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Take Two

How drug companies and doctors team up, leading to over-drugged foster children

By Take Two Staff
Published Dec 1, 2014
Olivia Hernandez, 22, a UCLA student, was photographed on Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2014, at her home. She was prescribed as many as four psychiatric medications at a time as a foster youth in Ventura County.
Olivia Hernandez, 22, a UCLA student, was photographed on Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2014, at her home. She was prescribed as many as four psychiatric medications at a time as a foster youth in Ventura County.
(
Dai Sugano/Bay Area News Group
)

Take Two translates the day’s headlines for Southern California, making sense of the news and cultural events that affect our lives. Produced by Southern California Public Radio and broadcast from October 2012 – June 2021. Hosted by A Martinez.

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How drug companies and doctors team up, leading to over-drugged foster children

Children in California's foster care system are prescribed powerful psychotropic meds more than 3 times the rate of other kids.

It's the subject of a series of articles by investigative reporter Karen de Sa at the San Jose Mercury News.

Sometimes, these foster kids are on a cocktail of several drugs at one time, with some of those pills unapproved for use on minors.

In her latest installment, Karen traces the intricate network that brings together pharmaceutical drug companies with the doctors who are prescribing this medication.