Assessing overmedication: Biology, philosophy and common sense

Acta Biotheoretica

Volumn 51, Issue 3, 2003, Pages 151-171

  Van Der Steen, Wim J ^a  

^a VU UNIVERSITY AMSTERDAM   (Netherlands)

Author keywords

Catatonia; Depression; Diet; Drug regulation; Ecology; Fatty acid; NSAID; Omeprazole; Pharmaceutical industry; Philosophy of science; Schizophrenia; Ulcer

Indexed keywords

ANTACID AGENT; DRUG; NONSTEROID ANTIINFLAMMATORY AGENT; OMEGA 3 FATTY ACID;

MEDICINE;

ARTICLE; DIET THERAPY; DRUG INDUSTRY; DRUG THERAPY; HUMAN; MENTAL DISEASE; METHODOLOGY; PEPTIC ULCER; PHILOSOPHY; PSYCHOLOGICAL ASPECT;

ANTACIDS; ANTI-INFLAMMATORY AGENTS, NON-STEROIDAL; DIET THERAPY; DRUG INDUSTRY; DRUG THERAPY; FATTY ACIDS, OMEGA-3; HUMANS; MENTAL DISORDERS; PEPTIC ULCER; PHARMACEUTICAL PREPARATIONS; PHILOSOPHY, MEDICAL;

EID: 0043068056     PISSN: 00015342     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1023/A:1025119821313     Document Type: Article

References (89)

