By Gurli Bagnall, 15 November, 2004.

(For Simon Wessely’s email message to Connie Nelson, see: "GWS & Simon Wessely", Help ME Circle, 15 November 2004,
at Co-Cure: http://listserv.nodak.edu/scripts/w...co-cure&P=R8993 )

Having just read Simon Wessely’s email message to Connie, I could not help but smile at the predictability of his wide-eyed innocent, “Who? Me?” type of response at which he is so good.

It reminded me of a time some 12 years ago when a marketing strategy prepared by Roche in regard to their antidepressant, Aurorix, was leaked to the media here in New Zealand. Well known names in the psychiatric field from centres all around the country, were listed as people who would “endorse and recommend Aurorix and speak on behalf” of Roche. To a man, each gave the same, “Who? Me?” reaction when asked to comment.

A contact in the media kindly made a photocopy of the document for me, and on reading it, I found that Aurorix was to be presented as suitable for all ages - tiny tots to great great grandparents. It was to be established as the “first line therapy for depression” from where “it will be easier to build credibility in the anxiety market” - and incidentally, to outsell Prozac.

The object was sales. Therapeutics didn’t come into it. Not taken into account either, was the fact that a depressed person needs livening up while an anxious person needs calming down. In short anti-depressants and anxiolytics cancel each other out. Worse still is that listed amongst the nasty adverse reactions to Aurorix, is anxiety and nervousness. The vicious cycle and cocktail of drugs that typically follow in such a situation is, of course, very good for business if not the patient.

While the listed endorsers and recommenders were remarkably silent after the document was made public, an offer which could not be resisted must have been made to one of them for some months later, this person spoke movingly of the crippling effects of Social Phobia (shyness) and the marvels of Auroix as a cure.

Simon’s email to Connie also reminded me of his views on conflicts of interest. I thought his rapid response of 1 June, 2003, to the BMJ
(http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/elet...7400/1155#32821) was ill considered - not at all what one would expect from an intelligent, savvy, street-wise psychiatrist.

He claimed to have had 53 conflicts of interest during the course of his career and exhorted all to accept that this was now the way of the world. “It is time we all grew up,” he said. “Everyone has conflicts. Everyone has agendas. Everything affects patient care. Our own personal prejudices, likes and dislikes….”

Anne Foxey, Nutrition Specialist, had a much better handle on the subject. Her rapid response stated: “The only free lunch is the cheese in the mousetrap.”

The current Inquiry by the UK House of Commons Health Select Committee into the Influence of the Pharmaceutical Industry, is an indication that the sort of attitude demonstrated by Simon, is causing considerable concern not only amongst those who have suffered the effects, but also in certain official quarters.

Margaret Williams’ excellent piece regarding the inquiry, highlighted how much is at stake. “Some people were earning considerably more from individual pharmaceutical companies by talking for them every fortnight, twice a month, than they were earning from the university or the NHS that they work for,” said
Dr. Wilmshurst in his testimony.

The same applies where a physician is employed to deny culpability when exposure to chemicals has caused illness or death. Some years ago, a farmer in New Zealand took the advice of an agricultural expert and sprayed his pastures with a specific formula which guaranteed lush growth. He was not disappointed in that regard, but when his cows started dropping in their tracks, the supplier had to admit the advertising in regard to the product’s safety, was not entirely accurate. Since the victims were cattle, it would have been laughable to call in a psychiatrist to testify that it was simply a case of mass hysteria, as would no doubt have happened had those affected been human.

But IS it laughable? When 20 tonnes of aluminium sulphate were accidentally pumped into the drinking water of Camelford in Cornwall, seven people died, and 25,000 others along with 40,000 animals all suffered serious health effects. The “considered” opinion was that this was due to anxiety and an obsession about chemical toxins. In short, mass hysteria - animals and all!. No prizes for guessing who came up with that one! (The legend of Camelford: medical consequences of a
water pollution accident. Anthony David, Simon Wessely: Journal of Psychosomatic Research 1995:39:1-9)

When the DoD, a chemical company or any other concern pays a “scientist” to produce a paper which protects their interests,that paper can hardly be described as scientific.

On the 5 May this year, it was reported that a coroner reopened an inquest into the death 51 years ago, of a Royal Air Force flier:

“Maddison died minutes after being exposed to a few drops of the nerve agent sarin after volunteering to go to Porton Down. “The original inquest was brief, held behind closed doors and quickly recorded a verdict of death by misadventure….”

This morning, I heard scraps of what I think was the outcome of that inquiry into Maddison’s death. I believe the words used were “wrongful killing”. If I misheard, I am sure someone will be able to correct this statement.

Bush urged his troops to stop making a fuss about the anthrax vaccination and said he, himself, would have one as a measure of his confidence in its safety. He has not done so. How do I know? Because if he had, the rest of the world would never have been allowed to forget it.

After all Simon has had to say about the GWS and those who are afflicted with it, it seems reasonable to suggest that he should follow that good old tradition laid down by the real he-men in the field of research: TRY IT AND SEE. He could start off with a shot or two of the anthrax vaccine, followed by a few dabs of
the latest fragrance, “Sarin”, behind each ear. After a generous dusting down with organophosphate, he could finish off with several good, deep, bracing breaths of depleted uranium.

Of course, it would take more courage than denigrating sick people, and the question is, does he have it?