On October 5, 2012 a CBC News article written by Kelly Crowe reported a French study that concluded that the news media report initial biomedical findings that more often than not turn out to be wrong. The study also concluded that the news media generally ignore any follow-up information that refutes the initial claims.
Are we surprised? I don't think so. And it's not just the news media. Many internet websites and blogsites are loaded with the latest health claims, new health product information and diet information or claims. Nobody seems to ever retract anything. It seems that it is all about grabbing readers' attention, increasing volume and making money; not about spreading truth.
Obviously we have to read these reports and claims with several grains of salt. The items I find the most disturbing are the ones that want to make people believe that more pharmaceutical drugs are needed. The French study made a specific reference to a number of studies on attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) that in most most cases were never proven to be true over time but were never revisited by the media.I found this reference to ADHD interesting because of the large increase in ADHD medicine prescritions in BC over the last decade. On November 3 I wrote about this issue. I am not suggesting that report was incorrect. It was based on information the Vancouver Sun obtained from the BC Ministry of Health. However the increase in prescriptions for ADHD would at least in part reflect the reports in the news media about ADHD. As reported in the Vancouver Sun a lot of the information about ADHD in Canada is funded by the pharmaceutical industry.
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Saturday, November 3, 2012
ADHD Prescriptions Triple
A recent news article in the Vancouver Sun stated that ADHD medication prescriptions have tripled in BC over the last ten years. Are we surprised? No, we are not surprised at all. North American society seems to have gone prescription drug crazy over the last decade. The pharmaceutical industry is winning the battle to make you believe you need their products and to keep your money in their pockets. It seems that you cannot turn on a television without being innundated with advertisements flogging some prescription drug, usually loaded with terrifying side effects. We are also bombarded by the health care industry with products of questionable value such as flu shots.
According to the news article the Centre for ADHD Awareness in Canada recently ran a national awareness week funded by Shire Canada, the makers of two of the ADHD medications. Once again the drug makers are calling the tune.
The news article also stated that all of the doctors on the board of Canadian ADHD Resource Alliance which has set diagnosis and treatment guidelines for ADHD have declared links to pharmaceutical companies for either consulting or speaking engagements. This is like being a paid advocate or a lobbyist. Ladies and gentlemen, the key point to understand about paid advocates or lobbyists is that their opinions are bought and paid for by special interest groups, in this case by the pharmaceutical industry.
Who knows what long-term side effects are going to come out of the current wave of ADHD drugs. Remember in most cases these drugs are being given young children or teenagers.
With the massive amounts of prescription drugs, flu shots and similar items it is no wonder that healthcare costs are skyrocketing.
The government should ban direct public advertising of prescription pharmaceuticals and also make it illegal for practising doctors or other healthcare professionals to earn fees or take money or gifts from the pharmaceutical industry. Objectivity is a critical aspect of professionalism.
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According to the news article the Centre for ADHD Awareness in Canada recently ran a national awareness week funded by Shire Canada, the makers of two of the ADHD medications. Once again the drug makers are calling the tune.
The news article also stated that all of the doctors on the board of Canadian ADHD Resource Alliance which has set diagnosis and treatment guidelines for ADHD have declared links to pharmaceutical companies for either consulting or speaking engagements. This is like being a paid advocate or a lobbyist. Ladies and gentlemen, the key point to understand about paid advocates or lobbyists is that their opinions are bought and paid for by special interest groups, in this case by the pharmaceutical industry.
Who knows what long-term side effects are going to come out of the current wave of ADHD drugs. Remember in most cases these drugs are being given young children or teenagers.
With the massive amounts of prescription drugs, flu shots and similar items it is no wonder that healthcare costs are skyrocketing.
The government should ban direct public advertising of prescription pharmaceuticals and also make it illegal for practising doctors or other healthcare professionals to earn fees or take money or gifts from the pharmaceutical industry. Objectivity is a critical aspect of professionalism.
visit my website
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