Ian Hudson of the MHRA challenged over the safety of Concerta (Ritalin)

Former Glaxo World 'Safety Officer', Dr Ian Hudson

In an attempt to seek the truth and learn how the regulations of prescription drugs work, Swedish investigative journalist, Janne Larsson, has been, for many years now, corresponding with the British medicines regulator, the MHRA.

Larsson, it appears, is ruffling some feathers at MHRA HQ, none more so than the feathers of the always evasive CEO, Dr Ian Hudson.

You see, the MHRA and Larsson have been going over reports regarding the ADHD drug Concerta, more commonly known as Ritalin.

Head of the MHRA, Dr Ian Hudson, has told Larsson that  “the safety of Concerta is being continuously monitored” - but Larsson is having none of it.

In his latest open email to Dr Ian Hudson, Larsson suggests that Hudson's handling of this whole affair is "scandalous". After reading much of the correspondence between Larsson and the MHRA I must say he has a valid point.

His open email (link at the foot of this post) also calls into question why the MHRA, in particular, Dr Ian Hudson, have not approached Concerta makers, Janssen, with regard to a "distortion of facts" that they presented to the MHRA a few years ago.

Larsson, in his open email to Hudson, points out that Janssen says that Concerta “continues to have a favourable benefit-risk profile for ADHD in children and adults” and that it is authorized for the treatment of ADHD in adults. They also claim that that the benefits of Concerta for adults “are supported by prospective, randomized, active-comparator controlled trials” 

However, Study 3013, the longest of all the Concerta studies, shows something completely different - furthermore, the MHRA, themselves, after reviewing 3013, said, “A causal relationship with Concerta was established for aggression, tics and depression.”

Larsson accuses the MHRA of sitting on this information for over two years.

It's unlike the agency to sit on anything regarding patient welfare. I mean, they have their fingers right on the pulse, huh?

Dr Ian Hudson, is the former World Safety Officer for GlaxoSmithKline (then SmithKline Beecham)

Kind of worrisome that someone sitting on important safety information regarding Concerta used to be in control of safety at one of the most heavily fined pharmaceutical companies known in history.

Here's Janne Larsson's correspondence.

ADHD drugs – MHRA and the Concerta scandal – did this really happen?



Bob Fiddaman.


Back story

Swedish Journalist Takes on British Drug Regulator

ADHD - Market Challenge - Unknown Etiology

A market report carried out by TechNavio analysts predict that the Global ADHD Drugs market will grow at a rate of 5.33 percent over the period 2013-2018.

The 80 page report, if you are financially well off, costs a staggering $2,500 to purchase. The report covers...

The present scenario and the growth prospects of the Global ADHD Drugs market for the period 2014-2018. To calculate the market size, the report considers the revenue generated from the sales of various therapies used in the treatment of ADHD, which include:

Stimulants

Non-stimulants

TechNavio's report, the Global ADHD Drugs Market 2014-2018, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the Americas, and the EMEA and APAC regions; it also covers the Global ADHD Drugs market landscape and its growth prospects in the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.

Interestingly, one of the main market challenges the report found was...wait for it... are you ready yet?

Unknown Etiology

In other words, those manufacturing the drugs to treat ADHD don't actually know the causes of ADHD.

To combat this (small flaw) the Pharmafia (that's pharmaceutical companies and medicine regulators combined) will use various marketing strategies to say how bad ADHD can be if not treated... and actually skip the fact that they, themselves, do not know the etiology of it.

The report suggests that the Pharmafia must "increase the awareness" so expect a lot of pseudo-science over the coming years folks.

Drugs discussed in the report include Strattera, Concerta/Ritalin, Focalin, Intuniv and Vyvanse/Elvanse/ Venvanse.

The key vendors, according to the report, are Eli Lilly, Janssen, Novartis and Shire.

Between now and 2018 it appears that the goal is to not only target children who have a brain disease but adults too.

A brief abstract of the report reads...

ADHD is a psychiatric disorder, which is mostly found in children. However, adults have also been reported to be diagnosed with ADHD. The patients with ADHD suffer from several problems including hyperactivity, impulsiveness, and lack of focus and concentration. The causes of ADHD are not known. It is believed to be linked with genetic and environmental causes. However, it has been reported to be related with the decrease in the extraneuronal levels of norepinephrine and dopamine. In addition, the patients have an abnormality in the brain structure. It is more prevalent in boys than girls. The management of ADHD is done by counseling, medications, and lifestyle changes.

