ADHD Drug Dangers
Some of the most popular prescription drugs used to treat millions of Americans with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder may be more dangerous than previously thought In fact, the FDA is considering new warning labels for the medications.
According to a troubling new Food and Drug Administration study, 25 people including19 children have died after taking the medications. Another 54 people have suffered serious heart problems, including heart attacks and stroke. The FA says it has tallied another 26 deaths between 1969 and 2003 in ADHD patients involving death by suicide, intentional overdose, drowning, heat stroke and from underlying disease.
The drugs getting a closer look include amphetamines, such as Ritalin, Adderall and Concerta. Sales of drugs to treat the disorder have jumped in recent years, with the biggest growth in use among adults. Spending on ADHD drugs has tripled in just four years, from $759-million in 2000 to $3.1 billion in 2004.
The regulatory agency has asked its Drug Safety and Risk Management advisory council to discuss the feasilbility of different ways of studying whether the deaths are linked to the drugs, as well as specific ways to conduct such studies. The few studies looked at longer-term use of ADHD drugs provide little information on those risks, according o the FDA.
Death and injury reports in Canada led to a six-month ban on the sale of the drug Adderall XR last year. That ban was later lifted, because there wasn't enough evidence of increased harm from the Adderall XR compared to other drugs.
Dr. Larry Diller is a behavioral pediatrician and author of the book, "Should I Medicate My Child?" He says, "Four million children take this medicine. That's approximately one in ten 11-year-old boys take this medicine. And the other thing that would be very worrisome is many of these children are barely affected at all. They either have mild cases of ADHD, or you'd look at them and they look normal." That said, however, Diller also says the FDA review has found that the risk of problems is just one for every 1 million ADHD prescriptions filled. Also in some cases, the children who died were later found to have undiagnosed heart conditions.
According to a troubling new Food and Drug Administration study, 25 people including19 children have died after taking the medications. Another 54 people have suffered serious heart problems, including heart attacks and stroke. The FA says it has tallied another 26 deaths between 1969 and 2003 in ADHD patients involving death by suicide, intentional overdose, drowning, heat stroke and from underlying disease.
The drugs getting a closer look include amphetamines, such as Ritalin, Adderall and Concerta. Sales of drugs to treat the disorder have jumped in recent years, with the biggest growth in use among adults. Spending on ADHD drugs has tripled in just four years, from $759-million in 2000 to $3.1 billion in 2004.
The regulatory agency has asked its Drug Safety and Risk Management advisory council to discuss the feasilbility of different ways of studying whether the deaths are linked to the drugs, as well as specific ways to conduct such studies. The few studies looked at longer-term use of ADHD drugs provide little information on those risks, according o the FDA.
Death and injury reports in Canada led to a six-month ban on the sale of the drug Adderall XR last year. That ban was later lifted, because there wasn't enough evidence of increased harm from the Adderall XR compared to other drugs.
Dr. Larry Diller is a behavioral pediatrician and author of the book, "Should I Medicate My Child?" He says, "Four million children take this medicine. That's approximately one in ten 11-year-old boys take this medicine. And the other thing that would be very worrisome is many of these children are barely affected at all. They either have mild cases of ADHD, or you'd look at them and they look normal." That said, however, Diller also says the FDA review has found that the risk of problems is just one for every 1 million ADHD prescriptions filled. Also in some cases, the children who died were later found to have undiagnosed heart conditions.
posted by Gorga at 7:48 PM
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