Fwd: Psychiatric drug use soars for youth

[Guest guest]

"

Fwd: Psychiatric drug use soars for youth

 

In iatrogenic , aia wrote:

 

 

This is a very strange country. On the one hand Americans think of

themselves as especially protective of children, while on the other hand

children are doped up if they show the slightest eccentricity or misbehavior.

 

 

At the same time we maintain a massive campaign to try to get kids to not use

drugs that are, for the most part, far less hazardous.

 

The thing we seem to want to stamp out is independence. -- AiA

 

 

 

BBC

Tuesday, 14 January, 2003, 17:41 GMT

 

Psychiatric drug use soars for youth

Prescription rates more than doubled in a decade

 

Doctors are prescribing psychiatric drugs for children at a rapidly

increasing rate, a US study published on Tuesday has found.

 

The number of young people taking stimulants, anti-depressants,

and related drugs increased between two and three times between 1987 and 1996,

the study revealed.

 

Researchers examined data from nearly 900,000 young people in two

unnamed US states, making it among the most comprehensive of its kind, the

authors said.

 

The study does not address the question of whether the drug prescriptions are

appropriate.

 

In their conclusion, the authors point out that by the 1990s,

psychiatric drugs were being given to children at nearly the same rate as

adults.

 

The study was published the January 2003 issue of the journal Archives of

Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine.

 

 

Interpretations

In an editorial accompanying the study, psychiatrist Michael

Jellinek discusses two possible interpretations of the findings.

 

 

On the one hand, he said, the increase in use of medication could

be due to advances in diagnosis and improvements in drugs.

But, he adds, " there were some disturbing clinical trends that

limit optimism " .

 

 

Dr Jellinek argues that the rise in for-profit medical care

encourages the use of medication rather than, for example, psychotherapy.

 

 

" The use of medications increased steeply at a time when for-profit

behavioural managed care companies expanded their influence, " he

writes.

 

" Medication visits [to doctors] are reimbursed at twice or more

the rate per minute than therapy time, and less rigorous authorisation is

required, " he continues.

 

He also points out that pharmaceutical companies have a financial

incentive to encourage the use of drugs, and engage in " vigorous marketing at

professional meetings... and, most recently, direct-to-consumer advertising " .

 

Dr Jellinek recommends that health care providers submit annual

reports on use of psychiatric drug by young patients and conduct yearly

quality assurance studies.

 

He also advises carrying out detailed studies of the " actual cost

of child mental health disorders across the health, mental health, school,

social service and juvenile justice systems " to avoid merely shifting the

problem from one field to another.

 

" Will we value our children sufficiently, " he asks, " to ask if we

are prescribing the right psychotropic medications to the right

children using the right treatment plan? "

--- End forwarded message ---

 

 

 

 

Gettingwell- / Vitamins, Herbs, Aminos, etc.

 

To , e-mail to: Gettingwell-

Or, go to our group site: Gettingwell

 

 

 

 

Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now

 

 

[Guest guest]

I wish America was protective of children. We kill over 4000 of them EVERY

DAY.

 

 

-

" Frank " <califpacific

<gettingwell >

Friday, January 17, 2003 12:14 AM

Fwd: Psychiatric drug use soars for youth

 

 

>

>

> "

> Fwd: Psychiatric drug use soars for youth

>

> In iatrogenic , aia wrote:

>

>

> This is a very strange country. On the one hand Americans think of

> themselves as especially protective of children, while on the other hand

> children are doped up if they show the slightest eccentricity or

misbehavior.

>

>

> At the same time we maintain a massive campaign to try to get kids to not

use drugs that are, for the most part, far less hazardous.

>

> The thing we seem to want to stamp out is independence. -- AiA

>

>

>

> BBC

> Tuesday, 14 January, 2003, 17:41 GMT

>

> Psychiatric drug use soars for youth

> Prescription rates more than doubled in a decade

>

> Doctors are prescribing psychiatric drugs for children at a rapidly

> increasing rate, a US study published on Tuesday has found.

>

> The number of young people taking stimulants, anti-depressants,

> and related drugs increased between two and three times between 1987 and

1996, the study revealed.

>

> Researchers examined data from nearly 900,000 young people in two

> unnamed US states, making it among the most comprehensive of its kind, the

authors said.

>

> The study does not address the question of whether the drug prescriptions

are appropriate.

>

> In their conclusion, the authors point out that by the 1990s,

> psychiatric drugs were being given to children at nearly the same rate as

> adults.

>

> The study was published the January 2003 issue of the journal Archives of

> Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine.

>

>

> Interpretations

> In an editorial accompanying the study, psychiatrist Michael

> Jellinek discusses two possible interpretations of the findings.

>

>

> On the one hand, he said, the increase in use of medication could

> be due to advances in diagnosis and improvements in drugs.

> But, he adds, " there were some disturbing clinical trends that

> limit optimism " .

>

>

> Dr Jellinek argues that the rise in for-profit medical care

> encourages the use of medication rather than, for example, psychotherapy.

>

>

> " The use of medications increased steeply at a time when for-profit

> behavioural managed care companies expanded their influence, " he

> writes.

>

> " Medication visits [to doctors] are reimbursed at twice or more

> the rate per minute than therapy time, and less rigorous authorisation is

> required, " he continues.

