Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Ritalin ADHD Drug Linked to 500 Percent Increased Risk of Sudden Death in Children

http://www.naturalnews.com/026459_ad...s_ritalin.html

Just how dangerous are the amphetamine stimulant drugs prescribed for children with so-called ADHD? According to scientific research funded by the FDA and the National Institute of Mental Health, drugs such as Ritalin increase the risk of sudden death by five hundred percent among children and teens.

In these cases of sudden death, the child suddenly collapses and dies, only to be discovered later by parents or siblings. That's what happened to Matthew Hohmann in 2004 (http://abcnews.go.com/Health/MindMo...), and according to this new research, it keeps happening to more and more children at a rate that's 500 percent higher than would be considered typical for children of a similar age and health status.

ADHD drugs like Ritalin are, of course, amphetamine stimulants. They used to be sold on the street as "speed," but now they're prescribed by psychiatrists to children after a subjective diagnosis of a fictitious disease: ADHD -- a "disorder" which has no measurable biological symptoms whatsoever.

Interestingly, the FDA banned ephedra, an herbal stimulant, after a handful of consumers died from consuming huge amounts of the herb in a desperate effort to lose weight. In that case, in banning the herb, the FDA announced "the risks outweigh the benefits," declaring that "ephedra is not safe at any dose."

In great contrast to that, even as children are literally dropping dead after taking ADHD drugs, the FDA is now insisting "the benefits are worth the risks."