(2004-06-29) National Mental Health Policy

Jeanne Lenzer writes in the British Medical Journal that George W Bush's national Mental Health [plans](http://www.mentalhealthcommission.gov/reports/Final Report/toc.html) , based on his Texas TMAP program, may be tained by PharmCo bias. AllenJones, an employee of the Pennsylvania Office of the Inspector General, revealed that key officials with influence over the medication plan in his state received money and perks from drug companies with a stake in the medication algorithm (15 May, p1153). He was sacked this week for speaking to the BMJ and the New York Times... Eli Lilly, manufacturer of olanzapine, has multiple ties to the Bush administration. George H W Bush Sr was a member of Lilly's board of directors and Bush Jr appointed Lilly's chief executive officer, Sidney Taurel, to a seat on the Homeland Security Council. Lilly made $1.6m in political contributions in 2000 - 82% of which went to Bush and the Republican Party.