>

> He also points out that pharmaceutical companies have a financial

> incentive to encourage the use of drugs, and engage in " vigorous

marketing at professional meetings... and, most recently,

direct-to-consumer advertising " .

>

> Dr Jellinek recommends that health care providers submit annual

> reports on use of psychiatric drug by young patients and conduct yearly

> quality assurance studies.

>

> He also advises carrying out detailed studies of the " actual cost

> of child mental health disorders across the health, mental health,

school,

> social service and juvenile justice systems " to avoid merely shifting the

> problem from one field to another.

>

> " Will we value our children sufficiently, " he asks, " to ask if we

> are prescribing the right psychotropic medications to the right

> children using the right treatment plan? "

> --- End forwarded message ---

>

>

>

>

> Gettingwell- / Vitamins, Herbs, Aminos, etc.

>

> To , e-mail to: Gettingwell-

> Or, go to our group site: Gettingwell

>

>

>

>

> Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now

>

>

[Guest guest]

Speaking of perscription drugs..Would you believe I

have seen a couple of children given

ritalin for ADD, and their parents give then coka cola

to wash it down with :-(

Its bad enough that doctors prescribe this but to have

the parents give them this???

--- Pat <honiholo wrote:

<HR>

<html><body>

 

 

<tt>

I wish America was protective of children.  We

kill over 4000 of them EVERY<BR>

DAY.<BR>

<BR>

<BR>

-<BR>

" Frank "

<califpacific<BR>

<gettingwell ><BR>

Friday, January 17, 2003 12:14 AM<BR>

Fwd: Psychiatric drug use soars

for youth<BR

<BR>

<BR>

><BR>

><BR>

>  " <BR>

> Fwd: Psychiatric drug use soars for

youth<BR>

><BR>

>  In iatrogenic , aia

wrote:<BR>

><BR>

><BR>

>  This is a very strange country. On the one

hand Americans think of<BR>

> themselves  as especially protective of

children, while on the other hand<BR>

> children are  doped up if they show the

slightest eccentricity or<BR>

misbehavior.<BR>

><BR>

><BR>

> At the same time we maintain a massive campaign

to try to get kids to not<BR>

use drugs that  are, for the most part, far less

hazardous.<BR>

><BR>

> The thing we seem to want to  stamp out is

independence. -- AiA<BR>

><BR>

><BR>

><BR>

>  BBC<BR>

> Tuesday, 14 January, 2003, 17:41 GMT<BR>

><BR>

>  Psychiatric drug use soars for youth<BR>

> Prescription rates more than doubled in a

decade<BR>

><BR>

>  Doctors are prescribing psychiatric drugs

for children at a rapidly<BR>

>  increasing rate, a US study published on

Tuesday has found.<BR>

><BR>

>  The number of young people taking

stimulants, anti-depressants,<BR>

> and related  drugs increased between two and

three times between 1987 and<BR>

1996, the study revealed.<BR>

><BR>

>  Researchers examined data from nearly

900,000 young people in two<BR>

> unnamed US states, making it among the most

comprehensive of its kind, the<BR>

authors said.<BR>

><BR>

> The study does not address the question of

whether the drug prescriptions<BR>

are  appropriate.<BR>

><BR>

>  In their conclusion, the authors point out

that by the 1990s,<BR>

> psychiatric  drugs were being given to

children at nearly the same rate as<BR>

> adults.<BR>

><BR>

>  The study was published the January 2003

issue of the journal Archives of<BR>

> Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine.<BR>

><BR>

><BR>

> Interpretations<BR>

>  In an editorial accompanying the study,

psychiatrist Michael<BR>

> Jellinek  discusses two possible

interpretations of the findings.<BR>

><BR>

><BR>

> On the one hand, he said, the increase in use of

medication could<BR>

> be due to  advances in diagnosis and

improvements in drugs.<BR>

> But, he adds, " there were some disturbing

clinical trends that<BR>

> limit  optimism " .<BR>

><BR>

><BR>

> Dr Jellinek argues that the rise in for-profit

medical care<BR>

> encourages the use of medication rather than, for

example, psychotherapy.<BR>

><BR>

><BR>

> " The use of medications increased steeply at

a time when for-profit<BR>

> behavioural managed care companies expanded their

influence, " he<BR>

> writes.<BR>

><BR>

>  " Medication visits [to doctors] are

reimbursed at twice or more<BR>

> the rate per  minute than therapy time, and

less rigorous authorisation is<BR>

> required, " he  continues.<BR>

><BR>

>  He also points out that pharmaceutical

companies have a financial<BR>

> incentive  to encourage the use of drugs,

and engage in " vigorous<BR>

marketing at  professional meetings... and, most

recently,<BR>

direct-to-consumer advertising " .<BR>

><BR>

>  Dr Jellinek recommends that health care

providers submit annual<BR>

> reports on  use of psychiatric drug by young

patients and conduct yearly<BR>

> quality assurance studies.<BR>

><BR>

>  He also advises carrying out detailed

studies of the " actual cost<BR>

> of child  mental health disorders across the

health, mental health,<BR>

school,<BR>

> social  service and juvenile justice

systems " to avoid merely shifting the<BR>

> problem  from one field to another.<BR>

><BR>

>  " Will we value our children

sufficiently, " he asks, " to ask if we<BR>

> are  prescribing the right psychotropic

medications to the right<BR>

> children using  the right treatment

plan? " <BR>

> --- End forwarded message ---<BR>