Home
ADHD, Ritalin & CHADD Part 2
“How can a parent organization, which began in 1988-89 [sic] have, within one year, enough funds and power to launch a major national campaign to try to have ADHD declared a handicap?The pharmaceutical companies have spent a lot of money underwriting and promoting this organization and this disease model. In the past the pharmaceutical companies and well paid national researchers in this field have used this organization to petition the DEA to change Ritalin from a Class II drug to a Class III drug so they can produce more Ritalin without government restrictions.
Why didn't the experts and the pharmaceutical company petition the DEA? Of course it was probably because the parent organization knew more of the chemistry, the pharmacology and the addictive qualities and side effects of Ritalin than the scientific experts.”
Now back to the Merrow Report for some more little nuggets:
“There's no mention of Ciba-Geigy in CHADD's introductory brochure, educators manual, fact sheets, or annual reports. These widely distributed materials describe CHADD as a grass-roots, parent based organization."
“None of the parents we talked to knew about the connection.”
“After we began asking questions, CHADD decided to tell its members about its longstanding financial links with Ciba-Geigy. CHADD says it will continue to accept Ciba-Geigy's money.”
This TV show went to air in 1995. That’s a long time ago. Eight years would be plenty of time for CHADD to publicly clarify its financial relationship with the makers of a drug they seem to be actively promoting, if only in order to avoid accusations of a conflict of interest - so, naturally, I expected them to have done just that. By acknowledging the relationship at their website, for example.
Next, Ritalin, CHADD and ADHD Part 3
ADHD-Report.com: The concerned
parents' guide to childrens' attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder
(ADHD/ADD)