The Business of ADHD
Drug companies make lots of money from ADHD. This is not news but it is worth keeping an eye on what the drug companies are up to. Pharmaceutical Business Review has a good article on the general state of the ADHD medication market which includes this titbit:
“Most drugs prescribed in the EU are genericized and are very cheap; in fact high-priced Adderall XR (Shire Pharmaceuticals) is not available in the EU or Japan and there are no drugs promoted at all for ADHD in Italy“.
If Italy can survive without masses of ADHD drugs you must ask why their schools are not overwhelmed by hoards of uncontrollable hyperactive kids? Maybe its because the drugs, over the long-term, make no difference or even make the problem worse?
In Business Week they have a short piece on New River Pharmaceuticals and their new drug NRP104 for ADHD. New River claim it is “a safer, abuse resistant and effective alternative to current amphetamine-based therapies” but then they are hardly likely to say its a more dangerous, less effective treatment are they?
Find Out More:
Books:
- Concerta Side Effects
- Stopping ADHD
- Ritalin Is Not The Answer: A Drug-Free, Practical Program for Children Diagnosed with ADD or ADHD
- Ritalin-Free Kids: Safe and Effective Homeopathic Medicine for ADHD and Other Behavioral and Learning Problems
- Nature’s Ritalin for the Marathon Mind: Nurturing Your ADHD Child With Exercise
December 29th, 2005
ADD / ADHD Medication, ADD / ADHD
Comments on: The Business of ADHD
Hi - your comment about the business & money associated with adhd is very apt. Although I do think that drugs combined with cognitive behavioural therapy (with a view to reducing use of medications) is a very good model, and one that has worked very well for me. But people want the silver bullet, the magic tablet that will fix everything. That way they do not have to put in the effort and time.
Posted by: prumont January 1st, 2006 at 4:59 am
Purmont,
I think drugs + cognitive therapy is an effective treatment. My main problem with drugs & ADHD is that people are placed on drugs with no thought as to how solve that person’s underlying problems. Ritalin etc just reducew the symptoms not treat the disease.
Posted by: Chris Tregenza January 2nd, 2006 at 10:40 am
Very good thinking! I’m going to link this page to the website that I manage. Dr. David B. Stein has written 5 books and has a non-medication program that he calls the Caregivers’ Skills Program, you might want to check out his books/website.
Posted by: Julie Clark January 10th, 2007 at 6:35 pm
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