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radley Hospital responds to FDA report on ADHD drugs

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http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2006-02/l-bhr020906.php

Public release date: 9-Feb-2006

Contact: Carol L. Vieira

cvieira1@...

401-432-1328

Lifespan=20

Bradley Hospital responds to FDA report on ADHD drugs

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Nation's first psychiatric hospital for children pioneered ADHD treatment

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In response to the recent FDA report linking ADHD drugs such as

Ritalin to the deaths of 25 people, Bradley Hospital, the nation's

first psychiatric hospital for children, and pioneer in the use of

Benzedrine (a close relative of Ritalin) to treat attention disorders

in children, has issued the following statement:=20

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" Like all child mental health professionals, we at Bradley Hospital

enthusiastically support a comprehensive investigation. Until

definitive results are available, we advise against any rapid or

unilateral changes in medications that have been effective for many

children. " =20

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Background information:=20

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Bradley Hospital in Providence, RI, was the site of the first use of

stimulants to treat children's psychiatric disorders. Since then,

stimulant medications (including Ritalin, Adderall, Concerta, Methalin

and Metadate) have become the most widely prescribed psychoactive

medications used in the pediatric population. The efficacy of

stimulants in treating Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

is well documented in several major, NIH-funded, long-term studies, as

well as in over 200 smaller studies conducted in the past 50 years.

The benefits of stimulant medication, especially when prescribed as a

part of a comprehensive treatment plan, are substantive =96 and often

dramatic.=20

=20

Despite the clear benefits of carefully prescribed and monitored

stimulant medication, there have been reports of overuse, inadequate

diagnostic evaluation prior to starting the medication, and casual

follow-up. The nationwide shortage of child and adolescent

psychiatrists adds to these problems. The pharmaceutical industry has

been criticized for incomplete reporting of the results of their

clinical trials, including incidence of side effects. Increasingly,

public pressure has been focused on access to comprehensive

information on the risks and benefits of medications, especially when

they are used in children.=20

=20

The data are not fully evaluated yet on the recently reported rare and

serious adverse events associated with stimulant medications. They

deserve thorough scrutiny to determine whether there is a

cause-and-effect relationship and the exact nature of the risk

(special populations, dose relationships, etc.)=20

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