Notice how the causes of ADHD are played down and followed with the standard Pharmafia scaremongering line... "It is believed to be linked with genetic and environmental causes. However, it has been reported to be related with the decrease in the extraneuronal levels of norepinephrine and dopamine. In addition, the patients have an abnormality in the brain structure."

What you, as a prospective consumer, need to take from this are two key words...

1. Believed
2. Reported

In other words, the Pharmafia "believe" in a theory because it, coincidentally, means they will be able to treat a population based on this theory.

It has been "reported" basically means that the Pharmafia have cherry-picked reports, once again to suit their own agenda (selling drugs)

They did this with SSRi's when they were first launched. Back then we were told that SSRi's such as Prozac and Paxil could correct a chemical imbalance... (the cause of the anxiety and depression we were feeling)

When this theory was proven to be incorrect one would have thought that trading standards would have slammed the Pharmafia for selling products on a lie. However, the Pharmafia still had the luxury of tweaking their wording.

Look at any SSRi on the market today and you will see a key line...

"It is thought"

So, "it is thought" that anxiety and depression are caused by a chemical imbalance. It still gives us the message that they are right and we have something abnormal with us.

And that's exactly how they want it to remain folks.

If you want an alternative treatment for your child then read Psychiatric Medication or Play Therapy?

If you are an adult who has been diagnosed with ADHD and, as a result, you have been offered medication to control it then... well, you are grown up enough to know that the Pharmafia just want your money and want you hooked on their wares.

Some of the side effects of the drugs mentioned in the report are pretty severe - Pharmafia will play those down too.

In a nutshell, before you decide to go down the road of drugging yourself...or your children, do your homework.

Don't believe me? When diagnosed answer your doctor with a two-worded question and watch his face.

The 40 second video perfectly shows this.

Bob Fiddaman.

Swedish Journalist Takes on British Drug Regulator

Janne Larsson is a tenacious so and so. He'll dig, stumble across something that isn't right then ask questions to try and seek the truth.

He has given me permission to publish his recent letter to the British drug regulator, the MHRA.

Larsson has, for some time now, been gunning for Janssen, makers of Concerta, also known as Ritalin.

Like any good journalist Larsson has meticulously studied the adverse events of Concerta in Janssen’s clinical trials. What he found were huge flaws. [Back story]

Here's his latest letter to the MHRA.

The approval of Ritalin for adults – where did all the aggression go?

Dear Dr Hudson,

As you may remember I wrote to you in February and March about MHRA and the scandal with the ADHD drug Concerta  [http://jannel.se/MHRA.Concerta3.pdf]

I made the “prophecy” that several drug regulatory agencies in Europe, who had allowed alarming levels of off label prescription for adults, like Sweden, would have to make sure that we quickly forgot the Concerta scandal. And the best way to do that would be to push through another application of methylphenidate for adults – like Ritalin. And to then claim “that we now have evidence”.

I said that we could expect Novartis to have learned from the failed Concerta submission, and to design more “smart” studies, showing its drug Ritalin (in all important aspects the same as Concerta) to be “safe and effective”. We could expect that the submitted studies would get a positive assessment this time – no embarrassing questions – and suddenly the concealed and alarming Concerta results could be expected to no longer exist!

We have now arrived at that point.

It has been a secret up to now how Novartis planned its conquest of Europe, or as Financial Times said, how to get everyone “on board with adult ADHD” [http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/2/8b721a20-b8e9-11e2-a6ae-00144feabdc0.html] . We have not known in which countries the application was submitted or via which procedure. We know now.

Novartis succeeded to get through some kind of “informal worksharing procedure”, as there was “currently no legal basis” for a formal work sharing procedure. As the Swedish Medical Products Agency stated in its assessment report:

“The worksharing procedure included all European (EU) countries where Ritalin LA is currently registered. As Ritalin LA is registered via national procedures in EU, there is currently no legal basis in EU for using ‘formal’ worksharing procedure for nationally registered products.”

We also know that Germany was leading this “informal work sharing procedure”.

I have read the Swedish “investigation” about Novartis’ submitted studies, and as expected – no embarrassing questions. Much could be said about it, but at this point I only want to take up one important, even vital aspect.

Where did all the aggression go?

