Researchers may have misled the public about the use of medication to treat ADHD

March 30, 6:25 AMNY Education ExaminerLorri Giovinco-Harte

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A researcher who was part of a team conducting a 2007 Federal follow up study on the effectiveness of using medication to treat ADHD and hyperactivity is making the accusation that some of his fellow researchers deliberately withheld the findings from the public.

The Miami Herald reports that psychologist William Pelham has stated that the study concluded that there are few benefits to long term use of medication for ADHD and similar disorders, yet some of his fellow researchers did not want to admit to the information as it contradicts a previous study and information that was circulated. 

Reporter, Shankar Vedantam writes:

''The stance the group took in the first paper was so strong that the people are embarrassed to say they were wrong and we led the whole field astray,'' said Pelham, of the University at Buffalo. Pelham noted that the drugs, including Adderall and Concerta, are among the medications most frequently prescribed for American children, adding, ``If 5 percent of families in the country are giving a medication to their children and they don't realize it does not have long-term benefits but might have long term risks, why should they not be told?''

The new study is the second phase of research conducted in 1999 which found that there was a significant improvement in children who took medication for ADHD.  These results were widely circulated by pharmaceutical companies.

The follow up study, however, shows a contradiction - there seems to be little difference in the behavior of the children.  In addition, the research showed that children who are taking the drug are somewhat shorter and lighter than those who do not, implying that medication may stunt growth.

Despite the findings of the new study, the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) downplayed the results in a news release, causing debate about the honesty of the reporting.  Pelham asserts that parents and doctors have been misled about the effectiveness of drug treatment. 

Read more at The Miami Herald.