FRED
A. BAUGHMAN, JR. M.D.
NEUROLOGY
AND CHILD NEUROLOGY (Board Certified)
FELLOW,
AMERICAN ACADEMY OF NEUROLOGY
1303 HIDDEN MOUNTAIN DRIVE
EL CAJON, CA 92019
Tele:(619)
440-8236 Fax: (619) 442-1932
*Sandra
F. Olson, MD, President
February 19, 2004
American
Academy of Neurology
1080
Montreal Ave.
St.
Paul, MN
55116
fax:
651 695 2791
Dear
Dr. Olson,
In
Methylphenidate (A Background Paper), October, 1995, DEA, page 4, we read:
“In conjunction with
the American Academy of Neurology, CHADD has submitted a petition to
reschedule methylphenidate from schedule II to Schedule III under the
Controlled Substances Act (CSA). CHADD
denies that the financial contributions received from Ciba Geigy have any
relationship to their action. The
basis for this petition is that methylphenidate has a lower abuse potential
than amphetamines and that Schedule II controls are unduly burdensome on
manufacturers of methylphenidate, physicians who prescribe it and patients who
receive methylphenidate.
Here
we have the AAN involving itself in the treatment of ADD/ADHD. This being the case, surely the AAN had made
a determination that ADD/ADHD was something in need of such treatment—a
disease.
I
wish to see AAN records from that point in time bearing on the AAN’s
determination of whether or not ADD/ADHD was an actual disease, and an
objectively diagnosable disease.
Next,
I would like to know what money contributions AAN received from Ciba-Geigy and
or CHADD, 1985-1995.
Given
the frequency, today, of the diagnosis of
“adult ADHD” surely it is the province of the AAN, itself, to have made
a determination as to whether or not ADHD is a real, diagnosable disease. I hope the Academy of which I am a Fellow
will no longer fail to answer such fundamental questions. I
have written to the presidents of the AAN and CNS on several occasions
asking them whether or not ADD/ADHD is an actual disease/neurological disease
as claimed by Novartis (formerly Ciba-Geigy) and CHADD, each time without
eliciting an answer…with a failure to answer.
Sincerely
Fred
A. Baughman Jr., MD
*being
sent by fax as well.