Posted by Noa on December 1, 2001, at 14:39:09
In reply to Re: adderall update neuropsychological tests, posted by Peter on November 28, 2001, at 23:41:20
> >But I'm worried about taking adderall if I don't
have ADD - it's a serious drug and it's not meant to be
used for anything else.It is FDA approved for ADD, but that doesn't mean it is not meant for use with other disorders. There is a difference. As you may know, to get FDA approval, the company has to undergo a long and expensive research process. This is just to get the drug on the market. But because getting it on the market will yield major financial gain, it is worth it to them to put the time and money into the approval process. These preapproval/premarket studies focus usually on one target diagnosis (like ADD). The medication's therapeutic value for other diagnoses might not be studied (not necessary for getting it approved, why spend the money, etc.) Then, once a medication is on the market, doctors often find they are therapeutic for other diagnoses. Although there may be published reports of these "off label" applications, there may never be further controlled studies to get the medication *labeled* for those uses. The evidence of efficacy is often from clinical experience and anecdotal communications among doctors. Once there is experience with a med and it is known to be reasonably safe, there is no financial motive for anyone to fund a major study for publication, unless there is some kind of profit motive, such as getting approval for a medication's use in pediatrics, or some other very marketable sector.
So, this is a long way to say that Adderall IS used for things other than ADD and it is not unsafe to do so. It needs to be a decision based on the physician's clinical experience, and reports from other doctors of efficacy.
For example, I do not have ADD, but take Adderall as part of my antidepressant cocktail. It potentiates the antidepressant effects of my ADs and helps me feel calm and focused.
poster:Noa
thread:84890
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20011123/msgs/85746.html