ADHD Medication: $4.2 Billion?
ByA recent news release came out sharing that the global market for ADD/ADHD medications is expected to reach $4.2 Billion (with a ‘B) worldwide by 2015. It is projected to go up to $3.3 Billion by 2012.
Whenever I see statistics like this, I find myself having a mixed reaction.
On the one hand, I know that there are studies clearly establishing that there are more people who have ADHD and have not been diagnosed and treated, than people who have it and have been diagnosed and treated. So – seeing that the numbers will be up for pharma companies means that there is more awareness and people are getting a diagnosis and the help that they need.
On the other hand – these types of data can seem quite concerning. How many pills are there in $4.2 billion dollars of income? How many people are taking ‘mind altering medication’? That is certainly what the detractors from ADHD will say. Despite the validity of the diagnosis of ADHD, many still question it, and feel that it is not a valid diagnosis. And when they read this type of statistic, they conclude that ADHD really just a fabrication of the pharmaceutical companies to sell more medicine.
All in all, my perspective is this: There are a lot of studies (I mean a LOT) which show that medications work very well for ADD/ADHD. There are a LOT of studies showing the safety of the medication. There are also studies showing that medicines work best when they are part of a combination treatment. People taking medicines is not wrong, or a problem – in my opinion. The only time I see medications for ADHD as a problem is when people haven’t received a proper assessment and diagnosis – and then they are taking ADHD medication when they may not actually need it. If you (or your son/daughter) is taking ADD/ADHD medication after a thorough assessment, and it is being monitored by a doctor, then it is safe, and hopefully quite helpful.
Of course, the other benefit to the increase of prescriptions, is that likely this means that a lot more people are being diagnosed. Hopefully many of the adults with ADHD who thus far have had trouble getting the proper diagnosis and treatment.
So, here’s my question for you: when you see numbers like that – does it freak you out? Are you OK with it? Do you think it fuels the ADHD detractors?
Please share your opinion in the comments below.
Best,
Dr. Kenny
p.s. my goal is to provide information to people to make the best healthcare decisions they can make at the time they need to. That is why I have created some products on using ADHD medication safely and effectively, as well as some products on alternatives for ADHD. You can click through to those sites to learn more.
Hey Dr. Handelman,
The numbers are not a problem as long as the people who are getting (and paying for the prescriptions) are getting help and getting their money’s worth. If it means more people are being helped in some way, good.
On the other hand, the numbers as stated don’t give any indication of who is taking the medication. More people are being diagnosed certainly, and probably more people are taking medication over longer periods. There are also those without ADHD who are using the medication to help them through university. See http://www.theonion.com/articles/adderall-receives-honorary-degree-from-harvard,17527/for comical take on this point, although the New Yorker did a serious piece on this about a year ago, see http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2009/04/27/090427fa_fact_talbot.
My brother, who knows more about these things than I do, tells me the use of ADHD medications to boost concentration and performance among people without the diagnosis is nothing new and was widespread in high school and universities 15 years ago.
Let’s get the facts straight. ADD/ADHD is not an illness. It was voted into existence by the APA to cover a collection of symptoms without investigating the causes. There is no test for ADD/ADHD. A child is diagnosed by being observed. What used to be considered childhood rambunctiousness has been turned into a multi-billion dollar business by the pharmaceutical companies. They had a drug; they invented the “illness” to sell the drug.
Too many doctors and parents are settling for the quick fix (and I mean fix) instead of dealing with the causes which can vary greatly in each case – poor diet, lack of exercise, too much screen/computer time,lack of social interaction, and the sheer pressure to succeed and be perfect. The quick solution – drugs – causes damage for the rest of a child’s life. We don’t know what kind of affects will show up in kids taking these medications twenty years from now. Will they even be here? In most cases, the so-called “benefits” of ADD/ADHD meds wear off quickly or never happen; only the damage to your child remains.
There ARE healthy alternatives. Your child can experience profound improvement in dealing with ADD/ADHD through better nutrition, yoga, Brain Gym, tai chi, biofeedback, homeopathy, parent counseling, and other integrative approaches.
These alternatives WORK. As parents, you need to know you have a choice for your child’s welfare and you will be supported in your efforts for your child. Check my website for more info – adhdalbuquerque.com.
Actually Marcia there is a test, which I underwent just this past year to get my disability rights renewed at my college. It takes 3-4 hours for 3 days and it test you every possible subject including memory.