The New Dark Age

Monday, 21 July 2025 — HART

SSRIs; WHO; Pushback on Assisted dying and late-stage abortion; No2digitalID

Antidepressant withdrawal – why do researchers keep downplaying it? Maryanne Demasi, 10th July 2025

Another insightful analysis of a JAMA systematic review, in which Maryanne picks numerous holes in their methodology, undermining their conclusion that withdrawal symptoms are ‘mild’ and generally short-lived and potentially enhanced by the nocebo effect. The authors do point to the important role of the media in giving balanced information, rather implying that the bad press around SSRIs may be enhancing nocebo withdrawal effects.

Maryanne also highlighted the authors remarks on “depression relapse on antidepressant discontinuation and the need for careful monitoring after antidepressant cessation”. As she points out, this is an ideal result for the manufacturers who need lifelong customers!

NEWS: WHO Pandemic Agreement Approved by Member States, Ushering in a Dangerous New World Health Order Nicholas Hulscher, Substack, 30th May 2025

This article was originally written by Nicholas Hulscher after the World Health Assembly approved a WHO Pandemic Treaty, which only needs to be ratified by 60 nations before coming into force.

Meanwhile, USA and Argentina have completely withdrawn from the WHO and these countries plus Italy, Israel and Slovakia have registered their disagreement with the International Health Regulation amendments (indeed, Slovakia was the only country to vote against the Pandemic Treaty in May 2024). These involved an opt-out system whereby any country who did not object before the 19th July deadline, would be deemed to have agreed. (Four countries including Netherlands and New Zealand have a later deadline of January 2026 to register their objections, because of a separate amendment they had rejected last year about shortening the time frame for approval).

Needless to say, the UK appears to be fully aligned with the WHO. The NHS is set to lead a pandemic preparedness exercise in the autumn, strangely named Pegasus, which is a mythical winged horse!! https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/pandemic-preparedness-exercise-pegasus/

My fellow peers and I will do our damnedest to halt these evil abortion and assisted dying Bills Lord Alton of Liverpool, The Conservative Woman, 21st July 2026

Crossbench Life Peer and previous LibDem MP, writes of his horror at the two votes in the House of Commons last month, which remove protection for the most vulnerable at both ends of life.

First, on 17th June was Tonia Antoniazzi’s amendment to the Crime & Policing Bill, decriminalising a woman procuring her own abortion up to full term. It was passed by a large majority, 379 votes to 137, despite, or perhaps because of, only 43 minutes of debate. This change to the abortion laws in the UK was not in any manifesto and many MPs and their constituents were unaware of it until a few days beforehand. Coupled with the increasing use of ‘pills by post’ it will put both mothers themselves and their unborn babies at serious risk.

Then only 3 days later, the Assisted Dying Bill came back for its third reading. This at least had several months in committee stage, but the committee itself was clearly stacked with supporters and almost all the proposed amendments were rejected. As it stands, this bill has been strongly opposed by the Royal College of Psychiatrists (whose members will be expected to join approval panels), the Royal College of Physicians, Palliative care consultants and a number of Disability charities. The vote was much closer than the second reading but it nevertheless was passed by 23 votes and now moves to the Lords.

Do consider writing to peers about either or both of these issues. They are apparently already getting an avalanche of letters asking them to support Assisted Dying and it is vital for this to be balanced with letters pointing out the numerous risks of the legislation.

See template letter links re Abortion amendment here and for Assisted Dying here

No2DigitalID, Big Brother Watch, 21st July 2025

The Home Affairs Select Committee is conducting a consultation on digital ID. There is a proposal for a so-called ‘Brit’ card and the possibility that this will become mandatory as society is quietly moved further and further from cash and paper into the world of smartphones and surveillance. BigBrotherWatch has been looking at the mission creep of facial recognition. Digital ID is another route to surveillance. Their website has a link to a petition and also a template for joining the consultation.

Meanwhile, TogetherDeclaration has also been highlighting this issue in a Twitter campaign. They are calling for a Digital Bill of Rights.