The arguments against traditional pharmacological treatment for ADD/ADHD

This page is a series of references, collected in May of 2002, dissing the use of drugs like Ritaline for the treatment of ADD. It will not be kept up to date, and will gradually become less current and useful. Feel free to link to it.

• Ritalin May Cause Long-Lasting Changes In Brain-Cell Function, University At Buffalo Researchers Find ,
• Cardiomyopathic Findings Associated With Methylphenidate, EFFECTS OF METHYLPHENIDATE (RITALIN) ON MAMMALIAN MYOCARDIAL ULTRASTRUCTURE,
• Boy's Death Linked to Ritalin: Coroner's Inquiry Leads to FDA Investigation, Imminent Lawsuit,
• AAP Guidelines for Treating Behavioral Disorders in Children with Ritalin Ignores Evidence of Cancer Risks (by Samuel S. Epstein, M.D., Chairman of the Cancer Prevention Coalition)
• Ritalin may just be a slower-acting version of cocaine (from JAMA).
• How efficacious and safe is short-acting methylphenidate for the treatment of attention-deficit disorder in children and adolescents? A meta-analysis (from the Canadian Medical Association Journal)
• Alternative treatments for adults with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) (abstract of a paper summarizing the topic).

Methylphenidate (Ritalin):
http://hsc.virginia.edu/medicine/clinical/pediatrics/devbeh/adhdlin/methyl.html
http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic/methphen.htm

Dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine):
http://hsc.virginia.edu/medicine/clinical/pediatrics/devbeh/adhdlin/dextroamp.html
http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic/dextroamphetamine.htm

Clonidine (Catapress):
http://hsc.virginia.edu/medicine/clinical/pediatrics/devbeh/adhdlin/clonid.html
http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic/clonidin.htm

Summaries of alt. treatments can be found here and here.