Another letter and more
Those of you who follow our exploits know we like to write letters when drug issues are misrepresented. Here is one I wrote to the Networker after yet another positive spin by a drug company spokesperson. They chose not to publish it...
I write again in response to the Clinician’s Digest report of psychotropics with children, in this case the MTA and stimulants—and I am asking the Networker to set a higher standard of journalism. The expert cited, Peter Jensen, is extensively linked to Novartis, the makers of Ritalin, the drug investigated in the MTA, perhaps explaining his decided pro-drug spin and glaring lack of mention of adverse effects. Contrast Jensen’s comments with another MTA investigator, William Pelham, who said on a recent BBC documentary, "There's no indication that medication's better than nothing in the long run." Pelham also added that the impact (of Ritalin) was seemingly negative.
The original MTA study found that 64% of children had adverse drug reactions. The 36 month follow-up reported that decreases in growth in medicated children averaged 2.0 cm and 2.7 kg less than not medicated groups, without evidence of growth rebound at 3 years. The lack of differences in effectiveness among the groups in the MTA (and other studies) combined with notable as well as largely unknown long-term side effects led the American Psychological Association Working Group on Children and Psychotropics to conclude: “With regard to use over a period of 2 to 3 years, the risk–benefit analysis of stimulant medication does not appear to be favorable because beneficial effects appear to dissipate while side effects (e.g., growth) do not.”
I respectfully request that articles addressing medication rely on primary sources or include experts without ties to drug companies to provide counterbalance to pharmaceutical spins.
Oh well. You can't win them all! Come to the Heart and Soul of Change 4 in Phoenix (June 5-7)and hear the real story about kids and drugs from Jacqueline Sparks. Also learn the latest about client directed outcome informed clinical work with substance abusing clients from Cynthia Maeschalck and Rob Axsen. Hope to see you there.
Barry
I write again in response to the Clinician’s Digest report of psychotropics with children, in this case the MTA and stimulants—and I am asking the Networker to set a higher standard of journalism. The expert cited, Peter Jensen, is extensively linked to Novartis, the makers of Ritalin, the drug investigated in the MTA, perhaps explaining his decided pro-drug spin and glaring lack of mention of adverse effects. Contrast Jensen’s comments with another MTA investigator, William Pelham, who said on a recent BBC documentary, "There's no indication that medication's better than nothing in the long run." Pelham also added that the impact (of Ritalin) was seemingly negative.
The original MTA study found that 64% of children had adverse drug reactions. The 36 month follow-up reported that decreases in growth in medicated children averaged 2.0 cm and 2.7 kg less than not medicated groups, without evidence of growth rebound at 3 years. The lack of differences in effectiveness among the groups in the MTA (and other studies) combined with notable as well as largely unknown long-term side effects led the American Psychological Association Working Group on Children and Psychotropics to conclude: “With regard to use over a period of 2 to 3 years, the risk–benefit analysis of stimulant medication does not appear to be favorable because beneficial effects appear to dissipate while side effects (e.g., growth) do not.”
I respectfully request that articles addressing medication rely on primary sources or include experts without ties to drug companies to provide counterbalance to pharmaceutical spins.
Oh well. You can't win them all! Come to the Heart and Soul of Change 4 in Phoenix (June 5-7)and hear the real story about kids and drugs from Jacqueline Sparks. Also learn the latest about client directed outcome informed clinical work with substance abusing clients from Cynthia Maeschalck and Rob Axsen. Hope to see you there.
Barry
posted by Barry at
7:54 AM
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