NAMI and Drug Companies

US Senate Probe Discovers:

Most NAMI Money is From Psychiatric Drug Industry

By MindFreedom News

NAMI has admitted to a US Senate probe that a majority of their funds
over the last five years, 56 percent on average, have been from drug
corporations. NAMI has agreed with the probe to immediately begin
quarterly postings to their web site with a list of drug company
donations and amounts.

MindFreedom obtained a letter sent last week by NAMI executive
director Michael J. Fitzpatrick to "NAMI Leaders and Members." The
letter is a response to the probe of NAMI by US Senator Charles
Grassley (R-IA) initiated on 6 April 2009.

In the 28 April letter, copied below, Mr. Fitzpatrick wrote, "As
reported to Senator Grassley, pharmaceutical companies contributed an
average of 56% of national NAMI's budget annually for the period 2005
- 2009."

Mr. Fitzpatrick passionately defends the drug company donations, but
says NAMI has a strategic plan to lower the percentage.

Commented MindFreedom director, David Oaks, "The NAMI board should
have listened to its own Consumer Council which voted for full
disclosure many years ago, but was ignored."

MindFreedom maintains a count of the number of times the NAMI web site
uses the phrase "biologically based" when referring to mental health
problems. Said Oaks, "There are as many theories about the cause of
extreme mental problems as there are colors in the rainbow.
Unfortunately, NAMI's rainbow is mainly green -- drug company money
green. Now we know why."

MindFreedom is encouraging an international "thank you" from everyone
to Senator Grassley for investigating psychiatric drug money
corruption, click here:

http://grassley.senate.gov/contact.cfm

~ ~ ~

LETTER FROM NAMI EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR MICHAEL J. FITZPATRICK:

April 28, 2009

Dear NAMI Leaders and Members,

On April 6, 2009 Senator Charles Grassley asked NAMI national to
provide information about support it receives from pharmaceutical
companies. For the last three years, Senator Grassley has been
interested in various aspects of the pharmaceutical industry and has
made similar requests to other non-profit groups.

NAMI shares Senator Grassley's interest in transparency and has
cooperated fully with this request. Since the request was made, three
basic questions have been posed that are worth sharing and answering.

Does NAMI accept contributions from pharmaceutical companies?

Yes, we do -- and we're delighted to have this critical support for
our many programs and important work all across the country.

NAMI accepts charitable contributions from individuals, foundations
and corporations, including the pharmaceutical industry, for one
purpose -- to improve the lives of people with mental illness and
their families. These relationships are governed by NAMI's Guidelines
for Business Support Relationships, a NAMI policy originally developed
and approved by the Board of Directors in 2004. This policy ensures
that at all times NAMI will maintain an independent position on issues
affecting the welfare of people with mental illness. A copy of this
policy is available online at http://www.nami.org/BusinessGuidelines.

As you know from our strategic plan ( http://www.nami.org/stratplan ),
NAMI's goal is to reduce the percentage of our budget that is
supported by charitable donations from pharmaceutical companies.

While we deeply appreciate the support we have received, we set this
goal because we understand the value of diversifying our funding
sources -- both for fiscal stability and because we want to shed any
lingering, unfair accusations that somehow NAMI has been "bought" -- I
can assure you: nothing could be further from the truth. NAMI's
advocacy voice is loud and clear and uncompromised.

As reported to Senator Grassley, pharmaceutical companies contributed
an average of 56% of national NAMI's budget annually for the period
2005 to 2009. Many of NAMI's signature education programs, including
Family-to-Family, Peer-to-Peer, NAMI Connection, In Our Own Voice and
NAMI Basics have national corporate sponsors.

These programs are the essence of your work in your communities. They
are offered free of charge to thousands of consumers and families who
participate in them each year. Without support of these companies, we
would be hard-pressed to bring you these vital programs. Corporate
grants and charitable contributions also support the NAMI Web site,
Mental Illness Awareness Week, and other public education and advocacy
efforts.

Can we see who is giving NAMI what?

Yes, you can.

NAMI National has long made public lists of major corporate and
foundation donors in our annual reports, which you can view online: http://www.nami.org/governance
. In 2009, we have begun posting on the NAMI Web site on a quarterly
basis all foundation and corporate grants and corporate contributions
over $5,000 received by NAMI national. The first list covers January-
March 2009 and can also be viewed at http://www.nami.org/governance.

Now what?

We continue our incredibly important work together, at the national,
state and local level, on behalf of one of the most vulnerable and
discriminated against populations in our country.

NAMI has long enjoyed a great national reputation. In fact, NAMI is
one of only 248 national non-profit organizations that received the
BBB Wise Giving Alliance Charity Seal this year from the charity
monitoring organization affiliated with the Better Business Bureau.
Perhaps you saw BBB’s ad in USA Today two weeks ago which heralded
the exclusive list. NAMI also received three out of four stars from
Charity Navigator and is its number one rated mental health
organization.

Thank you for the tremendous work you do, day in and day out. If you
have any thoughts or questions, I hope you will be in touch.

Thanks,

Mike

Michael J. Fitzpatrick, MSW
Executive Director
NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness)
2107 Wilson Blvd., Suite 300
Arlington, VA 2201
mfitzpatrick@nami.org
703-516-7977