ALLIANCE FOR HUMAN RESEARCH PROTECTION

A Catalyst for Public Debate: Promoting Openness, Full Disclosure, and

Accountability

http://www.ahrp.org  

 

FYI

 

In its response to Sen. Grassley's probe

http://www.mindfreedom.org/kb/psych-drug-corp/nami

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) acknowledges that a majority

of its funds over the last five years, 56% on average, have come from drug

corporations.

 

It's time to set the record straight about NAMI: NAMI was founded about 25

years ago. It was then called the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill.

The name change in recent years is significant: NAMI's rise to become the #1

"advocacy" group in mental health, was almost entirely due to the hefty

financial support NAMI has received from the manufacturers of psychotropic

drugs--in particular, manufacturers of antidepressants, antipsychotics and

anti-seizure drugs. These drugs are at the center of heated controversy

given their hazardous effects and overall negative risk / benefit profile.

 

The name change from "Alliance for the mentally ill" to "Alliance on [for]

mental illness" should have alerted its constituents and the public that

this organization DOES NOT REPRESENT THE BEST INTEREST of persons suffering

from mental illness. NAMI now promotes mental illness and psychotropic

drugs.

 

Until NAMI was forced by Sen Grassley of the Senate Finance Committee to

identify its corporate donors http://www.ahrp.org/cms/content/view/568/119/,

it had continually refused to do so.

 

It remained the task of investigative journalists to do this job--as when

Mother Jones reported in 1999 that NAMI received $11+ million over 5 years

from Big Pharma, and an Eli Lilly executive operated out of NAMI's

headquarters directing major operations. See:

http://www.motherjones.com/politics/1999/11/prozacorg

 

Parents and relatives who mobilized for NAMI and stridently pushed its

"biologically-based" agenda were duped. 

They did not realize that NAMI was greased by millions of dollars from drug

manufacturers whose agendas conflicted with the best interest of their loved

ones.

They did not realize that the drugs promoted by NAMI were shortening the

lives of their loved ones and causing severe, debilitating diseases,

including diabetes, cardiovascular deaths, and metabolic syndrome.

 

NAMI parents didn't know that NAMI's president Jim McNulty, from 2002 to

2004, was being paid thousands of dollars from drug companies for promoting

their products to NAMI parents.

NAMI parents didn't know that NAMI's executive director, was paid a salary

of $212,281 and another $10,090 in employee benefit contributions and

deferred compensation plans.  See:

http://www.furiousseasons.com/archives/2006/12/nami_touts_new_atypical.html

 

NAMI's capitulation to drug manufacturers--receiving fees for services

rendered--represents a colossal betrayal of trust:

Eli Lilly, Pfizer, GlaxoSMithKline, et al, provided the $$$$ and NAMI

rendered lobbying and promotional services.

This has been a shameful, base, and unholy alliance that the late Dr. Loren

Mosher, our friend and AHRP board member, decried in 1999:

"The shortsightedness of this marriage of convenience between APA [American

Psychiatric Association], NAMI, and the drug companies

(who gleefully support both groups because of their shared pro-drug stance)

is an abomination. I want no part of a psychiatry of oppression and social

control." http://www.moshersoteria.com/resig.htm

 

NAMI leadership have exploited parents' troubles and predicaments to steer

them into becoming drug pushers who serve industry's agenda--to increase

corporate profits.

Parents became lobbyists for drug manufacturers--not for life-sustaining

services for their loved ones; NAMI parents demanded taxpayer subsidies for

hazardous drugs that are shown to shorten lives.  Psychotropic drug

cocktails are undermining the mental and physical health of the people

suffering from a mental disorder.

Parents became unwitting partners of a corrupt industry: an industry that

concealed evidence of drug-induced harm, and laid claim to false,

unsubstantiated "benefits."

 

Below we reproduce a letter of  "explanation" by NAMI's executive director

to its membership following the Senate Finance Committee probe.

 

Once and for all, let's just call NAMI an industry front group: NAMI has

sold its raison d'etre sacrificing the welfare of its constituents for

industry cash handouts.

 

Indeed, we believe that NAMI qualifies for an award for Really Deceitful

Shameful Practices masquerading as patient advocates.

 

 

Contact: Vera Hassner Sharav

veracare@ahrp.org

212-595-8974

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

http://www.mindfreedom.org/kb/psych-drug-corp/nami

LETTER FROM NAMI EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR MICHAEL J. FITZPATRICK:

April 28, 2009

Dear NAMI Leaders and Members,

 

On April 6, 2009 Senator Charles Grassley asked NAMI national to provide

information about support it receives from pharmaceutical companies. For the

last three years, Senator Grassley has been interested in various aspects of

the pharmaceutical industry and has made similar requests to other

non-profit groups.

 

NAMI shares Senator Grassley's interest in transparency and has cooperated

fully with this request. Since the request was made, three basic questions

have been posed that are worth sharing and answering.

 

  Does NAMI accept contributions from pharmaceutical companies?

Yes, we do -- and we're delighted to have this critical support for our many

programs and important work all across the country.