1. Abraham, J. (1995). Science, Politics and the Pharmaceutical Industry: Controversy and Bias in Drug Regulation. UCL Press, London.
2. Alcaraz, A. and J. Kelly (2002). Treatment of an infected venous leg ulcer with honey dressings. British Journal of Nursing 11: 859-866.
3. Allison, M.J., T. Bergman and E. Gerszten (1999). Further studies on fecal parasites in antiquity. American Journal of Clinical Pathology 112: 605-609.
4. Almallah, Y.Z., S.W. Ewen, A. El-Tahir, N.A. Mowat, P.W. Brunt, T.S. Sinclair, S.D. Heys and O. Eremin (2000). Distal proctocolitis and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs): the mucosal effect in situ. Journal of Clinical Immunology 20: 68-76.
5. Assies, J., R. Lieverse, P. Vreken, R.J. Wanders, P.M. Dingemans and D.H. Linszen (2001). Significantly reduced docosahexaenoic and docosapentaenoic acid concentrations in erythrocyte membranes from schizophrenic patients compared with a carefully matched control group. Biological Psychiatry 49: 510-522.
6. Barham, J.B., M.B. Edens, A.N. Fonteh, M.M. Johnson, L. Easter and F. H. Chilton (2000). Addition of eicosapentaenoic acid to gamma-linolenic acid-supplemented diets prevents serum arachidonic acid accumulation in humans. Journal of Nutrition 130: 1925-1931.
7. Baron, J.H. and A. Sonnenberg (2001). Period- and cohort-age contours of deaths from gastric and duodenal ulcer in New York 1804-1998. American Journal of Gastroenterology 96: 2887-2891.
8. Baron, J.H. and A. Sonnenberg (2002). Hospital admissions for peptic ulcer and indigestion in London and New York in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Gut 50: 568-570.
9. Bekelman, J.E., Y. Li and C.P. Gross (2003). Scope and impact of financial conflicts of interest in biomedical research: a systematic review. Journal of the American Medical Association 289: 454-465.
10. Boyle, M. (2002). Schizophrenia: A Scientific Delusion? Routledge, East Sussex (second edition).
11. Bandyopadhyay, D., K. Biswas, M. Bhattacharyya, R.J. Reiter and R.K. Banerjee (2001). Gastric toxicity and mucosal ulceration induced by oxygen-derived reactivespecies: protection by melatonin. Current Molecular Medicine 1: 501-513.
12. Calder, P.C. (1997). N-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and cytokine production in health and disease. Annals of Nutrition & Metabolism 41: 203-234.
13. De Boer, W.A. and G.N.J. Tytgat (2000). Treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection. British Medical Journal 320: 31-34.
14. Djulbegovic, B., M. Lacevic, A. Cantor, K.K. Fields, C.L. Bennett, J.R. Adams, N.M. Kuderer and G.H. Lyman (2000). The uncertainty principle and industry-sponsored research. Lancet 356: 635-638.
15. Double, D. (2002). The limits of psychiatry. British Medical Journal 324: 900-904.
16. Drago, L., Mombelli, B., Ciardo, G., De Vecchi, E. and Gismondo, M.R. (1999). Effects of three different fish oil formulations on Helicobacter pylori growth and viability: in vitro study. Journal of Chemotherapy 11: 207-210.
17. Dunford, C., R. Cooper, P. Molan and R. White (2000). The use of honey in wound management. Nursing Standard 15: 63-68.
18. Eaton, S.B. and M. Konner (1985). Paleolithic nutrition: A consideration of its nature and current implications. New England Journal of Medicine 312: 283-289.
19. Edwards, R., M. Peet, J. Shay and D. Horrobin (1998). Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid levels in the diet and in red blood cell membranes of depressed patients. Journal of Affective Disorders 48: 149-155.
20. Ergas, D., E. Eilat, S. Mendlovic and Z.M. Sthoeger (2002). N-3 fatty acids and the immune system in autoimmunity. Israel Medical Association Journal 4: 34-38.
21. Ernst, P.B. and J. Pappo (2001). T-cell-mediated mucosal immunity in the absence of antibody: lessons from Helicobacter pylori infection. Acta Odontologica Scandinavica 59: 216-221.
22. Ernst, P.B., H. Takaishi and S.E. Crowe (2001). Helicobacter pylori infection as a model for gastrointestinal immunity and chronic inflammatory diseases. Digestive Diseases 19: 104-111.
23. Even, C., E. Siobud-Dorocant and R.M. Dardennes (2000). Critical approach to antidepressant trials. Blindness protection is necessary, feasible and measurable. British Journal of Psychiatry 177: 47-51.
24. Fenton, W.S., F. Dickerson, J. Boronow, J.R. Hibbeln and M. Knable (2001). A placebo-controlled trial of omega-3 fatty acid (ethyl eicosapentaenoic acid) supplementation for residual symptoms and cognitive impairment in schizophrenia. American Journal of Psychiatry 158: 2071-2074.
25. Fisher, S., and R.P. Greenberg (eds) (1997). From Placebo to Panacea: Putting Psychiatric Drugs to the Test. John Wiley & Sons, New York.
26. Gharzouli, K., A. Gharzouli, S. Amira and S. Khennouf (2001). Protective effect of mannitol, glucose-fructose-sucrose-maltose mixture, and natural honey hyperosmolar solutions against ethanol-induced gastric mucosal damage in rats. Experimental and Toxicologic Pathology 53: 175-80.
27. Goodman, K.W. (2003). Ethics and Evidence-Based Medicine. Fallibility and Responsibility in Clinical Science. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
28. Grimble, R.F. (2001). Nutritional modulation of immune function. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society 60: 389-97.
29. Grimm, H., K. Mayer, P. Mayser and E. Eigenbrodt (2002). Regulatory potential of n-3 fatty acids in immunological and inflammatory processes. British Journal of Nutrition 87, Supplement 1: S59-S67.
