Professor David Healy
Dr David Healy found himself at the heart of the overmedicating debate. He was employed by SmithKline Beecham in the 1980s as a clinical trialist for paroxetine (Paxil / Seroxat) which they'd bought from Ferrosan in 1978.
Since 1990, he has taught at Cardiff University and been a Consultant Psychiatrist.
In 2001, he was offered a job at the University of Toronto, which was withdrawn at the last minute after Healy mentioned the now well-known view that "Prozac and other SSRIs can lead to suicide."
Later in 2001, Healy was asked to uncover documents buried by Smithkline Beecham in the case of Donald Schell, who killed his wife, daughter and granddaughter after 2 days on Paxil. In private, Healy was shown no less than 34 buried studies on Paxil. He testified that he knew of several he was not shown.
Despite this ruling, and despite the MHRA having had the information for 10 years, doctors and psychiatrists were still overprescribing Paxil/Seroxat, which is responsible for up to 19,000 deaths in the US. Even Richard Brook's well-publicised resignation made no difference. Only after Lord Warner intervened did the MHRA halve the maximum dose.
Healy is interviewed in this BBC documentary, Mind Games (shortened version, 8 mins, Windows Media format)
Here is a must-read interview on effectiveness of SSRIs and suicide he did with Rick Giombetti.
Wikipedia's article on David Healy is currently excellent (24/5/06)