Feds Recommend Warnings on ADHD Drugs

[DoYouEverWonder]

Feb 9, 2006

WASHINGTON - Ritalin and other stimulant drugs for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder should carry the strongest warning that they may be linked to an increased risk of death and injury, federal health advisers said Thursday.

The Food and Drug Administration advisory panel voted in favor of the "black box" warning after hearing about the deaths of 25 people, including 19 children, who had taken the drugs. The vote was 8-7, with one abstention.

One committee member, Dr. Curt Furberg, a professor of public health sciences at the Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center, said it would be "inappropriate, unethical behavior" not to disclose that there was uncertainty about the safety of the drugs.

The FDA is not required to follow the recommendations of its advisory committees but typically does.

Doctors prescribe the drugs to about 2 million children and 1 million adults a month.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060209/ap_on_he_me/attention_deficit;_ylt=A9FJqYn_vutDgnMBigOs0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA3b2NibDltBHNlYwM3MTY-


There were so many people who wanted me to put my son on these drugs before we found out he was dyslexic and even after that. I refused because I knew he wasn't ADD and I also knew there were better ways to deal with his behavior issues, ie discipline. I enrolled him in Aikido and sent him to an alternative school and he's doing great.

[LSparkle]

1. My nephew takes drugs for this condition ...

I hope my sister reads about the warnings.

[Warpy]

2. Gee, 2 million kids taking them and 19 died from them

Those are pretty good odds, especially if your kid is one who can't cope with school or social settings at all unless he is medicated. Ritalin is a lifesaver for those kids, literally.

Medicine is all about risk versus benefit, and that statistic looks like overwhelming benefit with low risk. However, before you put YOUR kid on Ritalin, be sure you spend some money to get the kid evaluated by a child psychologist and/or pediatric neurologist who specializes in ADD to confirm the diagnosis (or rule it out). You can also try diet modification, because there are plenty of anecdotes about allergies to additives and even some foodstuffs that cause children to mimic ADD behaviors.

Hitting the panic button now is premature, to say the least. Just get educated, be cautious, and get the testing done if a teacher identifies your kid as a possible ADD kid. Be aware that Ritalin has made a wonderful difference in the lives of many children who actually have ADD, to the point that they ask for the pill every day so they can think.

[DoYouEverWonder]

3. The problem is 2 millions kids on drugs

When probably at least half of them don't need them and we don't know what the long term damage is going to be.

Unfortunately, instead of being the option of last resort it is the first and often only option offered.

Besides I think it sends a lousy message to kids that drugs that alter your behavior are okay to take. Then we try to tell them just say no to drugs. It is a bit hypocritical.

[Warpy]

8. While you're at it, take the diabetic kids off their insulin

and the kids with cancer off their chemo. If a kid gets sick, it's just too bad if a DRUG is gonna help him, right? Gotta keep the precious kiddies off drugs at all costs! Drugs are always bad, bad, bad!

Sheesh.

[Timefortruth]

9. Why teach our children antibiotics cure infections?

What's the message in that? Not to use soap?

[DoYouEverWonder]

12. I don't see doctors over diagnosing

diabetes.

[EFerrari]

18. You're right. It took them at least 6 years to diagnose my partner. n/t

[DoYouEverWonder]

21. Hypoglycemics have the same problem

I had a friend all the medical professionals thought had become a mental case until they found out she was hypoglycemic.

[EFerrari]

22. They thought my partner was a wife beater until I documented

his autism AND learned a way to manage that. No one was listening to me or to him. And, whaddya know, when he got proper treatment, ALL the uglies disappeared. :shrug:

If I shake my head any more, I'll decapitate myself. With the proper meds and the proper learning that we did over our kitchen table, it is so quiet and productive around here.

But I fear for California because now I know *exactly* what kind of disservice this whole state is relying on, at least in the area of mental health service. It is SCARY. We put people in JAIL every day of the week that we could TREAT for much less money and to much greater benefit to the community.

:rant:

Oh well. One day, the next day.

:toast:

[leftchick]

14. insulin does not alter a child's behavior

did you read DYEW's post?

[Warpy]

15. The hell it doesn't!

Ever see a kid in diabetic ketoacidosis? Their behavior is as though the are drunk. Insulin alters that behavior and makes it normal again.

