From: Pam Glidden (pglidden@YAHOO.COM)
Date: Fri Jun 30 2000 - 13:52:21 CDT
Dear Scouters,
Thu, 22 Jun 2000 08:40:30 -0400 Darryl Hammill wrote:
“Found this site extremely eye opening. I am not
endorsing the imfornation contained on this web site -
merely letting you all judge for yourself.
http://www.spectrumsoftware.org/adhd.htm
Darryl also wrote later that same evening: In some
research I was running recently I came across this
useful and informative web site.
http://drugawareness.org/index.html\
He also wrote in the second post: “We have some Scouts
who take prescription drugs for various health
problems. Others that have been supposedly diagnosed
with ADD and are on the heavy duty psychotropic
(mind-affecting) drug Ritalin.”
Well Scouters, I've had to take a few days to cool
off, because of Darryl's posts. Not because I am
angry with Darryl, but because he has stumbled on
and shared with you, a couple of web sites that have
been posted by people that IMHO are somewhat
irresponsible about what they are posting on the web.
When I read his post, I felt as if Scouts L, (where
I've felt safe), had been infiltrated by these
negative people (sort of like when someone breaks into
your home). I've been aware of these web sites prior
to Darryl's post, but had ignored them. So I guess
I've learned what denial will do for me.
The folks that maintain the first website have also
been behind several attempts to bar AD/HD students
from taking AD/HD medication, prescribed by their
doctors, during school hours, in several states. Each
time, they have lost their legal case! That should
tell you something about how trustworthy their
information is.
A class action suit HAS been filed against Novartis
(manufacturer of Ritalin), the American Psychiatric
Association and Children and Adults With
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD) for
conspiracy, as is stated on the website. It has been
alleged that all three of the above groups conspired
to "invent" Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
and to fraudulently induce consumers to use Ritalin.
CHADD's National President has assured me that the
accusations are untrue and will be fully answered in
court.
The truth is that AD/HD has been recognized and
researched by the medical community since the early
1900s. The American Medical Association, the National
Institutes of Health, the U.S. Surgeon General, and
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention all
recognize AD/HD as a genuine disorder that can be
accurately diagnosed using a comprehensive evaluation
process.
CHADD has always promoted the use of research-based
multi-modal treatment, including the use of parent
training, behavior management, environmental
modifications, and where indicated, medication, after
a
comprehensive evaluation and with ongoing medical
management.
CHADD has never promoted the use of stimulant
medication as the sole or primary treatment for AD/HD,
and has never promoted a particular product,
such as Ritalin.
CHADD has never made efforts to promote an increase in
the sale of Ritalin, nor has it ever taken action at
the request of any pharmaceutical manufacturer. CHADD
is scrupulously careful to avoid undue influence from
any funding source. The vast majority of our funds
come from memberships and individual donors, rather
than corporate sponsors of any
type.
(more to follow)
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