30. Guess, H.A., A. Kleinman, J.W. Kusek and L.W. Engel (eds) (2002). The Science of the Placebo: Toward an Interdisciplinary Research Agenda. BMJ Books, London.
31. Harrington, A. (ed.) (1997). The Placebo Effect: An Interdisciplinary Exploration. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
32. Hawkey, C.J. (2002). Cyclooxygenase inhibition: Between the devil and the deep blue sea. Gut 50, Supplement 3: S25-S30.
33. Healy, D. (2002). The Creation of Psychopharmacology. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
34. Holman, R.T. (1997). Omega3 and omega6 essential fatty acid status in human health and disease. In S. Yehuda and D.I. Mostofsky (eds), Handbook of Essential Fatty Acid Biology: Biochemistry, Physiology, and Behavioral Neurobiology. Humana Press, Totowa, New Jersey, pp. 139-182.
35. Horrobin, D.F. (1997). Fatty acids, phospholipids, and schizophrenia. In: S. Yehuda and D.I. Mostofsky (eds), Handbook of Essential Fatty Acid Biology: Biochemistry, Physiology, and Behavioral Neurobiology. Humana Press, Totowa, New Jersey, pp. 245-256.
36. Horrobin, D.F., K. Jenkins, C.N. Bennett and W.W. Christie (2002). Eicosapentaenoic acid and arachidonic acid: collaboration and not antagonism is the key to biological understanding. Prostaglandins, Lenkotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids 66: 83-90.
37. Innocenti, M., A.C. Thoreson, R.L. Ferrero, E. Stromberg, I. Bolin, L. Eriksson, A.M. Svennerholm and M. Quiding-Jarbrink (2002). Helicobacter pylori-induced activation of human endothelial cells. Infection and Immunity 70: 4581-4590.
38. Jacobs (1995). Psychiatric drugging: Forty years of pseudo-science, self-interest, and indifference to harm. The Journal of Mind and Behavior 16: 421-470.
39. Jacobs, D.H. (1999). A close and critical examination of how psychopharmacotherapy research is conducted. The Journal of Mind and Behavior 20: 311-350.
40. James, M.J., R.A. Gibson and L.G. Cleland (2000). Dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids and inflammatory mediator production. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 71: S343-S348.
41. Joy, C.B., R. Mumby-Croft and L.A. Joy (2001). Polyunsaturated fatty acid (fish or evening primrose oil) for schizophrenia (Cochrane Review). The Cochrane Library Issue 3.
42. Jüni, P., A.W.S. Rutjes and P.A. Dieppe (2002). Are selective COX 2 inhibitors superior to traditional non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs? Adequate analysis of the CLASS trial indicates that this may not be the case. British Medical Journal 324: 1287-1288.
43. Kelley, D.S. (2001). Modulation of human immune and inflammatory responses by dietary fatty acids. Nutrition 17: 669-673.
44. Kirsch, I., T.J. Moore, A. Scoboria and S.S. Nicholls (2002). The emperor's new drugs: An analysis of antidepressant medication. Prevention and Treatment 5: 15 July (online, no page numbers).
45. Kjaergard, L.L. and B. Als-Nielsen (2002). Association between competing interests and authors' conclusions: epidemiological study of randomised clinical trials published in the BMJ. British Medical Journal 325: 249-252.
46. Kremer, J.M. (2000). N-3 fatty acid supplements in rheumatoid arthritis', American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 71: S349-S351.
47. Lam, S.K. (1993). Epidemiology and genetics of peptic ulcer. Gastroenterologia Japanica 28, Supplement 5: S145-S157.
48. Laugharne, J.D., J.E. Mellor and M. Peet (1996). Fatty acids and schizophrenia. Lipids 31, Supplement: S163-S165.
49. Lohoff, M., M. Rollinghoff and F. Sommer (2000). Helicobacter pylori gastritis: a Th1 mediated disease? Journal of Biotechnology 83: 33-36.
50. Mahadik, S.P., D. Evans and H. Lal (2001). Oxidative stress and role ofantioxidant and omega-3 essential fatty acid supplementation in schizophrenia. Progress in Neuropsychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry 25: 463-493.
51. Mansour-Ghanaei, F., M.S. Fallah and A. Shafaghi (2002). Eradication of Helicobacter pylori in duodenal ulcer disease tetracycline & furazolidone vs. metronidazole & amoxicillin in omeprazole based triple therapy. Medical Science Monitor 8: PI27-PI30.
52. Mayer, K., M. Merfels, M. Muhly-Reinholz, S. Gokorsch, S. Rosseau, J. Lohmeyer, N. Schwarzer, M. Krull, N. Suttorp, F. Grimminger and W. Seeger (2002). Omega-3 fatty acids suppress monocyte adhesion to human endothelial cells: role of endothelial PAF generation. American Journal of Physiology, Heart and Circulatory Physiology 283: H811-H818.
53. McCarthy, M.F. (2001). Upregulation of lymphocyte apoptosis as a strategy for preventing and treating autoimmune disorders: a role for whole-food vegan diets, fish oil and dopamine agonists. Medical Hypotheses 57: 258-275.
54. Mellor, J.E., J.D. Laugharne and M. Peet (1995). Schizophrenic symptoms and dietary intake of n-3 fatty acids. Schizophrenia Research 18: 85-86.
55. Mengle-Gaw, L.J., and B.D. Schwartz (2002). Cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors: promise or peril? Mediators of Inflammation 11: 275-286.
56. Misciagna, G., A.M. Cisternino and J. Freudenheim (2000). Diet and duodenal ulcer. Journal of Digestive and Liver Disease 32: 468-472.
57. Misiewicz, J.J. (1997). Is the only good Helicobacter a dead Helicobacter? Helicobacter 2, Supplement 1: S89-S91.
