Washington Post: Debatte über Ruhigstell-Drogen flammt wieder auf

Der Washington Post zufolge werfen aktuelle Erkenntnisse ein zweifelhaftes Licht auf Medikamente wie Ritalin, mit denen weit überwiegend Jungen ruhiggestellt werden, bei denen ADHS (das sogenannte "Zappelphilipp-Syndrom") diagnostiziert wurde:

New data from a large federal study have reignited a debate over the effectiveness of long-term drug treatment of children with hyperactivity or attention-deficit disorder, and have drawn accusations that some members of the research team have sought to play down evidence that medications do little good beyond 24 months.

The study also indicated that long-term use of the drugs can stunt children's growth.

The latest data paint a very different picture than the study's positive initial results, reported in 1999. (…)

"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 State University of New York at Buffalo. Pelham said 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?"

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