- A Probe into the Side Effects of ADHD Drugs
The government is planning to strengthen warnings about possible psychiatric side effects from Concerta and related treatments for attention deficit hyperactivity, and is probing whether other ADHD drugs need updating, too.
- Adderall: Canadian Regulators Order ADD Drug Withdrawn
Shire's best-selling drug was withdrawn from sale in Canada amid reports linking it to 20 sudden deaths. The US FDA has also issued a Public Health Advisory.
- Adderall: Long Term Use?
The effectiveness of ADDERALL XR for long-term use, i.e., for more than 3 weeks in children and 4-weeks in adults, has not been systematically evaluated in controlled trials.
- ADHD ADD Drug Adderall XR Back on the Market in Canada
Bloomberg reports Shire Says Canada Allows Sale of Adderall XR Again after appealing Health Canada's decision to pull Adderall XR from Canadian shelves.
Health Canada's decision was based on Adderall XR's link to 20 deaths.
- ADHD Diagnosis Caution: No Test Exists to Support Chemical Imbalance Claim
"Psychiatrists are telling parents, whose children may be displaying poor behaviour, that their child has so-called ADHD due to a "chemical imbalance" in the brain. A parent would be prudent to ask the psychiatrist for evidence to support the claim of a "chemical imbalance". If they did ask however, they’d find that the evidence would not be forthcoming – as it doesn’t exist."
- ADHD Drug Treatment
Some people who need medication aren't getting it and some who don't need it are. Research says the people who use medicines the most to treat ADHD are wealthier and have better medical plans from their HMOs.
- ADHD Medications and Neurofeedback
Data from the study were used to evaluate whether stimulant medication effects physical growth in children. The data collected over three years indicates that both height and weight are decreased in children using stimulant medication.
Co-author, Professor William Pelham, of the University at Buffalo, says: "The children had a substantial decrease in their rate of growth so they weren't growing as much as other kids both in terms of their height and in terms of their weight. And the second was that there were no beneficial effects – none."
- ADHD Medications: Mayo Clinic Study Contradicts MTA Study
As I wrote earlier, the longest study actually performed while following live children was the MTA and its 3-Year Follow-up of the NIMH MTA (multi-modal treatment) recently published in the journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.
Co-author, Professor William Pelham, of the University at Buffalo, says: "The children had a substantial decrease in their rate of growth so they weren't growing as much as other kids both in terms of their height and in terms of their weight. And the second was that there were no beneficial effects – none."
Pelham adds, "In the short run [medication] will help the child behave better, in the long run it won't. And that information should be made very clear to parents."
Here’s the most telling observation of the study: "I think that we exaggerated the beneficial impact of medication in the first study. We had thought that children medicated longer would have better outcomes. That didn't happen to be the case. There's no indication that medication's better than nothing in the long run."
- ADHD Study: Faster Diagnosis Urged
Not surprisingly, Dr. Barkley and Lilly think this is too long as children could be started on medication and behavior modification much sooner. While one must agree that a proper, quick diagnosis should be available to all children and adults, sponsorship of the survey is hardly altruistic of Lilly who makes millions of dol
- Are ADHD drugs safe? Report finds little proof
At a time when millions of children and adults are taking drugs for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, the most comprehensive scientific analysis of the drugs to date has found little evidence that they are safe, that one drug is more effective than another or that they help school performance.
The 731-page report was done by the Drug Effectiveness Review Project, based at Oregon State University. The group analyzed 2,287 studies – virtually every investigation ever done on ADHD drugs anywhere in the world – to reach its conclusions.
- Children: Adderall and Safety
The effectiveness of ADDERALL XR for long-term use has not been systematically evaluated in controlled trials. As with other psychostimulants indicated for ADHD, there is a potential for exacerbating motor and phonic tics and Tourette's syndrome.
- Disorder? A Dubious Diagnosis
Ten years ago, PBS ran the documentary- ATTENTION DEFICIT DISORDER- A DUBIOUS DIAGNOSIS?. The case was made that the epidemic of Attention Deficit Disorder affecting mostly white, middle class boys is to a large extent man-made, one result of a long-term, unpublicized financial relationship between the company that makes the most widely known A.D.D. medication and the nation's largest "A.D.D. Support Group."
