Reduce Suicides related to not being given informed consent of psychiatric drug side effects and withdrawal issues *
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________Reduce Suicides and High Mortality Rates Related to Psychiatric Drug Harm:
Call for the State of Michigan to combat suicide caused by overprescribing and known risk profiles of antidepressants and other commonly prescribed psychiatric drugs.
The Problem
133,867 U.S. Military veterans died by suicide between 2001 and 2021. Over 40,000 of these suicides occurred for veterans who had been using the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for their care.
Prescription rates of psychiatric drugs prescribed to veterans have nearly doubled in the past 20 years. More than 68% of all veterans treated at the VA are prescribed psychiatric drugs and 28% are prescribed antidepressants. The Food and Drug Administration requires Box Warnings for many classes of these medications - antidepressants, benzodiazepines and others - which warn of suicide risk.
Based on the known risk factors of these medications and the high prescription rates, we should not be surprised to find that veterans have the highest rate of suicide than any other demographic in the United States today.
Urgent action is needed by the Michigan Legislature and the Governor to save lives and ensure more Michigan families do not suffer further tragedies.
Solutions
Training: Retrain all prescribers and mental health clinicians on risk profiles and efficacy of psychotropics – with special focus on antidepressants.
Signatory Informed Consent: Patients are not being informed of the risk profiles of these medications, which includes but is not limited to: suicide, violence, drug dependence, permanent sexual dysfunction, and other catastrophic side effects.
Reform De-Prescribing Guidelines: Implement slower and safer patient informed de-prescribing guidelines for psychotropics, with specific focus on antidepressants and benzodiazepines.
Education: Launch a statewide educational campaign on medication risks and safe tapering from psychotropic medications.
Investigate the role of medications and treatments in deaths of all Michigan veterans and Guard Members who died by suicide or who died of deaths of undetermined intent.
* = This priority requires both State and Federal action.
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