As you know MHRA, leading the European investigation about Concerta concluded: “A causal relationship with Concerta was established for aggression, tics and depression.” (Preliminary Variation Assessment Report, juli 2010 page 112, [http://jannel.se/PVAR.Concerta140710.pdf )]

The investigation showed that in the three Janssen-submitted, double-blind studies (3013, 02-159 and 3002) “13 of the 596 subjects receiving Concerta … were withdrawn for aggression-related adverse events (vs. none receiving placebo)”. (Page 65, Preliminary Variation Assessment Report, Concerta, July 2010, see also FVAR, page 12, 26 April 2011.)

These 13 persons suffered so severe aggression that they had to be taken out of the trials. None of those on placebo suffered such serious aggression that they had to end the trials.

The investigation also showed that a total of 71 out of 596 subjects (11.9%) from the Concerta group had suffered aggression (compared to 17 ​​persons, 5.5%, from the placebo group). In the combined studies of Concerta in adults (placebo-controlled, and others) 202 of a total of 1369 subjects, 14.8%, suffered aggression. [10] (See FVAR, page 12, 26 April 2011.)

Clear evidence also emerged in the studies that Concerta could cause anxiety and agitated conditions in adults – ”evidence for the risk of new-onset anxiety, tension and agitation”. “Adult studies have identified anxiety as a very common risk in adults.” (See Preliminary Variation Assessment Report, page 117.)

In the investigation it was concluded: “The main new safety concern from the study data is around the frequency of psychiatric adverse events and that this is often de novo [new]. Of note is the incidence of anxiety but also rates of depression and aggressive and hostile behavior are raised.” (See Preliminary Variation Assessment Report, page 66.)

MHRA asked for and Janssen submitted (January 2011, Response Document) the following illuminating table over adverse events in the Concerta studies:

We would of course expect a similar picture in the clinical trials of Ritalin for adults.

And so we take a look at the comparable table in the Swedish investigation of Ritalin for adults. It looks like this (National Type II variation – Overview, page 35, 16 July 2014):

We can see, for the first 9 weeks, that “Psychiatric Disorders” are lumped together, with 188 persons (34.7%) in the Ritalin group affected by these, compared to 25 (13.9%) in the placebo group.

But nowhere in the 58 pages long Swedish “investigation” can we read specifics about what comprised these psychiatric disorders. We find nothing at all in the document about “aggression”. We find nothing about “new safety concerns” for aggression, hostile behavior, anxiety, depression.

While the assessment of the Concerta studies showed: “A causal relationship with Concerta was established for aggression, tics and depression”, we find nothing at all about this in the Swedish document.

So in some way the Swedish authorities together with Novartis succeeded to get rid of, or not go further with, these serious adverse effects, which must have been about the same in the studies of Ritalin as in the studies of Concerta. And which could have – as for Concerta – formed the basis for disapproval of the application. How this was done is not clear at the moment. Maybe we have a case of “recoding” the adverse events, like the famous renaming of suicide attempts by pharmaceutical companies, instead calling them “emotional lability”. Anyhow the Swedish authorities could not “afford” to ask too many questions about this.

What did the MHRA do about it?

At the moment I don’t know how much of the text in the Swedish assessment report is copied from the text originated by the Reference Member State (RMS), Germany, leading the handling of Novartis’ application.

And we come to the role of MHRA and my questions to you:

1. Did MHRA “handle” aggression, and other serious adverse events, in the same way as the Swedish authorities did? (In other words, not at all.)

2. If so, how could MHRA, considering what the agency knew about the harmful effects of the almost identical drug Concerta, fail to go further with the investigation about this manipulation of data?

3. If MHRA actually challenged the manipulated data about adverse effects in Novartis’ application for Ritalin, I assume the agency arrived at the same conclusion as in the Concerta investigation – that the drug could not be approved. I would be happy to get a copy of that important assessment report.

Yours sincerely,

Janne Larsson

Reporter

Sweden

--

 Janne Larsson has, for many years, in his free time, worked using the Swedish FOI Act to make the “misdeeds” of psychiatry, Big Pharma and government agencies public.

Bob Fiddaman

Rebadge, Reinvent and Reap Rewards of ADHD Medication

One thing I've learned over the past 8 years of writing this blog is that the system that is supposed to protect us from dangerous drugs is a system that has been infiltrated by pharmaceutical dollars. Be it the FDA, MHRA or any other drug regulatory agency.

I've also learned that the only way one can change how we, as patients, view these psychiatric medications is by opposing the claims of pharmaceutical companies that they actually work and are safe for human consumption.

Be a pain in the ass, the big man doesn't like it. Ask questions, the big man doesn't like it.

