Recently Pardoned Former Governor John Rowland’s political downfall is often reduced to scandalous headlines about gifts and corruption, but the truth behind his resignation reveals a far more complex and troubling story—one that involves a fierce battle with Big Pharma, a controversial psychiatric drug ban for vulnerable children, and a corruption scandal that may not be as disconnected as it seems.
In the early 2000s, Governor Rowland took a rare and bold stand against the wrongful medication of children in state care by banning three powerful antipsychotic drugs from Connecticut’s drug formulary: Risperdal (risperidone), Zyprexa (olanzapine), and Seroquel (quetiapine). These medications were widely prescribed despite mounting evidence of severe side effects, including increased risks of suicide, diabetes, and violent behavior. The ban thrust Connecticut into the national spotlight when The New York Times ran a front-page article in 2004 exposing the widespread use—and potential dangers—of these psychiatric drugs in children under state supervision, sparking a nationwide conversation about the ethics and safety of medicating vulnerable youth.
That same year, National Public Radio (NPR) also covered Connecticut’s groundbreaking actions, highlighting the state’s efforts to protect children from inappropriate psychiatric drug use and the challenges faced in regulating these medications. The NPR coverage emphasized the growing concern over the off-label use of antipsychotics in children, the lack of adequate oversight, and the pushback from pharmaceutical companies.
Connecticut’s legislative and regulatory bodies responded with a six-month review of psychotropic medication use in children in state care, resulting in public acts aimed at establishing oversight mechanisms and protecting children from inappropriate drug use. This review was part of a broader effort to address systemic issues such as lack of informed consent and insufficient court approvals.
Across the country, states like New York, Florida, New Jersey, and Arkansas also made national news for confronting the rampant and often off-label use of antipsychotic medications in children in foster care. Investigations and lawsuits against pharmaceutical companies such as Johnson & Johnson and Eli Lilly highlighted illegal marketing practices promoting these drugs for unapproved uses in children. Connecticut emerged as one of the front lines in this battle, with state legislators and child welfare agencies scrutinizing psychotropic drug use and seeking greater oversight and protections for children in care.
Rowland’s ban challenged powerful pharmaceutical interests. According to advocacy groups like AbleChild, representatives from Canadian pharmaceutical companies met with the governor behind closed doors, pressing him to reverse the decision. Within six months, the banned drugs were reinstated on the state formulary, raising urgent questions about the influence of Big Pharma on public health policy and the safety of children in care.
Hellbound and Down 