AstraZeneca sponsors DBSA National Contest: Living With Depression, Bipolar & MDD

AstraZeneca, makers of the antipsychotic SEROQUEL has teamed up with DBSA (Depression Bipolar Support Alliance) by funding a National Contest:

From AstraZeneca's website:

National contest encourages people with depressive symptoms of bipolar disorder or major depressive disorder to speak out

July 20, 2010 – Wilmington, DE – Currently in its second year, the SPEAK and Be Heard… Living With Depression contest, made possible by AstraZeneca in partnership with the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA), encourages people with depressive symptoms of bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder (also called depression) to share their stories of success. Submissions are now being accepted for the program, and finalists, selected by judges from patient, advocacy, healthcare, literary, film, music and art communities, will have the opportunity to inspire people living with unresolved symptoms of depression such as sadness and loss of interest in activities once enjoyed through their stories of successfully managing their disease.1

Combined, bipolar disorder and depression affect as many as 22 million American adults1,2,3,4 and, in a clinical study, nearly 2 out of 3 people with depression experience unresolved symptoms after initial antidepressant treatment.5

Stories can be submitted online at SpeakAboutDepression in the form of an essay, song, art, poetry, or video. To qualify, essay, song and poem submissions must be received by August 13; and art and video submissions by September 10. "
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In bed with the drug company

It appears that DBSA has joined the ranks with NAMI receiving pharamceutical funding from AstraZeneca. The contest is sponsored by a drug company that makes Seroquel, an antipsychotic, turned antidepressant via a marketing campaign, a company that is in current litigation for 26,000 lawsuits by injured patients who became diabetic while taking the drug (alleged). AstraZeneca was fined $520 million dollars by the US DOJ for marketing ethics.

THE CONTEST RULES

YOU MUST BE IN CURRENT MEDICATION TREATMENT (ON PILLS)

"Any US Citizen between the ages of 19-64 who has been professionally diagnosed with bipolar disorder or major depressive disorder (often referred to simply as depression), is currently under professional medical care and medical treatment, and has successfully managed the depressive symptoms for at least six months is invited to submit a success story–in the form of a written essay, song, artwork, poem, or video—for the SPEAK and Be Heard … Living With Depression campaign."
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A contest based on a medication based treatment paradigm, sponsored by a $32 BILLION dollar drug company, that promotes Seroquel for bipolar and depression treatment.

Speak and be heard, indeed.

How about beating depression with walking, running, biking, swimming, talk therapy, pet therapy, healthy diet, yoga....oh, but no pills involved disqualifies you, and bet your last dollar that your story will be chosen if you toot the horn loud enough that Seroquel is your personal wonder drug. (actually, you will be disqualfied if you name the drug names, after all that could be conflict of interest, and AstraZeneca nevertolerates THAT.) But, you will have to release an authorization of medical records ( identifying health information) for proof of treatment on the entry form. Just how much do you want AstraZenena to know about you for their demographics?



FINE PRINT IF YOU ENTER

*"Submissions will not be returned. Per the authorization form (electric and hardcopy), you give DBSA and AstraZeneca permission to use, reproduce, and disclose your submission in the United States, in any media, including radio, television, print publications, and the Internet (including DBSA and AstraZeneca web properties) for purposes of educating people on bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder through educational, promotional, and commercial programs that are related to the SPEAK and Be Heard … Living with Depression program."

In other words, you have now signed on to be a patient representative of AstraZeneca to promote their drugs (product) via the guise of a contest and educational of the public. (You are an unpaid pharma rep, and a DTC promotion of AstraZeneca as a result of just entering the contest. Whether you take Seroquel or Zyprexa, Cymbalta or Lexapro, Risperdal or Abilify, Depakote or Trileptal, Neurontin or Lithium....whatever you take, your info will be used by AstraZeneca to promote their company....which makes Seroquel.