I've got a lot of admiration for other folk who have dedicated their lives to getting to the truth about antidepressant type medication, be they human rights movements, professors, journalists, grieving parents or just folk who have the tenacity to never give up in their pursuit for the truth.

Janne Larsson is one such person.

Larsson, who hails from Sweden, has, for many years, been investigating the drug Concerta, an investigation that has now led him to the doors of the British drug regulator, the MHRA.

What we have here is deception of the highest order...a deception that Larsson wishes to make public.

Larsson has wrote to the new chief at the MHRA, Dr Ian Hudson. The question he has put to the former World Safety Officer for SmithKline Beecham is simple...Will the MHRA handle the Concerta scandal by approving Ritalin for adults?

Larsson, after many years of investigation, has kindly copied me in on the email to Hudson. It makes shocking reading.

He writes...

In the beginning of 2011 secret internal MHRA documents revealed: The application to get the ADHD drug Concerta approved for adults was refused; Concerta was found to have “negative benefit/risk balance” for adults.

The disapproval of the drug for adults has been a well-kept secret: NO information whatsoever has been issued by the MHRA or the other European medical agencies about the disastrous results.

Let’s look on what was hidden for doctors and the public.

This is the not published table over the Adverse Events of Concerta in clinical trials. It is part of the manufacturer Janssen’s “Response Document” (page 84) to the MHRA, from 11 January 2011.

In the Company’s three best (!) studies of Concerta on adults, the ones chosen for Janssen’s application, the following harmful events emerged in the short-term studies (up to 13 weeks), where Concerta was compared to placebo:

·         The persons who received Concerta had a 270% increased risk for heart disorders in form of Arrhythmias;

·         The persons who received Concerta had a 116% increased risk for Aggression;

·         The persons who received Concerta had a 62% increased risk for Depression;

·         The persons who received Concerta had a 225% increased risk for neurological disorders in form of Tics/Dystonias;

·         The persons who received Concerta had a 190% increased risk for Psychosis/Mania;

·         The persons who received Concerta had a 295% increased risk for Anorexia;

Meantime, in Larsson's native Sweden, Concerta prescriptions have risen by 60%, netting the manufacturer, Janssen, a cool 488 million SEK (45 million GBP)

Fear not... If one bad drug can be pushed in one country then expect the very same drug to be pushed in other countries. Step into the fray Novartis, manufacturer of Ritalin, an ADHD drug that is, in essence, exactly the same as Concerta.

Larsson finishes his email to the MHRA with the following...

I am sure Novartis has learned from the failed Concerta submission and that there is a big interest from the officials mentioned above to push through the approval of Ritalin for adults. We can expect that the submitted studies will get a positive assessment this time – no embarrassing questions – and suddenly the concealed and alarming Concerta results can be expected to no longer exist! Janssen will also be saved; no criminal actions will be taken.

But it’s hard to see how the above can fit with the MHRA declaration: “We protect and improve the health of millions of people every day through the effective regulation of medicines and medical devices, underpinned by science and research.”

So Mr Hudson, will the MHRA take part in this dirty game of approving Ritalin, so that we can forget about the Concerta scandal?

It's a fair enough question but I don't expect an immediate response from Dr Ian Hudson. I wrote him in November as I was concerned about MHRA consultant, Stephen J W Evans and his recent call for a re-evaluation of the current prescription of SSRIs in young people.

Ironically, I received a reply a few hours ago, not from Hudson but from Sarah Morgan, Group Manager, Benefit Risk Management Group, Vigilance and Risk Management of Medicines.

My query wasn't really addressed by either Hudson or Morgan [no surprise there] - it was the bog-standard "the MHRA has comprehensively reviewed evidence on the benefits and risks of SSRIs" type of email.

I have to take off my hat to Larsson for pursuing this. I hope he is made of strong stuff, my experience with the MHRA and their limp-wristed buck-passing cahoots has been highlighted on my blog and in my book on many occasions.

Good luck Janne!

The full email sent to Hudson from Larsson can be downloaded here.

Bob Fiddaman

Adult ADHD - The Comic

I've heard about adult ADHD before, never really took much notice as I honestly thought that grown-ups wouldn't be taken in by such mumbo-jumbo. I didn't even know [my naivety] that adult ADHD was being promoted here in New Zealand - kind of makes sense that it is though seeing as the NZ government tackle everyday emotions with drugs. Quit smoking - try Champix - Depressed - Try an SSRi.

