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By Elizabeth Millard
In response to what it interprets as a growing amount of misinformation
about children and psychotropic medications, the National Alliance
for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) released a task force report urging
better policy deliberations and more scientific research in the
area.
NAMI's report, released in early June, is the result of a task
force specifically convened by the group's Policy Research Institute.
Darcy Gruttadaro, J.D., director of NAMI's Child and Adolescent
Action Center, says that part of the reason the task force was formed
was to combat misinformation being spread by "antipsychological"
groups regarding psychotropic medications and their effects on children
and teenagers.
"We're seeing a lot of policy decisions based on ideology rather
than research and science," Gruttadaro says. "It's not that we aren't
also deeply concerned about the safety of medication. Of course
we are. But we want to make sure that families are informed."
She adds that there has been an increasing amount of sensationalism
in the media surrounding the use of psychotropic medications, which
may lead some parents to shy away from using medication to treat
a child or teenager with mental illness. Gruttadaro says, "We just
don't want people to make hasty decisions, when there's been evidence
that many of these medications have been effective. The problem
is that there's a great deal of conflicting information and that
makes it difficult for providers and families."
Part of the task force's report included a number of recommendations
about parental choice, physician-patient relationships and rights
of access to effective treatments. NAMI recommends that the National
Institute of Mental Health make children a priority by increasing
investment in scientific research that focuses on the early onset
of mental illness as well as long-term studies of medications in
children.
NAMI also emphasizes that there needs to be greater awareness of
individual treatment decisions to prevent a one-size-fits-all approach.
The group adds that these decisions should include full disclosure
of existing clinical studies. Broad education about the early warning
signs of mental illness is also crucial, according to NAMI, which
can assist in determining the risks and anticipated benefits of
medication.
One of the group's strongest recommendations is that policymakers
should be prevented from interfering with rights of access to treatment
or communication between parents, physicians, and schools. The report
notes that decisions should be based on well-qualified scientific
testimony, not political machinations.
Gruttadaro says that the report has garnered a wealth of positive
feedback from providers, who would like to see the recommendations
followed. NAMI recognizes how difficult it is to recruit children
for clinical trials, she says, which is why the group believes that
more creative and innovative approaches are needed for determining
the benefits of psychotropic medications.
"We hope the report will ultimately lead to the implementation
of some of our recomendations," she says. "Because that would mean
families are better informed, and we'd be avoiding situations in
which policymakers are the ones making decisions about psychotropic
medications."
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