Ritalin And Cancer Risks

[Guest guest]

Misty, can you please give us the source for this article, which might speak

to the credibility of the information?

Thanks,

 

Karen

[Guest guest]

I found this and thought I would pass it along,

Misty

http://www..com

 

Ritalin And Cancer Risks

 

American Academy of Pediatrics Guidelines for Treating

Behavioral Disorders in Children with Ritalin Ignores

Evidence of Cancer Risks warns Samuel S. Epstein, M.D.

 

Based on an industry-funded multi-university trial on 282

pre-teen children treated with Ritalin for attention

deficit/hyperactivity disorders (ADHD), just published in

Pediatrics, the American Academy of Pediatrics has

endorsed the use of the drug. However, the Academy

ignores clear evidence of the drug's cancer risks of

which parents, teachers and school nurses, besides most

pediatricians and psychiatrists, still remain uninformed

and unaware.

 

Some 40 years after the drug was first marketed by Ciba

Geigy, carcinogenicity tests were conducted at the tax

payer's expense by the National Toxicology Program, the

results of which were published in 1995. Adult mice were

fed Ritalin over a two-year period at dosages close to

those prescribed to children. The mice developed a

statistically significant incidence of liver

abnormalities and tumors, including highly aggressive

rare cancers known as hepatoblastomas. These findings are

particularly disturbing as the tests were conducted on

adult, rather than young mice which would be expected to

be much more sensitive to carcinogenic effects. The

National Toxicology Program concluded that Ritalin is a

" possible human carcinogen, " and recommended the need for

further research. While still insisting that the drug is

safe, the Food and Drug Administration admitted that

these findings signal " carcinogenic potential, " and

required a statement to this effect in the drug's package

insert. However, these inserts are not seen by parents or

nurses.

 

The Physicians' Desk Reference admits evidence on the

carcinogenicity of Ritalin, now manufactured by Novartis,

qualified by the statement that " the significance of

these results is unknown, " apparently not recognizing

that this is more alarming than reassuring. Apart from

cancer risks, there is also suggestive evidence that

Ritalin induces genetic damage in blood cells of Ritalin-

treated children.

 

Concerns on Ritalin's cancer risk are more acute in view

of the millions of children treated annually with the

drug and the escalating incidence of childhood cancer, by

some 35% over the last few decades, quite apart from

delayed risks of cancer in adult life. These risks are

compounded by the availability of alternative safe and

effective procedures, notably behavior modification and

biofeedback.

 

There is no justification for prescribing Ritalin, even

by highly qualified pediatricians and psychiatrists,

unless parents have been explicitly informed of the

drug's cancer risks. Otherwise, prescribing Ritalin

constitutes unarguable medical malpractice.

[Guest guest]

Thanks!

[Guest guest]

Thanks, Misty.

 

In my opinion, this is just another example of the well known tendency of

drug, and chemical, companies to downgrade and bury any negative studies

while promoting and sensationalizing any positive studies--especially for

any really profitable products. The FDA is totally beholden to these

companies since every new administration changes the people at the top and

every one of those people are from, and go back to, those very same

companies for employment!

 

How much longer?

 

Walt Stoll, MD

 

-

<mistytrepke

 

Monday, February 17, 2003 7:51 PM

Ritalin And Cancer Risks

 

 

> I found this and thought I would pass it along,

> Misty

> http://www..com

>

> Ritalin And Cancer Risks

>

> American Academy of Pediatrics Guidelines for Treating

> Behavioral Disorders in Children with Ritalin Ignores

> Evidence of Cancer Risks warns Samuel S. Epstein, M.D.

>

> Based on an industry-funded multi-university trial on 282

> pre-teen children treated with Ritalin for attention

> deficit/hyperactivity disorders (ADHD), just published in

> Pediatrics, the American Academy of Pediatrics has

> endorsed the use of the drug. However, the Academy

> ignores clear evidence of the drug's cancer risks of

> which parents, teachers and school nurses, besides most

> pediatricians and psychiatrists, still remain uninformed

> and unaware.

