CCHR Urges Consumers to Heed Psychotropic Drug Violent Side Effects

The Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR) has issued a call for consumers to be better informed about the potential violent and suicidal adverse effects of psychotropic drugs. The organization urges patients to read prescription drug labeling for warnings and to ask prescribing physicians to explain these risks, even if they are listed as rare. This follows recent news reports of violent crimes where individuals were allegedly taking or withdrawing from antidepressants, stimulants, or other psychiatric drugs. CCHR highlights that such incidents underscore a broader consumer issue: patients should be fully aware of what regulators and manufacturers disclose about these drugs, and prescribers should ensure that risks are clearly communicated.

Jan Eastgate, president of CCHR International, emphasizes that a 'rare' warning buried in a package insert is insufficient for meaningful informed consent. She argues that listing a side effect as rare does not mean the patient was told about it or agreed to take that risk. The debate extends to legal and professional realms, as seen in a recent Psychiatric Times article discussing whether psychiatrists bear responsibility for patients' criminal behavior linked to psychiatric polypharmacy. CCHR points to a compilation of international regulatory warnings showing a 1,040% increase in warnings involving violence, aggression, or hostility since 2004, with thirteen notices specifically referencing homicidal ideation.

Specific examples include homicidal ideation added to extended-release venlafaxine labeling in 2005, a boxed neuropsychiatric warning for bupropion in 2009, and a class-wide warning for CNS stimulants in 2023. CCHR stresses that a warning on a label does not guarantee that a patient has seen or understood it. The organization advocates for prescribers to explain potential serious behavioral adverse effects and document that patients received this information. CCHR, established in 1969 by the Church of Scientology and Dr. Thomas Szasz, continues to push for transparency and accountability in psychiatric treatment, urging consumers to be vigilant and not to abruptly stop medications without medical supervision.