, it's the patient's responsibility to decide what they take, but a medical professional should be just that. Someone trustworthy for sound medical advice. Not a bloody shill.

The title is proper lulz, anyway. I'm just imagining this corrupt doctor silhouetted against continuous flashes of lightning, a bottle of diazepam threateningly raised over his crooked, maniacal head: "IT'S ADDICTED! AAAAH-HA-HAAAA!"
 
Doctors need to have a sit-down with their patients before prescribing benzos long term. They need to tell them about the risks of addiction and withdrawal, and document that this conversation took place. This is called "informed consent".

Also, doctors need to stop being such idiots when it comes to benzo withdrawal. And they need to be brave enough to recommend to patients that they remain on the benzos whenever appropriate.
 
It's the doctor> patient relationship that is really flawed. People think they can trust their doctors, but they shouldn't. If people knew the true workings of pharma and how doctors are informed about new drugs by sales reps, the patient> doctor trust would be gone instantly, and rightfully so.

Post above hit the nail on the head-- Doctors need to focus on diseases; someone else needs to focus on the drugs. Medicine is a much more expansive subject than it was a few years ago and a doctor can't possibly keep up and run a practice at the same time.
 
Meanwhile, the good doctors that actually work hard get fucked. It's a win win.

Pharmacists should have more power and a person's pharmacist should be able to talk to the person's doctor. It would put a lot of this to rest imo, and this is just for drugs that wouldn't already be OTC.
 
Well yes the government did, they allow it to be legal knowing the health risks and addiction, they are enablers and collect the huge taxes and use tobacco as a cash cow to increase their revenue as they see fit, but like you said different situation.

But governments also get taxes from drug sales as well, so my point is not completely invalid. In Aus there are printed sheets inside medication that state all of the pros and cons of the drug so if the patient's doctor really didn't explain the risks, then the user has some onus on themselves to see what those risks are. It just seems like blameshifting to me.

True, true.
 
Blame shifting? How much further do you want "them" to hold our hands down the road (with handcuffs)?

Most all governments, worldwide, currently generate more income through taxing their citizens, in order to arrest them.
 
This is ridiculous, all part of society's lets blame someone else mentality, it's not like we are talking about thalidomide here!
Maybe I can sue the government for my tobacco addiction, when I was growing up tobacco sponsored every major sporting event and was associated with sexy girls and "being cool" and it was readily available even as an underage child.

No we are talking about Benzo's , & your comment is pretty daft .
Maybe if you had been given a benzo habbit without actually knowing you were getting prescribed a highly addictive drug, , you would have a more sympathy .
I take what you said personally because i was scripted diazepam back in 1997 without any knowledge or warning of the potential addiction , despite the fact i was already on methadone for Heroin addiction .
 
Let's get back to what the role of a physician is or ought to be- a guide. A wise influence who can direct you for the care you need or believe you need. The nurturing of doctor's as Gods among mere men creates a complex of "I am a benevolent giver of relief and life". A significant minority of doctors are not like this at all, but the prescription system as it stands is unacceptable and feeds the mentality of Godliness- without me you are helpless and cannot be 'fixed'. Medical resources (medical equipment to medications) should be available to the public as long as one has seen the advice of a physician or specialist- not given "permission" for an arbitrary number of pills or a particular piece of equipment due to either GP ignorance or corruption from drug reps.

As far as benzo's go, yes they are liberally prescribed. But the resources exist that an average working-class person can take control of their own medical situation, at least as far as knowledge goes. I unload trucks and clean floors for a living; that doesn't mean I can't have a working knowledge of medication and gain access to the resources to let me make informed decisions.

I also say this as someone with a lifelong anxiety disorder and insomnia, who has been prescribed and taken Benzodiazepines and BZD-type drugs (the Z-drugs, Thioetizolodiazepines, etc) on and off for years, including just starting a new regimine including Diazepam (Valium). I know what I am getting into fully. But it took a shitload of pretending to know less than I do, a shitload of manipulation, a shitload of hoops to jump through to be treated like a human being with a legitimately awful medical condition which has a deleterious effect on my day to day functioning.

I feel for anyone who did not know or fully comprehend the dangers of longterm Benzodiazepine use by prescription. However, we as a species must stop putting all of the responsibility for our personal autonomy and well being on the shoulders of strangers bred on egotistical favoritism and seemingly Godlike wisdom and powers to 'fix' us.
 
Well put.
Descreasing a doctor's power and increasing a pharmacist's power (as well as rescheduling A LOT of drugs) would sure be a start, if not the end game in itself.
 
I feel for anyone who did not know or fully comprehend the dangers of longterm Benzodiazepine use by prescription. However, we as a species must stop putting all of the responsibility for our personal autonomy and well being on the shoulders of strangers bred on egotistical favoritism and seemingly Godlike wisdom and powers to 'fix' us.

As you said though, it's encouraged for people to have this type of relationship with their doctors. I feel that it is in the best interest of the pharmaceutical industry for this to be the case, as it allows them to market directly to doctors rather than to the actual consumers of the drugs. Clearly the pharmaceutical industry has an interest to preserve this type of doctor-patient relationship, as it encourages less consumer awareness and thus easier sales.

It's worth pointing out how undeniably involved the pharmaceutical industry already is in controlling doctors' behaviors. For example, look at the statistics for the influence of Pharma in creating the criteria for the DSM-IV:

"Of the 170 DSM panel members 95 (56%) had one or more financial associations with companies in the pharmaceutical industry. One hundred percent of the members of the panels on ‘Mood Disorders’ and ‘Schizophrenia and Other Psychotic Disorders’ had financial ties to drug companies"

http://www.tufts.edu/~skrimsky/PDF/DSM COI.PDF
 
...which means no benzodiazepines will be prescribed in the future - which just further increases the GAPING whole of demand filled inappropriately by "research chemicals" (etizolam, phenazepam - technically not complete RCs but still inappropriately measured & dosed) or illicit trade.

People can't have it both ways either take some personal responsibility for actions (yes please I have heard the facts - I am choosing (/not) to ingest the valium you have prescribed/recommended) or expect to have ALL decisions taken for you and no choice in medication. In other words it's either YOUR fault or the DOCTORS but if you decide on the DOCTORS don't expect them to feel sympathy when you insist diazepam is the only medication that works.

I guess it's lucky cars are SO ESSENTIAL for our economy & work otherwise can't imagine they would be legal.
 
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