Adult ADHD is, it has to be said, one of the more ridiculous mental disorders to hit the streets and make the pharmaceutical industry even richer.

Yesterday, whilst sitting in the waiting room of a doctor's surgery, I was thumb twiddling, bored out of my mind as the only magazines available to read were trashy gossip types, you know the kind, the close-up paparazzi shots of actresses in their mid thirties who [shock-horror] have rings under their eyes or a crease or two on their thighs.

Not one for reading about rings and creases I turned my attention to the array of brochures lining the waiting room wall. Two in particular caught my attention, one was a quit smoking brochure, the other 'Adult ADHD'.

The quit smoking brochure was basically promoting Champix, the smoking cessation drug that can make you want to kill yourself. I've highlighted the whole Champix promotion here in New Zealand in a previous post [see - Sometimes the New Zealand Government Get It Wrong]

In this post I will focus on the second brochure I picked up yesterday. [See Fig 1 and 2]

I was giggling to myself whilst reading the 'science' or lack of. There's even a test adults can take to seek help from their doctor if they score 4 or more out of the 6 questions provided.

I took the test, hey I had nothing better to do and I found it more entertaining than reading about creases and rings on the latest celebrity to be dragged down from a pedestal she never wanted to be on in the first place.

I scored 4 and the brochure recommends that I make an appointment to see my doctor.

Yikes! I may have adult ADHD - How on earth did I get this mental disorder?

Well the brochure tells me, in no uncertain terms, that adult ADHD may be a result of my kids having ADHD?

Now, I'm confused? My kids don't have ADHD, although if they had taken any of the tests designed to make them have ADHD then I'm sure the brochure would have reeled me in.

Okay, so my kids don't have it, how come I do?

According to the brochure common symptoms of adult ADHD are:

Difficulty in relationships - Yup, myself and Maria do have our disagreements and, hey, I was divorced many years ago due to having difficulties in a relationship - They got me.

Difficulty in starting complex tasks and completing tasks - Um, does that include putting a shelf up or prepping a wall to be plastered? If so, they got me again.

Increased incidence of car accidents/traffic violations - well, I don't drive but I do cross the road without using pedestrian crossings - I think that's called Jaywalking in America - maybe it's now been deemed as a mental disorder? You laugh but almost everything else is so why not Jaywalking?

Lack of organisation - Oops, they got me again. I couldn't organise a drinks festival in a brewery!

Apparently, when compared with adults who don't have adult ADHD, I may have higher rates of anxiety, depression and substance use disorders. I'm doomed, doomed I tell ya.

Fear not, the brochure tells me some important news, a lovely big green box with bold white writing tells me, "While ADHD cannot be cured, medication and behaviour management strategies can help to control the symptoms associated with ADHD."

Oh yippie! I'm saved... saved I tell ya.

Okay, so how did I get this brain disorder? - I know it's a brain disorder because the brochure tells me so.

"ADHD is a brain disorder that can cause hyperactivity, impulsivity and difficulties paying attention"

Oh, someone just walked in the waiting room with a limp....

Dang it there goes my concentration.

The brochure continues with the science behind adult ADHD:

"It is estimated that 4% of adults in the US have ADHD" - Golly, must be something they put in the water, right? Anyway, I live in New Zealand and drink rain water [through a filter of course]

"If this rate of occurance is true for NZ", according to the brochure, "this means that approximately 86,000 adults between the ages of 18 and 50 years of age have ADHD."

Gadzooks!

Furthermore, the brochure tells me:

"ADHD is a highly heritable disorder, and approximately 20% of parents of children with ADHD have ADHD themselves."

The test is based around six questions, the answers range from never to very often. You can take the test yourself, just click on Fig 2.

I have to say the whole brochure kept me entertained and lifted my boredom whilst sitting for almost an hour in the waiting room - very uncomfortable on those hard plastic chairs that I found myself fidgeting a lot, ironically that's yet another symptom of ADHD.

The 6 question test that appeared in the brochure, called 'The Adult ADHD Self Report Scale Screener' [ASRS] is copyrighted to the World Health Organisation [WHO]

The information sourced in the brochure comes courtesy of Janssen Pharmaceuticals. Janssen manufacture and market Concerta [methylphenidate], a drug used for ADHD.

The brochure may fall into the hands of someone who actually believes the garbage written within it. How often do people get emails telling them they have won the Nigerian lottery? Many of us do, but many of us recognise that it's just a scam - sadly there's a small percentage sucked in and it's those that often part with money to release the lottery winnings from the Bank of Umberjaja.

