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LETTERS: Derek A Summerfield Depression should be managed like a chronic disease: What exactly is "depression"? BMJ 2006; 332: 1154-a [Full text]

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Post Illich

Gordon R Morse   (15 May 2006)

Ordinary Human Suffering?

Alan Wood   (16 May 2006)

Diagnosis and the GMC

Andrew J McBride   (18 May 2006)

Post Illich 15 May 2006
Gordon R Morse, Trust Specialist West Wiltshire Specialist Drug and Alcohol Service BA14 8BR Send response to journal: Re: Post Illich	Dr Summerfield's points are well said and well put.....But particularly his last sentance. Is it not strange that this vast organisation which we work for has no philosophical basis whatsoever? what is the NHS meant to actually do? as long as research is sponsored by Big Pharma, inevitably we will be encouraged to find people to treat with the drugs that they make. All manner of "conditions" which were hitherto accepted as being a variant of normality, are now diseases from which we must (apparently) be insitutionally relieved. And others are misrepresented - hence the noteworthy points on unhappiness and sadness becoming "depression". Ivan Illich made all sorts of predictions back in 1975 when he wrote "Limits to Medicine", but even his gloomy predictions have fallen well short - the relentless invasion of Medicalisation into people's lives shows a determination and power that Genghis Khan would have envied. Unfortunately of course, no politicians have the guts to honestly debate this with the public, who are as eager to consume all these scientific "advances" as us doctors are eager to profit by them. It can't last of course, but hopefully long enough to my retirement! Keep making this points in public, they need to be made. Competing interests: None declared
Ordinary Human Suffering? 16 May 2006
Alan Wood, Psychiatrist perth W.A. Send response to journal: Re: Ordinary Human Suffering?	Like the emperor’s lack of clothes it is very refreshing to see the notion of Depression questioned. In 30 years in medicine I have watched the “epidemic “ of depression rise up Tsunami like. Like the tectonic movements , hidden underwater which created the recent Asian Tsunami. The shifts in therapeutics, popular western culture, medical practice and belief systems have been largely hidden from view, and not discussed. Lets have more discussion of Freud’s “Ordinary human misery’s “ interface with disease. More discussion of the 30 or more % improvement on placebo which occurs in antidepressant clinical trials as well. Drug company sponsored discussion, of course. Competing interests: None declared
Diagnosis and the GMC 18 May 2006
Andrew J McBride, Consultant Psychiatrist Rectory Centre Rectory Road, Oxford, OX4 1BU Send response to journal: Re: Diagnosis and the GMC	Dr Summerfield is clearly absolutely wrong. We all need to be able to state, with majesty and gravitas (but without irony), that; "Mr(s) X suffers from recurrent depressive disorder, mild, without somatic syndrome, currently in remission (F33.4)." Failure to be willing to do so can lead to embarassing moments at the GMC. Competing interests: I recently spent a miserable 30 minutes trying, in a less scholarly manner than Dr Summerfield, to explain psychiatric nosology to a GMC panel