Fwd: Latest Junk Study by Harvard Psychiatrists Drs. Biederman, Wilens

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ALLIANCE FOR HUMAN RESEARCH PROTECTION Promoting Openness, Full Disclosure, and Accountability http://www.ahrp.org and http://ahrp.blogspot.com FYIHarvard psychiatrists, Drs. Joseph Biederman and Timothy Wilens,  who haveviolated government and university conflict of interest rules by failing sefailure to disclose their substantial financial ties to drug manufacturers(over a million $$ each) are continuing to produce industry-friendly junk"studies." In their latest promotional article published in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine,  which is co-authored by Stephen V. Faraone of (NYSSUNY) [1] they make the dubious claim that amphetamines are "protective"against smoking and substance abuse: "Stimulant therapy does not increasebut rather reduces the risk for cigarette smoking and SUDs in adolescentswith ADHD."  http://archpedi.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/short/162/10/916The claims of these academic "opinion leaders"are refuted by a body ofscientific evidence:In 1999 University of California (Berkeley) scholar, Dr. Nadine Lambertcreated a stir when she reported her findings to the National Institutes ofHealth:Her long-term follow-up study found that children who were treated withstimulant drugs such as Ritalin to control ADHD, started smoking cigarettesearlier, smoked more heavily and were more likely as adults to abuse cocaineand other stimulants than those who did not take such medications. [2]http://psychrights.org/Research/Digest/ADHD/LambertinJensenandCooper(2002).pdfA much belated analysis of ADHD-stimulant drug data by the FDA in 2006,confirmed the risk these drugs pose. The FDA issued a warning that stimulants prescribed to children and youthincrease aggression, mania and/or psychotic symptoms, includinghallucinations, as well as the risk of sudden death in patients with heartproblems.The FDA "black box" warning for Adderall (amphetamine anddextroamphetamine), which is prescribed to millions of American children andyouth, reads: "Amphetamines have a high potential for abuse. Administration ofamphetamines for prolonged periods of time may lead to drug dependence." The label warning also states:"Misuse of amphetamines may cause sudden death and serious cardiovascularadverse events."  Dr. Lambert offered a theory, "the stimulant treatment sensitizationhypothesis," to explain why stimulant drugs pose an increased risk for drugdependence and abuse. "Behavioral sensitization is a process whereby intermittent stimulantexposure produces a time-dependent, enduring and progressively greater ormore rapid behavioral response . It has been demonstrated in every mammalianspecies in which it has been examined, but it has been little studied inhumans . (25) The results of a carefully controlled, randomized,double-blind study of increased doses of d-Amphetamine administeredalternately with matched placebo, supported a sensitization effect for someamphetamine-induced behaviors, such as faster rates of eye blinks andincreased motor activity/energy . Sensitization may underlie the development of drug craving in humans,thereby contributing to substance dependence."http://psychrights.org/Research/Digest/ADHD/LambertinJensenandCooper(2002).pdfThat theory was endorsed by Dr. Steven Hyman, a neurobiologist, and formerdirector of the National Institute of Mental Health, who is currentlyProvost of Harvard. [3] Surely, Dr. Hyman could exercise his position as Provost to require Harvardfaculty to adhere to scientifically valid research standards--notcompromised by commercial interests.REFERENCES:1. Timothy E. Wilens, MD; Joel Adamson, BA; Michael C. Monuteaux, ScD;Stephen V. Faraone, PhD; Mary Schillinger, BA; Diana Westerberg, BA; JosephBiederman, MD. Effect of Prior Stimulant Treatment forAttention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder on Subsequent Risk for CigaretteSmoking and Alcohol and Drug Use Disorders in Adolescents, Archives ofPediatrics & Adolescent Medicine. 2008;162(10):916-921. 2. Lambert, N . M. & Hartsough, C . S. Prospective study of tobacco smokingand substance dependence among samples of ADHD and non-ADHD subjects.Journal of Learning Disabilities 1998;  Nadine M. Lambert,  StimulantTreatment as a Risk Factor for Nicotine Use and Substance Abuse* Reprintedin In Jensen, P . S. & Cooper, J . R. (Eds.). (2002). Attention DeficitHyperactivity Disorder: State of the Science ; Best Practices . (pp 18-1 to18-24) Kingston, NJ : Civic Research Institutehttp://psychrights.org/Research/Digest/ADHD/LambertinJensenandCooper(2002).pdf 3. SE Hyman and EJ Nestler.  Initiation and adaptation: a paradigm forunderstanding psychotropic drug action, Am J Psychiatry 1996; 153:151-162Contact: Vera Hassner Sharavveracare212-595-8974FAIR USE NOTICE: This may contain copyrighted (C ) material the use of whichhas not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. Suchmaterial is made available for educational purposes, to advanceunderstanding of human rights, democracy, scientific, moral, ethical, andsocial justice issues, etc. It is believed that this constitutes a 'fairuse' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in Title 17 U.S.C.section 107 of the US Copyright Law. This material is distributed withoutprofit. _____________Infomail1 mailing listto send a message to Infomail1-leave =====In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.