- Dr. Joe Biederman and ADHD
What interests me greatly is the fact that when the authors of these studies have close ties to the pharmaceutical industry, their data tends to be skewed in favor of medicine. When there isn’t a close tie, we tend to get contradictory data, which is what one would expect.
- Drug Updates: ADHD Drug Cylert Discontinued
The nonprofit group Public Citizen petitioned the FDA yesterday to remove Cylert -- including all generic versions of the drug -- citing an increased risk of serious liver problems and death from liver failure.
- Drug Updates: ADHD Drug Methylphenidate Linked to Chromosomal Changes
In a small but startling preliminary new study, Texas researchers have found that after just three months, every one of a dozen children treated for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) with the drug methylphenidate experienced a threefold increase in levels of chromosome abnormalities-occurrences associated with increased risks of cancer and other adverse health effects.
- Hospital Begins Screening for Heart Conditions in ADHD Children
The American Heart Association’s (AHA) recent recommendation that children be screened for possible heart problems before taking ADHD stimulant medication has spurred great anxiety among parents and professionals. The recommendation was given as a response to a number of deaths due to heart failure associated with ADHD stimulant medication.
- Insurers Question Studies of ADHD Drugs
Some journals are trying themselves to help readers discover marketing messages slipped in amid the scientific data. Last year BMJ, a British journal, published a piece called "Users' guide to detecting misleading claims in clinical research reports," which came with a picture of a reader dumping salt on a medical journal. One piece of advice: Beware when the authors break out one subgroup of patients and claim benefits from the treatment that weren't evident in the whole group.
- Is the ADHD Brain Damaged?
...researchers can find numerous parts of the ADHD brain that seem dysfunctional. A major flaw in virtually all of this research is that they use very small groups that cannot depict the vast spectrum brain variability among the human species. This published research confuses many people as it seems the brains of those with ADHD are smaller, have damage in the basal ganglia, putamen, frontal lobes, cerebellum, and brain stem. This amounts to little more than neophrenology. Publication of this neophrenology allows media to portray ADHD individuals as irreparably brain damaged which is both harmful and flagrantly untrue.
- Medication, ADHD and Heart Complications
In research published in Pediatrics, [December 2007; vol 120: pp 1494-1501], lead author, Almut G. Winterstein, PhD, assistant professor of pharmacy health care administration, University of Florida College of Pharmacy, Jacksonville, found that common stimulants used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) don’t often cause serious heart complications in children. However, she warns that their safety is undetermined for prolonged use.
- Neurofeedback, ADHD and Medication
In his Attention Research Update, September 2007, David Rabiner, Ph.D. Senior Research Scientist, Duke University, entitled his article, How Strong is the Research Support for Neurofeedback Treatment? The report is rather perfunctory and the staid course he’s followed for years. A fresh, candid review must be performed regarding research on multi-modal treatments, neurofeedback, and medication.
- New ADHD Drug to Fix Your Child
The public's current perception is that using these medications will indeed 'fix' their broken child. Unfortunately, and according to the National Institutes of Health, more than medication is needed to address the full needs of AD/HD children. So, as long as pharmaceutical companies keep marketing in a manner which encourages the public's 'fix' perception, we'll continue to have kids who historically remove themselves from medication whenever they can (usually upon emancipation) and carry their AD/HD into adulthood with no compensatory skills.
- Pharmaceutical Makers : Follow the Money
Ever wonder why so much hoopla surrounds ADHD? The media know it's a top of mind issue for parents. However, pharmaceutical makers also know where their bread is buttered. The following article reflects the vast sums of money involved in the business of ADHD medications. Press Release Source: Research and Markets Ltd. Research and Markets: Current Global ADHD Market Is Worth $2.7Bn and is Expected to Reach $3.4Bn by 2015Tuesday June 14, 10:15 am ET DUBLIN, Ireland--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 14, 2005--Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c19199) has announced the addition of Pipeline Insight: ADHD - Shire Driving Diversity in ADHD to their offering. The current ADHD market has long been saturated with traditional methylphenidate and amphetamine based drugs, with the only innovations being ...
- Preschoolers’ motivation, temperament relate to attention skills, study finds
“The findings from this study suggest problems that arise from attention
difficulties are not limited to difficulty with concentration and sitting still,
but are related to how children approach challenging or new situations,” said
Chang. “Clearly, it is the case that much more needs to be understood about the
nature and implications of having an attention problem.”
