And there even appears to be some question about the validity of the treatments. From 60 to 90 percent of children have been judged as positive drug responders to methyl-phenidate medication. However, contrary to popular belief, stimulants like methylphenidate will affect normal children and adults in the same manner they affect ADHD children. NAMI, however, is not the only group apparently being misled by the surgeon general's report. According to one staffer familiar with the legislation, Domenici's staff took the lead in writing it.
Hyman is well-respected.
Domenici's office did not respond to inquiries about whether the senator had received campaign contributions from pharmaceutical companies. NAMI's Carolla openly admits that NAMI worked with the sponsors of the legislation, and one doesn't have to look too hard to see the similarities between the Senate bill and NAMI's proposed Omnibus Mental Illness Recovery Act, which Eli Lilly paid to print. This would allow for the designation of a central receiving point in the community for individuals who may be cited by, say, a firefighter, to be in need of emergency mental-health services. And this is just the beginning of the programs proposed under the Mental Health Early Intervention, Treatment, and Prevention Act, now pending in Congress. At some point groups like NAMI are going to have to pay the piper - they're going to have to answer for what they are promoting.