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Has American society gone too far when it comes to medicating our youth? In recent years millions of people in the US, mostly young children, have been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and/or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Yet what exactly is being prescribed? What are the short and long term effects of these prescriptions? Are these so-called miracle drugs being over- prescribed? Or is it all a big conspiracy brought forward by the American Psychiatric Association (APA),the big time pharmaceutical companies, and others to make money? Regardless, of why medication for attention disorders has become such a phenomenon, it has become a problem, and the following will hopefully shed some light on the topic. First we must ask what qualifies as an attention disorder? This is not a question easily answered, however the APA has complied a diagnostic reference book call the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders). Their "what to look for list" reads as follows: Easily distracted by sights or sounds Failing to pay attention to details and making careless mistakes Rarely following instructions carefully or completely Losing or forgetting things like toys, pencils, tools, and books
Goldman, L., et al (1998). "Diagnosis and Treatment of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in Children and Adolescents." Journal of the American Medical Association: 279: 1100 – 1107. Brandi Valentine's ADD Page - http://www.ns.net/~BrandiV/ One of the industries main distributors is Ciba/Novartis Pharmaceuticals, the distributors of Ritalin. Novartis also states, "There is neither specific evidence which clearly establishes the mechanism whereby Ritalin produces it's mental and behavioral affects on children, nor conclusive evidence regarding how these effects relate to the condition of the CNS (central nervous system)". However numerous studies on Ritalin contradicted this statement, and the alleged negative effects of the drug. Some studies on methylphenidate are causing consumers, mostly parents, to reconsider this medication. While Novartis does admit to side effects such as nervousness, insomnia, hypersensitivity, headache, nausea, dizziness etc. They also tend to stay clear of the larger side effects in question like reports of fornication, Tourettes syndrome, abnormal liver function and scalp hair loss? While Novartis admits to public awareness of these problems they continue to insist there is no solid ! Recently, it has been stated that this is a muti-billion dollar industry that is benefiting psychiatrists, the APA, CHADD, pharmaceutical companies, and many others. In a recent article titled, "Company Accused of Conspiring to Create Diagnosis", US Today reported that according to the American Academy of Pediatrics that there are as many as 3.8 million school children who have been diagnosed with ADD/ADHD. It went on to report that at least 2 million of these kids are prescribed Ritalin, and many others are treated with different drugs like adderall and dexodrine. While another recent article, in The Washington Post entitled "Ritalin On the Raise", reported that the use of ritalin has shot up 600% in the past ten years, and that in some schools up to 40% to 50% of the students are being prescribed ritalin. Other articles report ritalin has raisin 700% in the past ten years. According to the University of Michigan's annual "Monitoring the Future" studies, from 1988-1999! This academic is far from over and the pharmaceutical companies are hard working hard to keep the production of stimulant drugs going. There even launching ad campaigns designed by the same as companies that design add campaigns for McDonalds. So is this a conspiracy held together by the drug companies and APA? Recent lawsuits filed answer yes. In fact on May 1st, 2000 the law firm of Waters & Kras, LLP, filed a class action lawsuit againist Ciba Geigy Corporation, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, Child and Adults with Attention - Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD), and the American Psychiatric Association (APA). The suit states allegations based on fraud and conspiracy. It states that Ciba now Novarti
Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1982
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page double spaced)
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