58. Moncrieff, J. (2001). Are antidepressants overrated? A review of methodological problems in antidepressant trials. Journal of Nervous and Mental Diseases 189: 288-295.
59. Natarajan, S., D. Williamson, J. Grey, K.G. Harding and R.A. Cooper (2001). Healing of an MRSA-colonized, hydroxyurea-induced leg ulcer with honey. Journal of Dermatological Treatment 12: 33-36.
60. Peet M., J.D. Laugharne, J. Mellor and C.N. Ramchand (1996). Essential fatty acid deficiency in erythrocyte membranes from chronic schizophrenic patients, and the clinical effects of dietary supplementation. Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids 55: 71-75.
61. Peet, M., J. Brind, C.N. Ramchand, S. Shah and G.K. Vankar (2001). Two double-blind placebo-controlled pilot studies of eicosapentaenoic acid in the treatment of schizophrenia. Schizophrenia Research 49: 243-251.
62. Peet, M. and D.F. Horrobin (2002). A dose-ranging exploratory study of the effects of ethyleicosapentaenoate in patients with persistent schizophrenic symptoms. Journal of Psychiatric Research 36: 7-18.
63. Peskar, B.M., N. Maricic, B. Gretzera, R. Schuligoi and A. Schmassmann (2001). Role of cyclooxygenase-2 in gastric mucosal defense. Life Sciences 69: 2993-3003.
64. Playford, R.J., T. Podas and I. Modlin (1999). Pantoprazole, Prout and the proton pump. Hospital Medicin 60: 500-504.
65. Root-Bernstein, R. and M. Root-Bernstein (1997). Honey, Mud, Maggots, and Other Medical Marvels: The Science Behind Folk Remedies and Old Wives' Tales. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston and New York.
66. Ruggiero, P., S. Peppoloni, D. Berti, R. Rappuoli and G.D. Giudice (2002). New strategies for the prevention and treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection. Expert Opinion on Investigational Drugs 11: 1127-1138.
67. Sethi, S., O. Ziouzenkova, H. Ni, D.D. Wagner, J. Plutzky and T.N. Mayadas (2002). Oxidized omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil inhibit leukocyte-endothelial interactions through activation of PPAR alpha. Blood 100: 1340-1346.
68. Sica, D.S., A.C. Schoolwerth and T.W. Gehr (2000). Pharmacotherapy in congestive heart failure: COX-2 inhibition: a cautionary note in congestive heart failure. Congestive Heart Failure 6: 272-276.
69. Simopoulos, A.P. (1991). Omega-3 fatty acids in health and disease and in growth and development. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 54: 438-463.
70. Simopoulos, A.P. (1997). Omega-3 fatty acids in the prevention-management of cardiovascular disease. Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology 75: 234-239.
71. Simopoulos, A.P. (1999). Essential fatty acids in health and chronic disease. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 70, supplement: 560S-569S.
72. Simopoulos, A.P. (2001a). The mediterranian diets: What is so special about the diet of Greece? Journal of Nutrition 131: 3065S-3073S.
73. Simopoulos, A.P. (2001b). N-3 fatty acids and human health: Defining strategies for public policy. Lipids 36: 583-589.
74. Stassi, G., A. Arena, A. Speranza, D. Iannello and P. Mastroeni (2002). Different modulation by live or killed Helicobacter pylori on cytokine production from peripheral blood mononuclear cells. New Microbiologica 25: 247-252.
75. Stoll, A.L. (2001). The Omega-3 Connection. Simon and Schuster, New York.
76. Sung, J.J. (2000). Where are we with current therapy? Helicobacter 5, Supplement 1: S17-S21.
77. Terada, S., M. Takizawa, S. Yamamoto, O. Ezaki, H. Itakura and K.S. Akagawa (2001). Suppressive mechanisms of EPA on human T cell proliferation. Microbiology and Immunology 45: 473-481.
78. Thagard, P. (1999). How Scientists Explain Disease. Princeton University Press, Princeton.
79. Tidow-Kebritchi, S., and S. Mobarhan (2001). Effects of diets containing fish oil and vitamin E on rheumatoid arthritis. Nutrition Review 59: 335-338.
80. Tovey, F.I., and Hobsley, M. (1998). Clarification of the link between polyunsaturated fatty acids and Helicobacter pylori-associated duodenal ulcer disease: a dietary intervention study. British Journal of Nutrition 80: 116-117.
81. Tovey, F.I., and Hobsley, M. (1999). Is Helicobacter pylori the primary cause of duodenal ulceration? Journal of Gastroenterological Hepatology 14: 1053-1056.
82. Trust, T.J., R.A. Alm and J. Pappo (2001). Helicobacter pylori: today's treatment, and possible future treatment. European Journal of Surgery, Supplement 586: S82-S88.
83. Van der Steen. W.J. (1993). A Practical Philosophy for the Life Sciences. SUNY Press, Albany.
84. Van der Steen, W.J. and V.K.Y. Ho (2001a). Drugs versus diets: disillusions with Dutch health care. Acta Biotheoretica 49: 125-140.
85. Van der Steen, W.J. and V.K.Y. Ho (2001b). Methods and Morals in the Life Sciences. A Guide for Analyzing and Writing Texts. Praeger, Westport.
86. Van der Steen, W.J., V.K.Y. Ho and F.J. Karmelk (2003). Beyond Boundaries of Biomedicine. Pragmatic Perspectives on Health and Disease. Rodopi, Amsterdam.
87. Villanueva, P., S. Peiro, J. Librero and I. Pereiro (2003). Accuracy of pharmaceutical advertisements in medical journals. Lancet 361: 27-32.
88. Wahlbeck, K., and C. Adams (1999). Beyond conflict of interest: sponsored drug trials show more favourable outcomes. British Medical Journal 318: 465.
89. Whitaker, R. (2002). Mad in America. Bad Science, Bad Medicine, and the Enduring Mistreatment of the Mentally Ill. Perseus Books, Cambridge, Massachusetts.