ADHD: Ads for Drugs Are Not the Problem

Lawrence M. Hinman (Commentary, Nov. 18) apparently believes that making laws to restrict the marketplace is more ethical than letting parents make decisions for their own children or trusting doctors to provide expertise in pharmacological management of their patients with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. If there really is a problem with wrongful medication of children, then our courts, universities or insurance company liability requirements should be pressed to bring about a change.

Are doctors prescribing medications incorrectly? With almost 100,000 deaths a year, absolutely. Are parents educating themselves about other possible “fixes” to their child’s problem? Who knows? Passing a law, however, doesn’t promote personal responsibility.

What is morally reprehensible is when parents obtain a diagnosis of ADHD for their child in order to gain an advantage with regard to school testing.

Leslie Watkins

Claremont