>

> Some 40 years after the drug was first marketed by Ciba

> Geigy, carcinogenicity tests were conducted at the tax

> payer's expense by the National Toxicology Program, the

> results of which were published in 1995. Adult mice were

> fed Ritalin over a two-year period at dosages close to

> those prescribed to children. The mice developed a

> statistically significant incidence of liver

> abnormalities and tumors, including highly aggressive

> rare cancers known as hepatoblastomas. These findings are

> particularly disturbing as the tests were conducted on

> adult, rather than young mice which would be expected to

> be much more sensitive to carcinogenic effects. The

> National Toxicology Program concluded that Ritalin is a

> " possible human carcinogen, " and recommended the need for

> further research. While still insisting that the drug is

> safe, the Food and Drug Administration admitted that

> these findings signal " carcinogenic potential, " and

> required a statement to this effect in the drug's package

> insert. However, these inserts are not seen by parents or

> nurses.

>

> The Physicians' Desk Reference admits evidence on the

> carcinogenicity of Ritalin, now manufactured by Novartis,

> qualified by the statement that " the significance of

> these results is unknown, " apparently not recognizing

> that this is more alarming than reassuring. Apart from

> cancer risks, there is also suggestive evidence that

> Ritalin induces genetic damage in blood cells of Ritalin-

> treated children.

>

> Concerns on Ritalin's cancer risk are more acute in view

> of the millions of children treated annually with the

> drug and the escalating incidence of childhood cancer, by

> some 35% over the last few decades, quite apart from

> delayed risks of cancer in adult life. These risks are

> compounded by the availability of alternative safe and

> effective procedures, notably behavior modification and

> biofeedback.

>

> There is no justification for prescribing Ritalin, even

> by highly qualified pediatricians and psychiatrists,

> unless parents have been explicitly informed of the

> drug's cancer risks. Otherwise, prescribing Ritalin

> constitutes unarguable medical malpractice.

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi everyone-

 

You can find " Ritalin and Cancer Risks " at

http://www.santa.inuk.com/ritalin%20and%20cancer.htm

 

If anyone is not familiar with Samuel S. Epstein, M.D., I highly

recommend getting to know this amazing figure.

 

A little biography information:

 

Dr. Epstein is author of some 280 scientific articles and ten books,

including the prize-winning 1978 The Politics of Cancer, and the

1998 The Politics of Cancer Revisited, and co-author of the 1976 The

Legislation of Product Safety: Consumer Health and Product Hazards,

the 1982 Hazardous Wastes in America, the 1995 Safe Shopper's Bible,

and the 1997 Breast Cancer Prevention Program, besides numerous

editorials in leading national newspapers.

 

Dr. Epstein's activities in the interface between science and public

policy include: consultant to the U.S. Senate Committee on Public

Works; drafting Congressional legislation; frequent invited

Congressional testimony; and membership of key federal agency

advisory committees including the Health Effects Advisory Committee

of EPA, and the 1973 Department of Labor Advisory Committee on the

Regulation of Occupational Carcinogens.

 

He was the key expert involved in the banning of hazardous products

and pesticides, including DDT, Aldrin and Chlordane, and is the

leading international expert on the public health hazards of

biosynthetic bovine growth hormone (rBGH) used for increasing milk

production, and of sex hormones used for fattening cattle in

feedlots.

 

He is past: chairman of the Air Pollution Control Association

Committee on Biological Effects of Air Pollutants; President of the

Society of Occupational and Environmental Health; Founder and

Secretary of the Environmental Mutagen Society; advisor to a wide

range of organized labor, public interest and citizen activist

groups; and President of the Rachel Carson Council, Inc.

 

He is currently Chairman of the nation-wide Cancer Prevention

Coalition. Dr. Epstein has extensive media experience, involving

numerous invited appearances on the major national TV networks,

including Sixty Minutes, Face the Nation, Meet the Press,

McNeil/Lehrer, Samuel S. Epstein, M. D., Professor of Occupational

and Environmental Medicine at the School of Public Health,

University of Illinois Medical Center Chicago, is an internationally

recognized authority on the toxic and carcinogenic effects of

environmental pollutants in air, water, and the workplace, and of

ingredients and contaminants in consumer products--, food, cosmetics

and household products. Donahue, Good Morning America, and the Today

Show.

 

He has also had frequent appearances on Canadian, European,

Australian and Japanese T.V. Dr. Epstein's numerous awards and

honors most recently include the 1998 Right Livelihood Award,

(the " Alternative Nobel Prize " ) for his international contributions

to cancer prevention.

For more information, visit www.preventcancer.com

 

http://www.heall.com/body/askthedoctor/disease/cancer/samuelepstein.h

tml

 

Be Well, Misty

http://www..com

 

 

, MidbarNM@a... wrote:

> Misty, can you please give us the source for this article, which

might speak

> to the credibility of the information?

> Thanks,

>

> Karen