Sorry for any crossposts - FDA Approves Anti-Psychotic Drug Risperidone for Use in Children Diagnosed

[Guest guest]

PRESS RELEASEFor Immediate Release:October 20, 2006 Contact:Rita Shreffler, NAA (Nixa, MO) 417-818-9030 Fournier, NAA (Portsmouth, RI) 401-632-7523FDA Approves Anti-Psychotic Drug Risperidone for Use in Children Diagnosedwith AutismNational Autism Association urges parents and health care providers tocarefully research side effectsNixa, MO - The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved theanti-psychotic drug Risperidone (trade name Risperdal) earlier this monthfor use among children diagnosed with autism, much to the concern of parentsfamiliar with the drug's side effect profile. Manufactured by & subsidiary Janssen, Risperdal sales figures were over $3 billion in2005. The FDA has approved the drug for pediatric use despite the fact thatthe agency issued a warning letter to

Janssen in 2004 saying that thecompany had omitted information in product literature regarding hypoglycemiaand diabetes, and had made misleading claims that Risperdal is safer thanother drugs in the same category.Documented potential side effects of Risperidone include lactation both ingirls and boys, weight gain, and development of the often irreversiblemovement disorder tardive dyskinesia. "Any medication that can inducelactation in boys is clearly a dangerous drug, and in my opinion should onlybe used when all avenues of biomedical treatments have been exhausted," saidNational Autism Association executive director Rita Shreffler. "Parents arefaced with extremely tough decisions when it comes to medicating theirchildren, and extra caution should be used with Risperdal in particulargiven what we know about it."The behavioral symptoms associated with autism are often due to undiagnosedmedical issues including

heavy metal toxicity, abdominal pain, constipation,parasites and food allergies. Many of these issues can be relieved by morebenign interventions to address the cause of the behaviors, rather thanmasking them with drugs. "Medical treatments are working backwards," said NAA president Fournier. "We're prescribed pills for a headache without addressing thecause of the headache. We must start treating the cause of medicalillnesses, not just covering up symptoms, especially when it comes to thecomplex biomedical issues of children with autism."Another & 's company, Ortho Clinical Diagnostics (OCD),manufactured RhoGAM, a RhoD Immune Globulin given to Rh-negative womenduring pregnancy and following delivery. RhoGAM exposed fragile, developingfetuses to a bolus dose of mercury-based thimerosal. The neurotoxin was usedas a preservative until OCD changed production methods in 2001. Many

parentsand scientists believe thimerosal to be the leading factor in the increaseof neurological injuries such as autism among children."It's ironic that the same company that gave us RhoGAM now stands to furtherincrease profits from a drug that suppresses symptoms of neurological damageconsistent with mercury toxicity," commented Shreffler. "Risperdal doesnothing to address the neurological injuries of children diagnosed withautism, and the potential side effects are frightening."For more information on autism, visit www.nationalautism.org%2F%2Fwww.nationalautism.org> -30-Think Autism. Think Cure.

How low will we go? Check out Messenger’s low PC-to-Phone call rates.