The research we have seen suggests that children and adults with B6 deficiency need between 250mg and 750mg a day. The MAFF proposals suggest a limit of 10mg for daily intake in dietary supplements. Whilst we recognise that doses of 50mg and above will be available as prescription-only medicines we are concerned that many people with autism obtain their supplies over the counter as food supplements. It appears that many GPs are not aware of or do not approve of specific treatments such as this. This scepticism makes it difficult for parents and carers of people with autism to proceed other than by a non-medical route.
Parents face a number of difficulties in raising autistic children.
If they find a treatment that works for their children, such as mega-dosage vitamin B6, it seems very hard to make it more difficult for them to obtain. We, therefore, ask for close consideration to be given to the needs of the autistic population. If the availability and dosage of vitamin B6 is to be restricted we would urge the Department of Health to issue guidance to GPs on the validity of this therapy for people with autism. Larger controlled studies with sound methodological bases are needed to establish the efficacy of this treatment and we would hope this would soon be possible. If such a therapy were found to be beneficial for a proportion of the autistic population it would be welcomed by families and provide a much more cost-effective route than most other drug treatments currently used for this population.