Dropping a Doctor like a Hot Potato

As seen in the Health Sciences Institute e-Alert newsletters


Risperdal (the brand name for risperidone) is the most frequently prescribed antipsychotic medication in the U.S. The FDA has approved Risperdal for the treatment of schizophrenia, but it is not approved for children. Of course, that doesn't prohibit doctors from prescribing the drug for a child - even if the young patient has been diagnosed with a condition far less severe than schizophrenia.

Here's Carrie's experience, in her own words: "Doctors are giving Risperdal to children in droves. However, I called the drug company up and they do not recommend it for kids, nor has it been approved by the FDA for children.

"A doctor prescribed it for my son who is 8. I dropped the doctor like a hot potato. They are using Risperdal on children with ADHD to help control them. It can cause incurable disease in children and it is causing strokes and killing the elderly. I talked with a lawyer and was told some parents are giving it to their children who are only 2 and 3 years old."

If you're a longtime HSI member and regular e-Alert reader, then you're probably not wondering how a large group of doctors - independent of one another - would decide to prescribe a potent schizophrenia drug to young children. They do it because salespeople for the drug company encourage them to prescribe "outside the box." Meanwhile, the manufacturer's customer service representatives are telling people on the phone that the drug is not recommended for kids.

Great system: Give the "insider" spin to doctors to pump up sales; give the politically correct spin to consumers; everybody wins. Except the kids..

Interesting Newsletter. Also seems to give decent info for parents, etc.