 

NAMI accepts charitable contributions from individuals, foundations and

corporations, including the pharmaceutical industry, for one purpose -- to

improve the lives of people with mental illness and their families. These

relationships are governed by NAMI's Guidelines for Business Support

Relationships, a NAMI policy originally developed and approved by the Board

of Directors in 2004. This policy ensures that at all times NAMI will

maintain an independent position on issues affecting the welfare of people

with mental illness. A copy of this policy is available online at

http://www.nami.org/BusinessGuidelines.

 

As you know from our strategic plan ( http://www.nami.org/stratplan ),

NAMI's goal is to reduce the percentage of our budget that is supported by

charitable donations from pharmaceutical companies.

 

While we deeply appreciate the support we have received, we set this goal

because we understand the value of diversifying our funding sources -- both

for fiscal stability and because we want to shed any lingering, unfair

accusations that somehow NAMI has been "bought" -- I can assure you: nothing

could be further from the truth. NAMI's advocacy voice is loud and clear and

uncompromised.

 

As reported to Senator Grassley, pharmaceutical companies contributed an

average of 56% of national NAMI's budget annually for the period

2005 to 2009. Many of NAMI's signature education programs, including

Family-to-Family, Peer-to-Peer, NAMI Connection, In Our Own Voice and NAMI

Basics have national corporate sponsors.

 

These programs are the essence of your work in your communities. They are

offered free of charge to thousands of consumers and families who

participate in them each year. Without support of these companies, we would

be hard-pressed to bring you these vital programs. Corporate grants and

charitable contributions also support the NAMI Web site, Mental Illness

Awareness Week, and other public education and advocacy efforts.

 

  Can we see who is giving NAMI what?

Yes, you can.

 

NAMI National has long made public lists of major corporate and foundation

donors in our annual reports, which you can view online:

http://www.nami.org/governance .

In 2009, we have begun posting on the NAMI Web site on a quarterly basis all

foundation and corporate grants and corporate contributions over $5,000

received by NAMI national. The first list covers January- March 2009 and can

also be viewed at http://www.nami.org/governance.

 

   Now what?

We continue our incredibly important work together, at the national, state

and local level, on behalf of one of the most vulnerable and discriminated

against populations in our country.

 

NAMI has long enjoyed a great national reputation. In fact, NAMI is one of

only 248 national non-profit organizations that received the BBB Wise Giving

Alliance Charity Seal this year from the charity monitoring organization

affiliated with the Better Business Bureau.

 

Perhaps you saw BBB, adds in USA Today two weeks ago which heralded the

exclusive list. NAMI also received three out of four stars from Charity

Navigator and is its number one rated mental health organization.

 

Thank you for the tremendous work you do, day in and day out. If you have

any thoughts or questions, I hope you will be in touch.

 

Thanks,

 

Mike

 

Michael J. Fitzpatrick, MSW

Executive Director

NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness)

2107 Wilson Blvd., Suite 300

Arlington, VA 2201

mfitzpatrick@nami.org

703-516-7977

 

----------- END LETTER  -

 

  US Senate Probe Discovers:

   Most NAMI Money is From Psychiatric Drug Industry

   by MindFreedom News

 

NAMI has admitted to a US Senate probe that a majority of their funds over

the last five years, 56 percent on average, have been from drug

corporations. NAMI has agreed with the probe to immediately begin quarterly

postings to their web site with a list of drug company donations and

amounts.

 

MindFreedom obtained a letter sent last week by NAMI executive director

Michael J. Fitzpatrick  to "NAMI Leaders and Members." The letter is a

response to the probe of NAMI by US Senator Charles Grassley (R-IA)

initiated on 6 April 2009.

 

In the 28 April letter, copied below, Mr. Fitzpatrick wrote, "As reported to

Senator Grassley, pharmaceutical companies contributed an average of 56% of

national NAMI's budget annually for the period 2005- 2009."

 

Mr. Fitzpatrick passionately defends the drug company donations, but says

NAMI has a strategic plan to lower the percentage.

 

Commented MindFreedom director, David Oaks, "The NAMI board should have

listened to its own Consumer Council which voted for full disclosure many

years ago, but was ignored."

 

MindFreedom maintains a count of the number of times the NAMI web site uses

the phrase "biologically based" when referring to mental health problems.

Said Oaks, "There are as many theories about the cause of extreme mental

problems as there are colors in the rainbow.

Unfortunately, NAMI's rainbow is mainly green -- drug company money green.

Now we know why."

 

MindFreedom is encouraging an international "thank you" from everyone to

Senator Grassley for investigating psychiatric drug money corruption, click

here:

http://grassley.senate.gov/contact.cfm

 

LISTEN and CALL-IN LIVE to a special free online MindFreedom web radio show

this Saturday, 9 May 2009, about protesting psychiatric drug company

corruption. More info is available here:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/davidwoaks

 

     To track the number of "biologically based" references on the NAMI web

site over the years click here:

http://tinyurl.com/nami-biologically-based

 

     For a news report by Bloomberg from 6 April 2009 about the letter by

Sen. Grassley to NAMI click here:

http://tinyurl.com/grassley-to-nami

 

     To thank Sen. Grassley for investigating NAMI funding click here:

http://grassley.senate.gov/contact.cfm

 

 

 

 

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