Response to James Le Fanu, BMJ, Mass medicalisation is an iatrogenic catastrophe, 29 June 2018
https://www.bmj.com/content/361/bmj.k2794/rapid-responses
Response to Daniel Sokol, BMJ, Doctors shouldn’t reveal so much, 19 June 2018
https://www.bmj.com/content/361/bmj.k2495/rapid-responses
Response to Clare Gerada, BJGP, Doctors and Suicide, 8 May 2018
http://bjgp.org/content/68/669/168/tab-e-letters
Response to BMJ Editorial, 17 April 2018 – The NHS at 70: Loved, valued and affordable? Fiona French
https://www.bmj.com/content/361/bmj.k1540/rapid-responses
Response to BMJ Editorial, 4 April 2018, Marion Brown, Alyne Duthie, Fiona French, Beverley Thorpe, “Is the BMJ – and the medical profession that it represents – really ‘listening to patients’ and the public?”
https://www.bmj.com/content/360/bmj.k1408/rr-0
Letter in BMJ, 28 March 2018, Fiona French, Response to “Large meta-analysis ends doubt about efficacy of antidepressants”
https://www.bmj.com/content/360/bmj.k847/rr-4
More publicity in the Helensburgh Advertiser, 20 February 2018
Prof David Healy, Aberdeen Conference, antidepressants doing more harm than good in teenagers, 5 February 2018
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-42917452#
Letter to BMJ, Marion Brown, Should action take priority over further research in public health, 5 February 2018
http://www.bmj.com/content/360/bmj.k292/rapid-responses
Tabitha Dow, Daily Mail
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/fb-5305047/SIDE-EFFECTS-ANTIDEPRESSANTS-RUINED-LIFE-TABITHA.html
Letter to Herald, 15 December 2017, Marion Brown responding to my letter.
Letter to Herald, 13 December 2017, responding to Dr Philip Gaskill
Letter to BMJ, 10 December 2017, “Shell Shock”
http://www.bmj.com/content/359/bmj.j5621/rapid-responses
Do we spend too much money on medicines in Scotland? Health Improvement Scotland
Do we spend too much money on medicines in Scotland? – Richard Norris
What you need to know about coming off antidepressants.
Marion Brown, 7 December 2017
https://welldoing.org/article/what-you-need-to-know-about-coming-off-antidepressants
Herald, 4 December 2017 – Second discussion of petition at Holyrood
Herald, 4 December 2017 – Ann Kelly’s story
Letter to BJGP, responding to Dr Des Spence, 1 December 2017
http://bjgp.org/content/67/665/562/tab-e-letters
Letters to BJGP, responding to Dr Stuart Allan, 20 November 2017
http://bjgp.org/content/67/663/445.1/tab-e-letters
Letter to BJGP Open, withdrawal of unnecessary antidepressant medication
http://bjgpopen.org/content/early/2017/11/14/bjgpopen17X101265/tab-e-letters
Letter to BJGP, response to Dr Des Spence, re antidepressant over-prescribing
http://bjgp.org/content/66/652/573
Article by Marion Brown in GP View, 25 September 2017 – MUPS
http://gpview.co.uk/update-managing-patients-with-medically-unexplained-symptoms/
Letter to BJGP, 12 September 2017, Improving communication re MUPS
http://bjgp.org/content/early/2017/08/28/bjgp17X692537/tab-e-letters
Letter to BJGP Open, 14 August 2017 – guidelines / systematic reviews of management of MUS
Letter to BJGP, 31 July 2017 – Bad Medicine: The medical untouchables
http://bjgp.org/content/67/661/363/tab-e-letters
Letter to BGJP, 11 July 2017 – Helpful strategies for GPs seeing patients with MUPS
http://bjgp.org/content/early/2017/07/03/bjgp17X691697/tab-e-letters
Letter to BMJ, 6 July 2017 – Judging the benefits and harms of medicines
http://www.bmj.com/content/357/bmj.j3129/rapid-responses
Appeared on BBC TV Reporting Scotland – 29 June 2017 – date of first meeting of Petitions Committee to discuss petition on prescribed drug dependence
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-40442178
20 June 2017 – Invited to speak on Kaye Adams Radio Programme but was abruptly cut off by presenter, Louise White. Later received an apology.
Letter to BJGP, 31 May 2017 – Bad Medicine: Defensiveness
http://bjgp.org/content/67/659/272/tab-e-letters
Story in Daily Mail, 22 May 2017
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-4531548/Betrayed-doctors-turned-DRUG-ADDICTS.html
Letter to BJGP, 21 May 2017
http://bjgp.org/content/withdrawal-benzodiazepines
Petition to Petitions Committee, Scottish Parliament – May 2017
http://www.parliament.scot/GettingInvolved/Petitions/PE01651
Scottish Sunday Express covers Petition – 18 April 2017
Appearance on Scottish TV news, 18 November 2015
http://news.stv.tv/north/1332797-woman-addicted-to-prescription-drugs-for-40-years-robbed-of-life/
Contact with veteran campaigners such as Barry Haslam, Oldham. Barry has campaigned on this issue for 30 years.
http://www.benzo.org.uk/barry.htm
APPG House of Commons
The personal stories of Fiona French and Ann Kelly have been shared with the All Party Parliamentary Group on PDD recently set up in the House of Commons. Marion Brown, Recovery and Renewal, Helensburgh attended meeting on 24 November 2015.
STV news item – November 2015
http://news.stv.tv/north/1332797-woman-addicted-to-prescription-drugs-for-40-years-robbed-of-life/
Petition to Shona Robison, Cabinet Secretary for Health
Contact with Politicians
Fiona French has written to her MP, Kirsty Blackman, SNP and an email has been sent to every MSP. A few have responded positively. Cameron Buchanan, Cons, tabled a Parliamentary Question on the subject of PDD in December 2015.
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/BusinessBulletin/94637.aspx
Newspapers/radio
Scotland on Sunday published a small piece on 22 November 2015.
The Daily Record published a two page spread on 8 February 2016.
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/health/two-scots-women-who-suffered-7328665#Iq1ZXlGZktK5FwOz.97
Fiona French spoke briefly on Radio Scotland on 8 February 2016.
- “Louise White sits in” – starting at just over 1 hour
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b055jkys/episodes/player
11 July 2016 – first World Benzodiazepine Awareness Day
- Early day motion in the House of Commons
- https://www.parliament.uk/edm/2016-17/264