- Ritalin and Cancer
The FDA has taken an interest in the University of Texas' preliminary research regarding Ritalin and cancer. While the research is alarming, it is far too premature to be conclusive
- States sue over costly ADHD drug program
"The situation is out of control," said David Cohen, a professor at Florida International University who has been studying the use of antipsychotics since 1983. While no long-term studies have been done on the effects the drugs have on children, there is evidence children on the drugs face greater risks of diabetes, hyperglycemia and extreme weight gain, Cohen said.
The Daytona Beach Journal says, “According to a study that looked at three years of data, about 40 percent of the antipsychotics prescribed to Florida Medicaid children were given to children diagnosed with ADHD -- a use not approved by the Food and Drug Administration.”
- States sue over costly ADHD drug program
While no long-term studies have been done on the effects the drugs have on children, there is evidence children on the drugs face greater risks of diabetes, hyperglycemia and extreme weight gain, Cohen said.
- Strattera and ADHD - “Show me the money…”
The following press release makes it clear why so much attention is paid to prescribing medication to the ADHD market: MONEY. It's a $2.6 BILLION market with annual compound growth of 36.7% since 2002.
- Student Use of Stimulant Meds
Since Ritalin abuse first hit the radar screen several years ago, the reliance on prescription stimulants to enhance performance has risen, becoming almost as commonplace as No-Doz, Red Bull and maybe even caffeine. As many as 20 percent of college students have used Ritalin or Adderall to study, write papers and take exams, according to recent surveys focused on individual campuses. A study released this month by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia found that the number of teenagers who admit to abusing prescription medications tripled from 1992 to 2003, while in the general population such abuse had doubled.
- Study finds divorce increases Ritalin use in children
Children whose parents divorce are nearly twice as likely to be prescribed Ritalin in the aftermath of the split, a Canadian study reports.
What we need is a deeper understanding of this issue, at the level of the primary care practitioners," said Dr. Abel Ickowicz.
"Because . . . if we are going too quick to prescribe medication, like Ritalin, like methylphenidate, we may not only be masking the normal process of adaptation to divorce, but we may be contributing to the degree of distress the children of divorce are experiencing."
- The Cost of ADHD Drugs Limits Use
The Washington Post reports today that health plans that limit the cost of ADHD drugs has been increasing. In an effort to save money, many health plans encourage physicians and parents to select drugs that are 'preferred' by the health plan.
- The Global Market For ADHD Medications
The researchers stated that one in twenty-five children is taking medication for ADHD in the US. However, their research also suggests that the diagnosis of ADHD and subsequent use of medications to control it is now spreading worldwide.
- The Last Normal Child and ADHD
Dr. Lawrence H. Diller’s book, The Last Normal Child: Essays on the Intersection of Kids, Culture, and Psychiatric Drugs, is a fascinating and provocative work. As an experienced developmental/behavioral pediatrician, Diller examines the current trend to quickly diagnose attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and the perfunctory prescription of stimulant drugs even when there is scarce evidence regarding academic improvement, social improvement, or long-term efficacy.
Diller’s perspective is quite evenly balanced; he prescribes stimulant medication for ADHD when indicated, but only as part of thorough assessment and comprehensive management program.
It is clear that Diller believes that ADHD is being over diagnosed. He states that over the last 15 years brand name stimulant production has increased by an astounding 1700% and generic stimulants by more than 3000%!
- Three-quarters of ADHD diagnoses wrong
Diagnoses labeling children as AD/HD are wrong up to 75% of the time.
- Turning Adult ADHD Around
He became hyper-productive. Jergen kept a log outlining when and where he got the most work done. Then, he designed a work environment that would push out distractions and allow him to remain focused.
- What If Einstein Had Taken Ritalin?
The question is whether the Ritalin Revolution will sap tomorrow's work force of some of its potential genius. What will be the repercussions in corporations, comedy clubs, and research labs?
- What’s the mystery behind ADHD?
The mystery of AD/HD begins because the label, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, is a misnomer of sorts. People with the disorder do not have a deficit of attention, but they do have diffused attention; attention that is fleeting and can be sustained only for short periods before moving to another stimulus.
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