Just like RITALIN.

[leftchick]

17. okay try this

Insulin is not prescribed to alter a child's behavior. Ritalin is. :eyes:

[ChairmanAgnostic]

11. and don't forget the legislation signed by Shrub which allows the

drug companies to TEST each kid in the country for attention deficit disorders and force the kids to buy their drugs.

[Yupster]

23. Twenty years from now we'll know the side-effects

and then realize what damage we've done to our boys of this generation.

[Pavulon]

26. Ritalin

is 50 years old. Its effect are pretty well documented.

[Lindacooks]

28. ADHD means the brain isn't getting working correctly.

"Positron emission tomography scans of parents of ADHD children who also have symptoms of ADHD have shown decreased glucose metabolism in left frontal and parietal regions 8. These findings suggest the prefrontal cortex, which governs auditory attention, is less active among those with ADHD. Neurostimulants such as Ritalin are thought to increase the activity of these brain regions. Electroencephalographic studies of ADHD patients reveal abnormal reaction potentials in response to novel stimula after the subject has habituated to the test procedure 10.

Persons with ADHD have an unusually low rate of activity in brain areas responsible for motor control and attentiveness."

http://www.healing-arts.org/children/ADHD/

If you can see differences in the brain, then it's an actual condition. My dh has ADHD and before he was treated with drugs he couldn't concentrate, couldn't accomplish tasks easily, and couldn't focus (but could hyperfocus). He says that since taking drugs, everything is easier.

[Mithras61]

19. The odds

According to the figures provided, that is 0.00095% died (that's 95/100,000th percent, by the way). That's more than the chances of being struck by lightening, but less than being killed by a venoimous bite/sting (source: http://www.bcresponsiblegambling.ca/other/odds.html at the bottom of the page).


Edited to add: I heard about this on the local news this morning. A bit they included that wasn't in this article: almost all of the people who died had pre-existing heart conditions.

[Mr. Peanut]

24. Another Gov't ploy...

to demonize a helpful and popular drug so the insurance companies won't have to cover it, perhaps? How many children die from common vaccinations? I remember a certain percent of deaths and complications during the polio vaccine days was considered statistically acceptable.

[Bjornsdotter]

4. Wow!

The FDA JUST figured this out....bullshit.

I worked in a pharmacy as a tech while I was in college, the Pharmacist warned me about various drugs....some have been pulled off of the market, but the 2 I remember him complaining about the most were Ritalin and Accutane. Now it comes out that they are both dangerous. The FDA is full of it....they worry more about the Pharmaceutical companies than the people taking the drug.

BTW...he also warned about thimerisol...which was later shown to be harmful.

Cheers

[MnFats]

5. sorry but it worked miracles for my kid. absolute miracles.

I wish ritalin had been around when I was a kid. God, how I wish that.

[EFerrari]

It made my husband's life possible. That's all.

But, I also lived through nearly a decade of misdiagnosing and mismedicating that several times nearly resulted in violent death.

We have to always, always check behind the medical establishment. Always.

We have many resources at our disposal. We need to exploit ALL of them.

It is our job to keep us safe and to share our tools and resources because health care in this county is not trustworthy.

[CoffeeCat]

27. I think some children do need ritalin and that some do have ADHD...

...However, it seems like teachers and doctors are so quick to explain "bad behaviors" as ADHD.

I totally agree with you that Ritalin does help some children and that there are children who truly have this disorder and that their lives can be improved with medical treatment and drugs. It must be hard to hear people who argue that Ritalin is bad for all children.

I do understand. However, I think there are a lot of really bad, very busy parents out there who want a quick fix. Their child is upset, sad, depressed or neglected---and they will act out. They will be disruptive in class or they will have a low attention span or act impulsively. They look like a behavior disorder, but really, they are just hurting inside. Their parents are vacuous, shallow jerks.

Also--the symptoms of sexual, physical and emotional abuse are similar to ADHD symptoms. I was sexually abused as a child and I could not concentrate. My mind flitted everywhere--and it was a coping mechanism to block out the pain. I was spacey and I could not complete my school work because my mind was so scattered. I had undiagnosed PTSD back then.