This brochure was written in exactly the same way as those Nigerian email scams. They were designed to target the vulnerable, to make those vulnerable people believe that, a; they could have something and b; they just needed to part with some cash to get to that something.

That's pretty much how the pharmaceutical industry work - they plant the seed then offer the remedy. They offer no science but selective science. They'll gather 50 or so studies on ADHD, cherry pick all the bits that benefit them and bury the bits that would actually benefit the patient.

If written in the 1970's, early 80's this brochure would have made a great skit for the 'Not the Nine O'Clock News' team. Messrs Atkinson, Smith, Jones and Stephenson wouldn't have needed to work out a funny routine, the brochure is basically the screenplay.

I've used 'Not the Nine O'Clock News' as an example because the brochure reminds me so much of the 'Constable Savage' skit performed by Rowan Atkinson and Griff Rhys Jones. It's so ludicrously absurd that one has to laugh at the belief.

Constable Savage [Jones] likes to take the law into his own hands. This is frowned upon by his Sergeant [Atkinson]. It's not difficult to make comparisons here.

The comedic brochure, complete with The Adult ADHD Self Report Scale Screener, is below.

Fig 1

Fig 2

Bob Fiddaman

JOIN THE FIDDAMAN BLOG ON FACEBOOK

Tenacity Pays Off For Swedish Journalist Larsson

I've corresponded with many great writers since starting this blog almost 7 years ago, I've met a few in person too.

What makes a great health activist/advocate?

Well, in the main, a great advocate is someone who has experienced the darker side of the pharmaceutical industry. A person who, through no fault of their own, has endured horrific withdrawal at the hands of a pharmaceutical product or, worse, had to lay a loved one to rest because a pill that was meant to make them better actually induced suicide.

Then we have ex-pharma employees and current and retired psychiatrists, these people also add a tremendous weight to the debate regarding antidepressants.

Journalists banging the drum are few and far between but they do exist in this murky pharma world. One such journalist is Janne Larsson, a Swedish man whose investigative skills and tenacity have to be admired by the street man and revered by the top executives within pharma, medicine regulators and apparent experts in the field of psychiatry.

Concerta 0 Common Sense 1

News breaking through from investigative journalist Janne Larsson is that the European Medicine Agencies have disapproved the ADHD drug Concerta for adults.


The short-term clinical trials held no certain positive effects, in fact quite the opposite.

Larsson writes:

There was clear evidence that Concerta can cause anxiety and agitated conditions in adults and also evidence that Concerta can cause aggression. Concerta may now only be used for adults, who before the age of 18 have had “a clear benefit from treatment” with “acceptable tolerability”; Concerta CANNOT be prescribed to other adults.

Larsson's breaking story can be read in full HERE

So, finally the bodies that regulate drugs have taken a common sense pill. What they need to do now is stop this particular drug being prescribed to children. I highlighted the way Concerta was advertised on YouTube in a post a few months ago. The ad, for the "ADHD" drug, methylphenidate, brand name Concerta, featured a mother speaking about how all of her children have ADHD...and all of them are on Concerta, Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals. Inc wonder pill. The mother proudly boasted that she too has ADHD and is also on Concerta. The ad carried the disclaimer, "The individuals appearing in this video have been compensated for their participation and are not actors."


My original post is HERE

Strangely, the video has now been removed by the user, whether or not my post had something to do with the pulling of the video is another matter.

The fight against the psychopharmaceuitical monopoly continues...


Fid


ORDER THE PAPERBACK 'THE EVIDENCE, HOWEVER, IS CLEAR...THE SEROXAT SCANDAL' By Bob Fiddaman US and CANADA HERE
OR UK FROM CHIPMUNKA PUBLISHING

AUSTRALIAN ORDERS HERE

70% Rise in "ADHD" Type Drugs in UK

Image: Google Images

The Daily Mail is reporting that the number of prescriptions for children with ADHD like "disorders" has risen by a massive 70% in the past five years.

A staggering 12,000 prescriptions are written out weekly for "mental disorders" that, in essence, are based purely on theory.

The types of drugs used for these theoretical disorders include Ritalin and Concerta.

"Department of Health figures", writes Sophie Borland, "show last year 661,500 prescriptions were written out for Ritalin and similar drugs such as Concerta – up from 382,000 in 2005.

