Most-Prescribed, Top-Selling Psychiatric Drugs
A recent article in Medscape listed the top 100 most-prescribed and top-selling drugs to date. Here are the listings for psychiatric drugs.
| Rank | Drug (Brand Name) | Total Sales Through March 2014 |
| 1 | Abilify | $6,885,243,368 |
| 8 | Cymbalta | $4,095,537,942 |
| 18 | Lyrica | $2,611,451,728 |
| 28 | Vyvanse | $1,848,814,801 |
| 39 | Seroquel XR | $1,251,615,894 |
| 60 | Lunesta | $927,689,337 |
| 68 | Invega Sustenna | $831,061,694 |
| 89 | Pristiq | $660,397,547 |
| 91 | Focalin XR | $647,720,027 |
| 94 | Strattera | $640,562,124 |
| 95 | Latuda | $639,903,393 |
| Rank | Drug (Brand Name) | Total Prescriptions To March 2014 |
| 6 | Cymbalta | 14,487,742 |
| 8 | Vyvanse | 9,914,366 |
| 10 | Lyrica | 9,578,165 |
| 15 | Abilify | 8,747,749 |
| 45 | Lunesta | 3,156,599 |
| 48 | Pristiq | 3,119,322 |
| 50 | Focalin XR | 3,036,103 |
| 58 | Seroquel XR | 2,423,659 |
| 59 | Strattera | 2,396,488 |
| 61 | Chantix | 2,149,709 |
Richard Hughes and Robert Brewin, authors of The Tranquilizing of America, warned that although psychotropic drugs may appear “to ‘take the edge off’ anxiety, pain, and stress, they also take the edge off life itself … these pills not only numb the pain but numb the whole mind.” In fact close study reveals that none of them can cure, all have side effects, some horrific, and due to their addictive and psychotropic properties, many people believe that they cannot deal with life without them.
However, a person could drink alcohol or take cocaine and may think they “feel better.” It doesn’t make it right and, in the case of psychiatric drugs, it is potentially very dangerous because the drugs mask physical conditions, which left untreated, can be catastrophic.
Because of the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), psychiatrists have deceived millions into thinking that the best answer to life’s many routine problems and challenges lies with the “latest and greatest” psychiatric drug.
CCHR believes that everyone has the right to full informed consent regarding psychiatric drugs and other psychiatric treatments, including:
- The scientific/medical test confirming any alleged diagnoses of psychiatric disorder and the right to refute any psychiatric diagnoses of mental “illness” that cannot be medically confirmed.
- Full disclosure of all documented risks of any proposed drug or “treatment.”
- The right to be informed of all available medical treatments which do not include the administration of a psychiatric drug or treatment.
- The right to refuse any treatment the patient considers harmful.
Violence and suicide can be deadly side effects of taking various psychotropic drugs. It could also be dangerous to immediately cease taking psychiatric drugs because of potential significant withdrawal side effects. No one should stop taking any psychiatric drug without the advice and assistance of a competent, non-psychiatric medical doctor.
The latest news about Santa Barbara spree killer Elliot Rodger is exposing his psychiatric treatment and psychiatric drug prescriptions. Elliot Rodger opened fire in Isla Vista, Calif. on the night of May 23 near the University of California, Santa Barbara campus. Seven are confirmed dead, including Elliot, and seven more are injured. CCHR says “let’s see the autopsy toxicology report to find out what drugs he was really taking.”