And you have to wonder...what was Jim Carrey like as a 2nd Grader? Maybe it's ok for some people to be different and to be themselves? Why does our society expect so damn much from children? They don't always have to behave perfectly, do they? It seems like--if a child learns differently or has a very colorful, expressive personality--some educators and parents rush to medicate their differences out of them---and homogonize the population. I think that's wrong also.

This is a complex topic---with no one answer. As you said MnFats--Ritalin helped your child and I think that's great. However, it seems like Ritalin and an ADHD diagnosis is becoming an overused panacea for many lazy, neglectful parents who don't want to do the hard work of facing their own shortcomings and failures--or possibly they are hiding dysfunction (and maybe abuse) within the household. I'm not saying that's the case with you. There are legitimate ADHD cases...but many parents seem to be riding on the ADHD wave to avoid bigger issues.

[Timefortruth]

6. The religious right hates ADHD drugs

so do the Scientologists.

The right believes you can beat your child into submission. The Scientologists believe that, well, who knows what they believe.

Looks like politics won out, surprise, surprise.

[DoYouEverWonder]

20. Is that why the public schools

are trying to stuff these drugs down half the kids throats.

You would not believe the pressure I was put under by people in the school system to put my kid on drugs. These folks tend to get real annoyed with you when you refuse. Then your kid can have even more fun in class, when every little incident becomes a full blown go home immediately emergency.

[MisterP]

25. I somehow have a feeling Tom Cruise isn't behind this move

what clout do they have with *?

[bleedingheart]

7. people have to weigh the risks with any drug...

my son is on an anti-anxiety/anti-depressant ...we did that after two years of intensive therapy for Asperger's. He is much better and responds far better to his therapy.

[Trillo]

10. Does the label address protecting children more than adults?

Twice as many children take the drugs compared to adults but die at about 3 times the rate as adults do.

Seems like children need more protection from these drugs than do adults. Does the label address this need in any way? How?

[leftchick]

13. My son was diagnosed ADHD at 5 years old

They wanted him on Aderol and Heart medicine then sleep medicine. I was horrified and read and researched for months until I found a therapy for him that worked. Drug free! He is a thriving 9 year old in third grade at a private school. I swear most of his issue was maturity and impulse control which is very common in that age group. In my research I found the Brits call it "wiggle bum" syndrome and not to worry about it. ADHD sounds like a US Pharmaceutical money making disease that is killing children. :(

[Deja Q]

16. Hmmm. Work with people or have them work for you (or die)?

Sometimes drugs ARE needed, but the oddballs typically just live around different stimuli or are socially awkward introverts. Is it THAT difficult to work with them, instead of helping prop up overinflated pharma and insurance companies by compelling them to be poppin' pills? Many of which don't do the intended effect, do something quite different, nothing at all, or harm or even kill the life we all claim to cherish?

:think:

[depakid]

29. Health Canada suspended adderral a year ago

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=19972

Now the FDA has now issued its report and wants to "study" the issue:

The FDA has asked its Drug Safety and Risk Management advisory committee to discuss the feasibility of different ways of studying whether the deaths are linked to use of the drugs, as well as specific ways of conducting such studies.

That earned the FDA a rebuke from Sen. Chuck Grassley, who contended such work should have already begun.

In a letter sent Monday to acting FDA commissioner Dr. Andrew von Eschenbach, Grassley said in part, "I remain concerned that while both psychiatric and cardiovascular risk signals have cropped up across this class of drugs this past year, it appears that FDA is just now beginning to 'discuss approaches' for studying these risks."

Yet another reason why I keep telling everyone not to take anything the FDA says at face value anymore. No one in the public health community does.

It's very sad. The FDA was once the most respected health agency in the world- before the Republicans and conservative Dems (including Clinton) "deregulated" it -famous for its precautionary measures- which protected American mothers against the horrors of Thalidomide.

If you need accurate and timely information about the drugs you're taking or considering taking, look to Health Canada:

http://www.napra.org/

The British MHRA:

http://www.mhra.gov.uk/home/idcplg?IdcService=SS_GET_PAGE&nodeId=246

or the Australian Drug Evaluation Committee (ADEC):

http://www.tga.gov.au/docs/html/adec/adec.htm