"Most will have been handed out to those under the age of 19 diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactive disorder, with symptoms including an inability to concentrate and restless or impulsive behaviour."

Hey ho everybody. Here's the deal.

You go up against a pharmaceutical company and you ask them to provide evidence that their drugs are safe and effective in children, they hum and har before releasing data that shows you the opposite. Naughty pharma are then told "not to do it again" by our wonderful drugs regulator the MHRA. Not criminal because those clever pharma execs saw a loophole in the EU law.

Sales of the particular group of drugs plummet as more and more docs read about the dangers. So, pharma try another angle. Label the kids with a disorder and then manage that disorder with a product... their product.

WAKE THE FUCK UP PEOPLE!

You are being hoodwinked into believing your child has a disorder, a disorder that just happened to manifest itself during a meeting of psychiatrists, whom are all on he payroll of the pharmaceutical industry.

WORLD WARS I & II saw much sadness, death brought mourning, war brought poverty, but hey, guess what? No pills were around back then to make Johnny Smith forget about the death of his father on some battlefield in northern France nor were they around when Lucy Jones would cry because she was mourning the death of her pet cat who was found in the rubble of her bombed parents house.

We are fast becoming a nation of citizens who are being dumbed-down by psychiatric drugs, if not us, then our children.

12,000 prescriptions per week for brain altering drugs, so we, as parents, can let the pharmaceutical industry babysit our children because we cannot be bothered anymore!

Don't expect any input from your medicine regulator folks, unless you want to hear the "benefits outweigh the risks" line.

Over 30 years ago I was sitting in a classroom, flicking paper clips with an elastic band, hey, I was known to stick a drawing pin on someones chair...just for a laugh. The majority of us did it - it was part of growing up. Guess what? I even played truant from school, usually skipping the days when religious education was rammed down my throat [no priest jokes please]

"Why hasn't your homework been handed in?"

"Dunno Sir"

"Detention for you Fiddaman!"

What do we have today?

A kid plays truant on a regular basis - label him/her with a psychiatric disorder - Drug him.

Young Billy Jones keeps flicking bogies [US spelling boogers] at passers-by in the corridor - he must be mental - Drug him.

Pretty little Lucy Lovett looks withdrawn and constantly falls to sleep at her desk - she has a disorder - Drug her.

Our government won't tell you about the dangers of these drugs, instead they offer incentives such as an increase in benefits.

We live in a topsy-turvy world people, is this payback for stealing the apple off the tree in the garden of Eden?

C'mon 'God' help us out here because if you don't that figure of 12,000 will soon rise to 20,000 then 50,000 and before you know it children will be a thing of the past, they will be objects sat in a corner dribbling and talking mumbo-jumbo because their brains have been nullified by dangerous chemicals - all in the name of psychiatric labelling.

I hereby sentence the UK to a life of fucked up children who shall never experience human emotion again.

Signed

Louis Cypher

RANT OVER!



Fid



ORDER THE PAPERBACK
'THE EVIDENCE, HOWEVER, IS CLEAR...THE SEROXAT SCANDAL' By Bob Fiddaman
US/CANADIAN HERE OR UK/IRELAND FROM CHIPMUNKA PUBLISHING

ALL FALL DOWN 10 MINUTE DOCUMENTARY - PSYCHIATRIC DRUGGING OF UK CHILDREN

In 1994 around 4,000 stimulants were prescribed to children in the UK.

Today, that figure is a staggering 750,000.

What will it be in 5 years time?

Are you going to sit and watch UK children all fall down?

Watch the 10 minute video from the stable of CCHR...or you could just turn a blind eye and watch your favourite soap on TV.




Fid

ORDER THE PAPERBACK
'THE EVIDENCE, HOWEVER, IS CLEAR...THE SEROXAT SCANDAL' By Bob Fiddaman
SIGNED COPIES HERE OR UNSIGNED FROM CHIPMUNKA PUBLISHING
FOR US ORDERS VISIT AMAZON.COM

ADHD CONCERTA ADVERT

I was browsing through youtube the other day and stumbled upon one of those sickly sugar flavoured pharmaceutical adverts. The ad, for the "ADHD" drug, methylphenidate, brand name Concerta, features a mother speaking about how all of her children have ADHD...and all of them are on Concerta, Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals. Inc wonder pill. The mother proudly boasts that she too has ADHD and is also on Concerta.

The ad carries the disclaimer, "The individuals appearing in this video have been compensated for their participation and are not actors."

