Road to nowhere: Labor’s Ritalin inquiry

Yesterday the NSW Minister for Health Reba Meagher rushed to announce an inquiry into ADHD and Ritalin. Surely such an inquiry is needed. How could anyone complain?

But complaints are warranted - not about holding an inquiry into the use of drugs to treat behaviour difficulties, but about the actions of the NSW Labor government on this issue.

There has already been a NSW parliamentary inquiry, which canvassed ADHD and Ritalin in great detail. It was a two year long inquiry into children and prescription drugs established by the NSW Labor government.

The inquiry was set up in 2000 and had a reporting deadline of 4 June 2002. Five years later no one has seen the report and unlike other parliamentary inquiries, submissions to the inquiry and transcripts from public hearings were never made public.

The question is whose interests where served when the government failed to report? Could it be the interests of the pharmaceutical industry, which are significant donors to the major parties?

Hundreds of people put a great deal of energy into this botched inquiry, in good faith. The Health Minister should explain to them why the inquiry never reported, before establishing another one.

The Labor government has let the Ritalin crisis, which was identified almost a decade ago, run wild. If the government had acted on the evidence provided to it back in 2001 the ‘Ritalin generation’ might have been a figment of history.

Considering NSW Labor is now trying to earn some kudos about setting up an inquiry into ADHD and Ritalin it is worth putting on the record what happened with the previous inquiry.

into the use of prescription drugs and over-the-counter medications by children and young people.

Labor MP David Campbell chaired the Inquiry. Six other Labor MPs, three Coalition MPs, and one crossbench MP assisted him.  The inquiry received 90 submissions and held public hearings.  The Committee’s website notes many of the submissions focused on ADHD and Ritalin.

in early 2003 that the report would be released after the March state election. This became another broken election promise.

Top paediatricians and other health specialists, academics, peak and other community groups, unions and industry bodies and individuals provided the inquiry with material. Ministers and NSW government departments also submitted evidence.

The inquiry gave the Commission for Children and Young People the job of organising focus groups with children and young people. The Commission talked to 76 children and young people and reported back to the Inquiry.

On top of all this extensive research was also undertaken by the Committee staff. Six comprehensive issues papers, containing draft recommendations were published, calling for further public submissions.

specifically addressed the use of Ritalin for ADHD. ‘A great many submissions to the inquiry…highlighted the use of stimulant medication in and particular the use of ‘Ritalin’, for the treatment of ADHD, as a major area of interest and concern.’ (Intro, page 1).