2008 Woodie Awards
LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Moderated Medication Paves a Better Life
Natan Pill-Kahan
Issue date: 3/22/06 Section: Opinion
- Page 1 of 1
There are several problems with Marco Elorreaga's analysis of the proposal to add a black box warning to ADD medications.
First, while I don't doubt that Mr. Elorreaga has taken both cocaine and Adderall, one person feeling the same effect from two drugs doesn't constitute proof of anything.
The truth is, empirical data suggests the risks of heart disease is much higher from cocaine than from any Methylphenidate-based ADD medication (Ritalin, Concerta, Metadate). ADD medications based on amphetamines (Adderall, Wellbutrin) have some of the same problems as cocaine (risk of heart disease, hallucination, panic attacks) but are less severe and far less common.
Additionally, because of the risk of amphetamine-based medication doctors generally do not prescribe these medications unless Methylphenidate-based medications don't work, and even then patients are closely monitored.
The author rightly points out that these deaths cannot be definitely attributed to ADD medication. However, he states "these drugs can create health problems," apparently forgetting that there is virtually zero evidence that Methylphenidate-based medications cause serious health problems, and only minor side effects compared to amphetamine - based medication.
[Original report: "A recent release of a 2004 FDA report states that 25 sudden deaths and 43 cases of serious cardiovascular events such as strokes, cardiac arrest and heart palpitations have occurred between 1999 and 2003 due to use of the ADHD drugs."]
Even if all those deaths were a direct result of taking ADD medication, it is statistically insignificant. Of the 25 deaths attributed to ADD medicine 19 were to children. One million kids age 10-14 take ADD medications. One has a better chance of dieing from penicillin (.01%).
Drug companies spend millions pushing every medicine from Adderall to Zevalin (a medication used to treat Non-Hodgkin lymphoma) and everything in between. There is nothing wrong with this either.
Finally, the article fails to take into consideration the vast majority of people who take ADD medication who have been properly diagnosed and have had their lives drastically changed for the better as a result.
Studies published in reputable journals across the world say that these medications are safe and useful and stating the contrary doesn't make it so.
First, while I don't doubt that Mr. Elorreaga has taken both cocaine and Adderall, one person feeling the same effect from two drugs doesn't constitute proof of anything.
The truth is, empirical data suggests the risks of heart disease is much higher from cocaine than from any Methylphenidate-based ADD medication (Ritalin, Concerta, Metadate). ADD medications based on amphetamines (Adderall, Wellbutrin) have some of the same problems as cocaine (risk of heart disease, hallucination, panic attacks) but are less severe and far less common.
Additionally, because of the risk of amphetamine-based medication doctors generally do not prescribe these medications unless Methylphenidate-based medications don't work, and even then patients are closely monitored.
The author rightly points out that these deaths cannot be definitely attributed to ADD medication. However, he states "these drugs can create health problems," apparently forgetting that there is virtually zero evidence that Methylphenidate-based medications cause serious health problems, and only minor side effects compared to amphetamine - based medication.
[Original report: "A recent release of a 2004 FDA report states that 25 sudden deaths and 43 cases of serious cardiovascular events such as strokes, cardiac arrest and heart palpitations have occurred between 1999 and 2003 due to use of the ADHD drugs."]
Even if all those deaths were a direct result of taking ADD medication, it is statistically insignificant. Of the 25 deaths attributed to ADD medicine 19 were to children. One million kids age 10-14 take ADD medications. One has a better chance of dieing from penicillin (.01%).
Drug companies spend millions pushing every medicine from Adderall to Zevalin (a medication used to treat Non-Hodgkin lymphoma) and everything in between. There is nothing wrong with this either.
Finally, the article fails to take into consideration the vast majority of people who take ADD medication who have been properly diagnosed and have had their lives drastically changed for the better as a result.
Studies published in reputable journals across the world say that these medications are safe and useful and stating the contrary doesn't make it so.