The mother, known as 'Natalie' talks through the first segment of the video:

"...if there's a child in the family that has ADHD, there's a chance that one of the parent's will also have ADHD"

She continues:

"I'm an adult that was recently diagnosed with ADHD and I have four children. My oldest son is named Max, he is 14 years old, he has ADHD.


"I have an 11 year old son, whose name is Sam, he also has ADHD.


"I have a 9 year old daughter named Mia, she also has ADHD.


"And I have an 8 year old son named Judah who was just recently also dignosed with ADHD."

Bravo to Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals. Inc for the vomit inducing advert. Perhaps they should go into detail and describe exactly how ADHD is diagnosed or better still show the scientific proof that ADHD actually exists.

The ad appears on the "ADHD" channel on youtube, a channel that carries the Concerta logo at the top of its page and hosts various videos regarding ADHD and its treatment.

Concerta is basically a sustained release version of Ritalin, a drug manufactured by Novartis.

In the United States, methylphenidate is classified as a Schedule II controlled substance, the designation used for substances that have a recognized medical value but present a high likelihood for abuse because of their addictive potential. It is approved for use in children and adolescents in both the US and UK.

The youtube page has a host of links that direct viewers to the Concerta website where you are greeted with screening tests and offers [vouchers]

To get a 30 Day FREE coupon offer, all you need to do is sign up to the website.

They write:

Sign up today and receive a free coupon in printable PDF format. Ask your healthcare professional about managing the everyday challenges of ADHD symptoms with CONCERTA®. Then, submit coupon at your pharmacy along with your prescription for a free 30-day* supply of CONCERTA®. (Restrictions apply)

I actually couldn't see what the "restrictions" were?

The website adds:

The most common adverse reaction (>5%) reported in children and adolescents was upper abdominal pain.

No mention whatsoever of:

Aggravation, nervousness, hostility, sadness, drug dependence, tics, insomnia and prolonged sleepiness or psychosis, all of which are listed adverse reactions to Concerta.

If you feel brave enough, you can take the online screening test to see if you have ADHD... or let your children try, they have a kiddies version too.

The British drug regulator, the MHRA, report that there has been 991 adverse drug reactions to Concerta and a total of 13 deaths - remember this is the MHRA's yellow card reporting system, a system that is about as transparent as a brick wall.

It's been said that any figures from the MHRA's flawed system should be, at the very least, multiplied by 100.

Here's the video:



FACTS

It has never been proven that ADHD is inheritable, it's just a theory.

The cause of ADHD has not been fully defined.

ADHD symptoms and signs are basically found in every single child, "signs" such as;

• The child often fails to give close attention to details or makes careless mistakes in schoolwork, work, or other activities.
• The child often has difficulty sustaining attention in tasks or play activities.
• The child often does not seem to listen when spoken to directly.
• The child often does not follow through on instructions and fails to finish schoolwork, chores, or duties in the workplace.
• The child often has difficulty organizing tasks and activities.
• The child often avoids, dislikes, or is reluctant to engage in tasks that require sustained mental effort (such as schoolwork or homework).
• The child often loses things necessary for tasks or activities (toys, school assignments, pencils, books, or tools).
• The child is often forgetful in daily activities.

Hand on heart, can anyone out there say that they have not experienced the majority of the above during their childhood years?

Couldn't all of the above be down to tiredness?

Doncha just wish that Concerta or Ritalin were around when we were kids.

PHARMA - Drugging children for forgetfulness and daring to feel tired.

In 2002, The Netherlands Advertisement Code Commission (Reclame Code Commissie) ruled that the country's Brain Foundation cannot claim that the controversial psychiatric condition Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurobiological disease or brain dysfunction. The Commission ordered the Foundation to cease such false claims in their advertising.

The Advertisement Code Commission was responding to a complaint brought by the Dutch chapter of the Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR) [1]

God, if indeed there is such a thing, must be rubbing his hands in anticipation and waiting for those responsible for the ADHD fraud to finally knock on the pearly gates of his Kingdom.


**An updated version of The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), a manual where ADHD was borne, is due out soon.

For more on 'informed consent', visit Ablechild.


[1] 'ADHD is not a brain disorder' Dutch Commission finds psychiatric claim false.


Fid

ORDER THE PAPERBACK
'THE EVIDENCE, HOWEVER, IS CLEAR...THE SEROXAT SCANDAL' By Bob Fiddaman
SIGNED COPIES HERE OR UNSIGNED FROM CHIPMUNKA PUBLISHING