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THE FDA PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGIC DRUGS ADVISORY COMMITTEE HEARINGS 2006
DR. PINE: Thank you. The next speaker is Rosemary Dorsett.
MS. DORSETT: My name is Rosemary Dorsett and I am here to speak to you about my son Noie Crossco. This is my son. He was 26 years old. This is happier days. This is one of his many hiking trips. (Showing photograph.)
MS. DORSETT; On July 15, 2004, my 26-year-old son went for a complete physical. During his visit, he mentioned to his doctor that he was going through a tough time. A friend of his had recently passed, and he was experiencing financial difficulties.
His general practitioner gave him a prescription for fluoxetine, commonly called “Prozac,” a thirty-day supply plus two refills.
Within days of beginning the medication, Noie had problems sleeping, eating, and complained of not feeling right. I became alarmed and suggested he stop taking the pills, but Noie
decided to give it a chance and allow for the three weeks.
Noie’s symptoms continued to worsen and he became withdrawn, nervous, and again complained of not feeling normal. He told me he found it difficult to approach customers at work and had trouble staying still. My son was losing weight rapidly.
One morning he told me that the night before he heard someone calling out to him from our living room, yet when he answered no one was there.
On Friday morning, August 20, 2004, just four and a half weeks after beginning the Prozac, my son showered, dressed in his favorite Dodger jersey, he kissed his sister, drove over to a
friend’s garage one block away from home, and he shot himself in the chest.
This tragedy has left those of us that knew and loved Noie completely shocked as this senseless act was completely out of character for my son.
Noie was a kind, loving, thoughtful, respectable, and peaceful person. He loved his family, his cat, his friends, his motorcycle, and even his job.
Noie enjoyed life and looked forward to the future. My son had no prior history of any diagnosed mental illness or disorder, nor did he have a history of violence. I and those who knew
Noie have no doubt that this dangerous drug is to blame for his suicide. Thank you.
(Applause.)
DR. PINE: Thank you.