www.oakvillebeaver.com · OAKVILLE BEAVER Thursday, June 17, 2010 · 10 Life shouldn't be a chore Witness endorses province-wide prescription drugs monitoring system Continued from page 3 You have the independence to do what you want, when you want. Depend on us to give you the freedom to do it. You've worked too hard to be tied down to preparing meals and doing chores. Delmanor offers you a Tridel inspired retirement rental community with hotel style services and a staff as dependable as family. That means no chores and far less worry for you, your spouse and your children. After all, life shouldn't be a chore: · 24 hour concierge · Hotel-style services · Professional Healthcare staff on site · Dining Room with individual table service · LivingWell Centre · Piano & fireplace lounges · Pub, card and billiard lounge · Serenity Spa and massage facilities 1459 Nottinghill Gate (west of Dorval, south of Upper Middle) · Housekeeping and laundry services · Building-wide personal emergency response system (905) 469-3232 Call now for a personal tour. Ask about our move-in incentives. Prices and specifications subject to change without notice E&OE Visit www.delmanor.com for all our GTA locations. are receiving electric shocks all over their body. However, he said there is no evidence Sara went through this. Will noted the American FDA (Federal Drug Administration) said a sudden increase in dose of Paxil can cause suicidality. Juurlink said the increase would have to be extreme, such as suddenly moving from 10 mgs per day to 60 mgs per day. Will pointed out that in the days before her death Sara may have ingested as much as 120 mgs of Paxil in a 36-hour period to make up for doses she'd missed. Juurlink said it would be extremely unusual for this increase to cause suicidality. When asked by Will if patients should be told about the potential side effects of Paxil, including possible suicide, Juurlink said patients should be made aware and family members should also be advised so they can monitor for these side effects as well as the drug's progress. Juurlink acknowledged that if he had an 18year-old patient who asked for their information to be kept confidential, he would be required by law to respect that confidentiality, but said he would try to convince the patient about the importance of involving their family. The inquest heard testimony from Sara's family physician Dr. Tom Stanton on Monday that Sara was not told Paxil could potentially cause suicidal thoughts or suicide. Stanton did advise Sara to come back if the drug made her feel worse, but said suicide was not mentioned because it is very difficult to get a patient to take a drug when this side Speak up! You can comment on any story in today's Oakville Beaver at oakvillebeaver.com. effect is listed. In a follow up appointment, Dr. Lynne Benjamin said she did ask Sara if she was having any thoughts of hurting herself. According to the psychotherapist, Sara indicated she wasn't. Juurlink said a patient handout, like those handed out with Paxil prescriptions in British Columbia, outlining the side effects of Paxil would be an important thing to establish in Ontario. Juurlink also praised an idea to institute a province-wide monitoring system to allow health care professionals to know exactly what prescription drugs people under 66 are taking, how much they were issued and when. To date, no such system exists in Ontario with Juurlink pointing out that currently a person can see multiple doctors and get multiple prescriptions without the doctors' knowledge. Later in the day, Brent Fraser, the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care's director of drug program services, testified that SSRI use has grown considerably among the 12-19 age group in Ontario. It was pointed out that from 2005 to 2008 SSRI prescriptions for this group increased by 200 per cent from around 29,000 in 2005 to nearly 83,000 in 2008. Paroxitine (Paxil) prescriptions for this age group doubled during this period moving from 2,344 in 2005 to 4,200 in 2008. During his testimony on Monday, Sara's father Neil Carlin acknowledged that in the majority of cases Paxil probably helps the people who take it, however, he pointed out this does not mean the people who do experience negative side effects should be swept under the carpet. *** GlaxoSmithKline, the manufacturer of Paxil, has previously stated that patients should not stop taking Paxil without first consulting their doctor. Any concerns with the use of Paxil, should be discussed with the patient's health care professional. OVER 60,000 SATISFIED CUSTOMERS BEAT THE HST! HURRY GOV REBATE ENDS SOON Cocoon Furnishings Ë *See dealer # Best Price # Best Service for details # Same Day Installation Available # Eligible for O.P.A. & Government Rebate THE BIGGEST SALE EVER $ 500 OFF 9 Locations To Serve You Better! 2640 Bristol Circle, Oakville, Ontario L6H 6Z7 Ë 905.829.2780 Ë www.cocoonfurnishings.ca *Call Dealer for Details 905-849-4998 www.aireone.com 1-888-827-2665 A+ Rating