E-letter on Drugs for Severe Psychiatric Illnesses —www.citizen.org/eletter
Public Citizen's Health Research Group, in consultation with the Treatment Advocacy Center, has created a new Web site to provide information to consumers and their families on current medications for severe psychiatric illnesses. Major depression, manic depression, and schizophrenia are described, along with the drugs most commonly prescribed for these disorders and adverse reactions that may occur. Visitors to the site can also select from a list of generic and brand names of drugs to read current information about adverse reactions. A section called "Ten Rules for Safer Drug Use" tells consumers what they can do to avoid such reactions. The site provides instructions on how to report adverse reactions to federal authorities by mail and fax and on the Internet.