WH Derides Investigation That Exposed Drug Testing On Vets As ‘Irresponsible Reporting,’ ‘Awful’

[babylonsister]

http://thinkprogress.org/2008/06/17/wh-responds-vets-drugs/

White House Derides Investigation That Exposed Drug Testing On Vets As ‘Irresponsible Reporting,’ ‘Awful’


Today, the Washington Times reported on the results of a joint investigation with ABC, which concluded that “mentally distressed veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan are being recruited for government tests on pharmaceutical drugs linked to suicide and other violent side effects.”

In studies with the anti-smoking drug Chantix, for example, the VA “took three months to alert its patients about severe mental side effects.” In today’s press briefing, however, White House spokesperson Tony Fratto called the investigation “irresponsible” journalism, complaining that he “had to watch” the “awful” reporting:

I saw the reporting in your paper and on I think it was ABC this morning. I thought actually some of it was some of the most — certainly at least what I saw on television this morning was some of the more irresponsible reporting that I’ve ever seen, in terms of taking what this one — the experience of this one veteran and trying to leave the impression that this was a situation for all veterans. <…>

And to try to imply that — and, in fact, not even imply. I see the words scrolled on a television screen this morning that the V.A. is using our veterans as guinea pigs, I thought was one of the most awful things I’ve ever had to watch on television.

Watch it/read transcript at link~

If Fratto read the story instead of simply catching the scroll on a television screen, he’d know that thousands are potentially affected. Roughly nearly 1,000 veterans were enrolled in anti-smoking studies, with 143 using Chantix; 21 veterans reported “adverse effects,” including one who suffered suicidal thoughts.

Furthermore, the VA and other agencies are currently conducting 25 tests on 4,796 veterans, “more than half of whom are just returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.”

Fratto also praised the “wonderful leadership” of VA Secretary James Peake, who recently said that concerns about post-traumatic stress disorder in veterans are “overblown“.

[SpiralHawk]

1. republicon White House trying to cover up its disdain for our US veterans. Again.

As usual.

That's what you get with a National Guard deserter pretending to be pResident.

And an oil-man profiteer republicon clown with FIVE MILITARY DEFERMENTS as VP.

The republicon chickenhawks HATE our honorable veterans.

[Rick Myers]

2. I was given a Chantix prescription by my VA doctor

Then I was notified that I SHOULD NOT use it by the VA after it was added to 'prohibited' by the FAA for pilots and air traffic controllers.