A recent study purports to show that FDA warnings about the link between the use of anti-depressants and teen suicide may have led to more suicides. The NYT has an excellent article this morning pointing out that the evidence in the study is far from conclusive.
Assessing the evidence on such issues would be difficult for researchers and medical experts in any case, but the fact that an industry has billions of dollars at stake in pushing a particular position cannot help matters. The pharmaceutical industry has not hesitated to pay large sums to researchers to promote views that support its products. Unfortunately, this article does not mention the perverse incentive created by patent rents on this issue.
Unlike many news organizations, the Prospect has remained staunchly committed to keeping our journalism free and accessible to all. We believe that independent journalism is crucial for a functioning democracy—but quality reporting comes at a cost.
This year, we’re aiming to raise $75,000 to continue delivering the hard-hitting investigative journalism you’ve come to expect from us. Your support helps us maintain our independence and dig deeper into the stories that matter most.
If you value our reporting, please consider making a contribution today. Any amount helps secure our future and ensure we can continue holding power to account.
