Texans for Safe Education
Free Drug Company Advertising As News

Both print and visual media are full of drug company advertising; much of it is for psychiatric drugs. The drug industry is doubly fortunate that these same media are happy to provide additional, abundant free advertising in the form of press releases and so-called objective journalism reporting on industry activities. New developments, of which the following article is representative, are especially sure to get news coverage. My commentary on the article is in italics.

NEW YORK, Aug 02 (Reuters Health) - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Alza Corp.'s Concerta tablets (methylphenidate)for once-daily treatment of attention deficit disorder (ADD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in patients age 6 and older. [The basic assumptions of biopsychiatry are, of course, unstatedÑthat the "mental illness" of ADHD is a genuine disease requiring "medicine" to "treat." Never mind the fact that there is absolutely no scientific evidence to validate the existence of this "disease." Remember the result of GoebbelsÕ effective propagandaÑthe more you read about the subject in the media, the less you actually know. The more one reads about ADHD in "objective" journalistic articles such as this, the more one believes that medical pharmacological research is making positive strides to help our nationÕs mentally ill children. Remember also GoebbelsÕ principle about creating the illusion of diversity, but always with the same underlying message.]

According to Alza, the drug is the first once-daily treatment for ADHD and should be available by prescription before the start of the 2000-2001 school year.[Good marketing strategy; these guys know that their product is really about school compliance and productivity.]

As reported by Reuters Health on May 8, Alza presented data at the American Academy of Neurology's 52nd annual meeting that showed that Concerta is similar in efficacy to immediate-release methylphenidate. [Drug companies rule at professional conferences, funding much of the activity, hyping their products, paying "experts" to presetn the research they funded, etc. The American Psychiatric Asssociation acknowledges that at least 30% of its budget is paid by drug companies. Similar in efficacy, by the way, means absolutely no positive outcomes on any measure of lasting improvement in learning,social interaction or behavior.]

Among the adverse events observed in patients in the largest controlled clinical study were headache (14%), upper respiratory tract infection (8%), stomach ache (7%), vomiting (4%), loss of appetite (4%), sleeplessness (4%), increased cough (4%), sore throat (4%), sinusitis (3%) and dizziness (2%). The side-effect profile for Concerta is similar to thrice-daily methylphenidate, according to Alza. ["Side effect" is a euphemism; they are all primary effects of the drug, and these are just a few of the very short-term effects on the body. What about impeded physical growth and central nervous system development? What about those who respond with agitation, irritability, depression, psychosis, or the well-known "zombie effect." What about the growing legacy of methylphenidate deaths? What about long-term effects? What about illicit or recreational use, increasingly popular in and out of the schools? Will Concerta be more or less desirable that Ritalin to users of methylphenidate?]

Dr. Timothy E. Wilens, associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, said that the once-daily drug would "help to eliminate the feelings of embarrassment that children may have when taking medication in the middle of the school day or during after-school activities." [The children feel the shame; the adults are shameless. Massachusetts General Hospital, by the way still practices lobotomy; they call it neuropsychosurgery.]

Earlier this year, Johnson & Johnson's McNeil Consumer Healthcare division agreed to copromote Concerta to pediatricians and primary care physicians. Alza said that roughly 120 of its sales reps would pay calls on psychiatrists, neurologists and selected pediatricians. [Psychoactive drug pushing is a sordid business; the even greater marketing emphasis these days is to advertise directly to potential consumers.]

According to the National Attention Deficit Disorder Association, approximately 4% to 6% of the US population has ADHD. [Another front group "educating" the public about the existence of a non-existent disease.]

Alza announced the approval of Concerta after the close of the market on Tuesday, but its shares had climbed 3-15/16 to close at 68-11/16. [Bottom line.]