Wall Street Journal Poll Results | ADHD Information

WSJ ONLINE/HARRIS INTERACTIVE HEALTH-CARE POLL  
Many Believe Drugs to Treat ADHD
Are Prescribed Too Often, Poll Finds

THE WALL STREET JOURNAL ONLINE
April 18, 2006

A majority of Americans say drugs are prescribed too often to treat young people with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and stronger warning labels about potential health risks should be required, a Wall Street Journal Online/Harris Interactive health-care poll shows.

The online survey of 2,237 U.S. adults found that 61% believe ADHD drugs are prescribed too often for children under age 13, compared with 2% who say they aren't prescribed often enough. At the same time, 68% of those polled say stronger warnings should be required on the drugs' labels, compared with 6% who disagree.

In March, a Food and Drug Administration advisory committee said patients and doctors should be informed about rare potential risks of psychiatric and cardiac problems in young people taking drugs for ADHD.

"This [poll] suggests that the public would rather see the FDA err on the side of caution when it comes to labeling for prescription drugs," says Katherine Binns, senior vice president at Harris Interactive.

--Beckey Bright

Full results of the poll are difficult to post here. Write to the Online Journal's editors at newseditors@wsj.com