Ritalin and Liver cancer

[Guest guest]

Ritalin and Liver cancer JoAnn Guest May 06, 2005 18:51 PDT

http://www.preventcancer.com/patients/med_avoid/ritalin.htm

 

American Academy of Pediatrics Guidelines for Treating Behavioral

Disorders in Children with Ritalin Ignores Evidence of Cancer Risks

warns Samuel S. Epstein, M.D.

 

Chicago, 10/04/01. 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 taxpayers 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.

 

CONTACT: Samuel S. Epstein, M.D.

 

Professor emeritus Environmental & Occupational Medicine

 

Chairman, Cancer Prevention Coalition

 

c/o University of Illinois at Chicago

 

School of Public Health, M/C 922

 

2121 W. Taylor Street

 

Chicago, IL 60612

 

phone 312-996-2297, fax 312-413-9898

 

email epst-

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