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Essay / Research Paper Abstract
A 14 page research paper that explores the use of psychoactive drug use in the US with schoolchildren. The first half of the paper offers a legal analysis and the second half an ethical analysis. The writer concludes from a review of available research that while these drugs are crucial for some children (1 to 2 percent of the childhood population), they are dramatically over-prescribed and used as a "quick fix" to enforce compliance with unrealistic behavioral expectations for young children. Bibliography lists 13 sources.
Page Count:
14 pages (~225 words per page)
File: D0_khritadd.rtf
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Unformatted sample text from the term paper:
place their child on a psychoactive medication have been reported by school officials to social services officials for "child abuse." Parents and policymakers have become concerned about coercion being used
to force implement mandatory consumption of possibly harmful drugs as a prerequisite for a child remaining within the public school system. Psychoactive drugs, such as Ritalin, have been touted as
"miracle" drugs that allow students who suffer from attention deficit disorder (ADD) and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder to experience academic success for the first time. This brings up the question
as to whether or not the benefits of psychoactive drugs are sufficient to justify compelling parents or guardians to place their children on these medication as a requirement for school
attendance. The following literature review will address this question from both a legal and ethical standpoint before offering conclusions on this issue. Legal Analysis On May 1, 2000, three Texas
parents filed a national class actin suit against the American Psychiatric Association (APA) and the pharmaceutical companies, Ciba Geigy and Novartis, which is a supplier of the drug methylphenidate, popular
known as Ritalin (Lan, 2001). The suit alleged that the defendants, which also includes a non-profit organization, Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD), as participating in a deliberate
conspiracy to boost the sales of Ritalin (Lan, 2001). The case, Hernandez v. Ciba Geigy alleges that that the APA colluded with the pharmaceutical company and others to make the
diagnostic criteria ADD/ADHD overly broad (Ritalin fraud, 2005). The Hernandez family, and others, were also upset to learn that the information on ADD/ADHD, which was received from CHADD was
sponsored by Novartis. Mr. and Mrs. Hernandez assert that if they had known the financial relationship between Novartis, the APA and CHADD, they would not have accepted the diagnosis (Lan,
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