The dangers and benefits of psychiatric medications: UNE’s Karen Houseknecht educates the public

Karen Houseknecht, Ph.D., professor of pharmacology at the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine, gave a talk about the benefits and limitations of therapeutic options for treating brain disorders as part of the MDI Science Café series through the MDI Biological Laboratory.

Houseknecht’s research focuses on the side effects of psychiatric drugs. Her talk, titled, “Improving the Health of Patients with Mental Illness: Dancing On and Off the Label,” included the data behind the safety and efficacy of psychiatric medications, and the roles played by the FDA, prescribers, mental health professionals, families and communities in patient health. Houseknecht also discussed how stigmas associated with mental illness and access to care affect patient health.

To learn more about the University of New England’s College of Osteopathic Medicine, visit www.une.edu/com

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