Studies On Ritalin Are ‘Child Abuse' (Federally funded torture chambers)

NY Post ^ | 12/03/01 | Douglas Montero

[dead]

December 3, 2001 -- The federally funded abuse of children, some as young as 3, has begun in New York City, critics charge.

The alleged torture chambers are located at two city locations where doctors will conduct Ritalin experiments on more than 80 city kids between the ages of 3 and 8.

[dead]

The kids who cope with 10 mg will get a dosage of 15 mg - so researchers can see what happens.

Goulish freaks.

[College Repub]

How else do you suggest valid research be completed?

[Aurelius]

Maybe there is no ethical way to determine what these researchers are seeking to find out.

Consider some of the Nazi experiments - e.g. experiments to find out how long people without special clothing can survive in freezing water. No one, to my knowledge, has ever suggested that those experiments were justified because there was no other way to determine that information. In fact, the general attitude has been that it is not even ethical to make use of data obtained by those Nazi researchers because of their total disregard of humane considerations.

[dead]

Two-thirds of the 264 kids will be under 5. Researchers want kids with symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) who have never been medicated.

Ritalin is a central nervous system stimulant with pharmacological effects similar to amphetamine, methamphetamine, and cocaine. There are children, who for reasons unknown, can benefit from ritalin. Most of these children have serious and identifiable mental illnesses. Despite the fact that these cases are relatively rare, there are currently over 4 million schoolchildren are taking this drug regularly.

ADHD is a largely imaginary disease invented by the drug companies, lawyers, and complicit doctors, as a diagnosis for what used to be considered normal rambunctious behavior. Most of these children under 5, with symptoms of ADHD, are actually exhibiting the symptoms of being children under the age of 5.

To submit them to a “how much can you stand” drug regimen is twisted and criminal.

[a history buff]

bump

[a history buff]

Ritalin is an amphetamine. But it's a good amphetamine.

[redhead]

The war on children has been going on ever since Roe V. Wade. The more I hear these miserable b*stards whining about it being "for the CHILDREN," the more convinced I am that they are on a deliberate search-and-destroy against children of all ages. "Methinks the lady protesteth too much..."

[tutstar]

bump

Give 'em a pill, who cares if it is such a strong narcotic that it is in the same class of drugs as cocaine and other amphetamines. Don't worry about teaching them to deal with life in a constructive manner like the rest of us.

Yes, that was sarcasm! I personally know families whose children were prescribed ritalin and when they wanted their kids off it, the schools threatened to turn them in for child abuse. There are undoubtedly some kids who will benefit from the drug but the U.S. consumes roughly 90% of the total ritalin produced according to figures in 1997.

As usual the government knows what is best for the children.

For more on ritalin go to http://www.breggin.com/

[freefly]

Hey, it's ok, after all, it's LEGAL drugs involved here.
(HEAVY sarcasm/off)

[dighton]

Orual, what do you make of the NY Post story?

Drug Monograph: Methylphenidate (Ritalin)

[FairWitness]

Single rising dose tolerability studies are routinely the first studies done in humans after a drug is judged, in animal studies, to be safe enough to begin clinical testing. These studies are normally done in healthy adult males who give informed consent and can be expected to immediately inform the clinical researchers of side effects (which are often unrelated to the drug, being just a frequent in the placebo group). The clinical subjects can at anytime refuse further dosing or dose escalation. It is very problematic to do the same kind of study in a child, particularly under 5 years of age, who may not understand what is happening when side effects occur, or be able to articulate details of the side effect(s) to the researchers.

[bvw]

How else do you suggest valid research be completed?

Okey-dokey, collegiate repub, let's conduct the research using your mammy. I, esteemed researcher than I am, wish to test vaginal electro-shock response. Here is the cattle prod. Will you be so kind as to insert it in her?

All for "valid research", to be sure, sir!

[backhoe]

Rx Nation- are our children being medicated to death?

[FairWitness]

Addendum to #11. Because of vastly different rates of maturation, especially of the CNS, in human neonates and juveniles compared to the available animal models, there really is no reliable way to test safety for human infants and young children using animals.

[bvw]

(1) What compels these dangerous studies to be made? Are we talking a breakthrough in preventing a deadly disease the child already has, helping stop a dealy epidemic the child is likely to be exposed to, or just "refining" some understandings? Here it is the last. This is not worthy, certainly. And if there is a clear risk to life of the children, even a clear risk of disablement, it could never be worthy.

(2) Who protects the orphans? They are children, disabled children, who would be their unswerving advocate? Bureaucrats? Must be a fool to think so -- and a callous fool at that.

(3) There can be no free informed consent here. This is a pervert's science if done.

[dead]

In addition to the valid points you raised, animal studies on a psychotropic drugs are most likely completely irrelevant.

Because these drugs are designed to have an altering effect on perception, emotion, or behavior, the damage done to the brain could be at a level that does not have any relationship to the limited cognitive functioning of a mouse brain.

[Orual]

I am very familiar with the drug and with the undisciplined and unscientific dispensation of Ritalin to elementary school children. I fought vigorously, in every instance, the school psychologists' attempts to influence parents to submit their children to the drug with the assurance that it would cure their absolutely normal childish behavior. Unfortunately, I lost some of those battles, both with the psychologists and the parents. But some did listen. It was dispensed as if the children were at a party and the Pinâta were filled with this drug - that's the extent of the precision and the rigor of the scientific method used.

I find it incomprehensible that studies of this sort will be carried out on children. If, as the article states, "They want poor minority kids because their parents are more easily coerced to sign up", then publicity of this sort can only help to inform, but the ultimate responsiblity lies with the school administrators. If they allow it, then it should be the prerogative of the local school boards to dismiss them for gross negligence.

[Ward Smythe]

ADHD is a largely imaginary disease invented by the drug companies, lawyers, and complicit doctors, as a diagnosis for what used to be considered normal rambunctious behavior.

As a parent of an ADHD child, I would disagree that it is "imaginary." However, it is grossly overdiagnosed and grossly overmedicated - no argument there. Sadly, those of us who really do have kids with these issues get lumped in with those who just want to control behavior. If it were only that simple...

Most of these children under 5, with symptoms of ADHD, are actually exhibiting the symptoms of being children under the age of 5.

Very true. We did pretty extensive research when our son was diagnosed in the second grade. We're pretty convinced you can't make a real diagnosis before about age seven. In fact his first grade teacher told us - after the diagnosis - that she suspected it, but knew that (after 40 years of teaching first grade) it was too soon to diagnose.

Having said that, this study sounds barbaric. I have to wonder if the parents are getting paid for their children to participate. What other motivation would a parent have for wanting their children to take drugs on an "experimental" basis.

[dighton]

Thank you.