The Medical Union of Israel has decided to allow anybody who wants, for any purpose at all, to buy Ritalin, without going through the system of diagnosis for medical need that has been required until now.The ethics committee has decided to allow it, permitting even a regular family doctor to write the prescription, where until now the only way to get Ritalin was to go through a series of examinations and evaluations by neurologists and psychiatrists, and only the neurologist could make the final decision to prescribe.
The purpose of the new decision is to allow even people who have no actual medical need for Ritalin but want to benefit from it for other purposes to do so. That means someone having a hard time concentrating on studying for his exams, for example, can now go get some Ritalin to help him concentration until he finishes the exams.
The only limitation is that buying Ritalin for such a non-medically diagnosed purpose will require the user to pay for it out of his/her own pocket, and it will not be funded or subsidized as part of the medical "health basket". Patients who require Ritalin for medical needs and go through the diagnosis process will still go through the same system as before and the subsidy will still be applied.
There are those who oppose the decision. Their main point of protest is that it will increase the gap between rich and poor. The rich will have access to this expensive drug that will help them perform better on exams, while the poor will not be able to benefit from this. As well, people who take Ritalin but do not need it will suffer from side effects such as headaches and stomachaches. (source: Mako News)
Is morphine next? Vicodin? codeine? How about even harder stuff? This just does not seem like a good idea to me. I am not a big fan of pills and medicine as it is and think they should only be taken when absolutely necessary. Opening something like this up seems to me to be a dangerous precedent.
Do you still need a script from a family doctor or can anyone self prescribe?
ReplyDeleteI still think it is a really bad idea, but it is worse if it is essentially over he counter.
according to the article you will need a prescription which can be from a family doctor.
ReplyDelete"and only the numerologist could make the final decision to prescribe"
ReplyDeleteIS this an indication of your thoughts on ADD? It's all random :o)
haha! thanks. I fixed it. its what happens when you let auto-spellcheck take over
ReplyDeleteRafi -
ReplyDeleteFrom the way you wrote this up, I'm not sure you (or even the medical professionals over there) understand how Ritalin works.
Ritalin is speed - a psychostimulant, an upper, amphetamine. It's main purpose is increased levels of dopamine in the brain.
Research has shown that most people with ADHD tend to have lower levels of naturally occurring dopamine in the brain OR a higher level of problems with dopamine transporters &/or receptors in the brain. Ritalin helps correct this in people with ADHD.
So, the out of control kid you see gets "calmed" by Ritalin, and is able to focus on his/her tests, yes. But, it does so by elevating the dopamine levels so the kid "plateaus".
Someone with ADHD, or rather, someone who does NOT have these dopamine issues, who takes Ritalin - they are not going to be able to study better for their tests. What they ARE going to do is be high. It's comparable to taking Meth to get an edge. Or, Cocaine, to help your mood.
There is a reason that Ritalin is considered a controlled-substance, with usually only a 1-month supply given at any time, which requires a new written prescription each time. It's dangerous.
What you are saying is going to happen there is comparable to saying that, as long as you're willing to pay the street price, the pharmacy will sell you heroin.
"Someone with ADHD, or rather, someone who does NOT have these dopamine issues, who takes Ritalin..."
ReplyDeleteshould read - "Someone withOUT ADHD..."
Hasafran - wile I did not understanmd the science of how it works, I do understand the concept of Ritalin, and that is why I asked in the post what is next? morphine?
ReplyDeletethat is the article I sourced. I since saw that ynetnews has a similar article on the subject with the same information of the change.
so I dont know if they have a different perspective as to what ritalin does or if they dont understand, or what, but they are allowing it to be distributed with a regular prescription from a family doctor for non-medical purposes.
Does anyone know what other alternative medication does the Israeli health basket offer for ADD?
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately way too many kids take this substance and the parents just sign on to the program as it is pushed by the school guidance counselors so the kids are quiet.
ReplyDeleteIts great the kids are "calmed down" and the classes run "smoothly." The drug companies love it also. Of course the side effects are not disclosed and there are many kids who dont need it all they need is more attention at home. There is serious negligence on the part of the elementary school yoetzot and parents.
@ Ha_ Safran
ReplyDeleteYour biology seems to have come from your own logic, not actual science. Although it may be counter intuitive the effects of Ritalin on a non-ADD brain are the same as an ADD one i.e. improved cognitive function. May I suggest fact checking before launching into your own diatribe?
"...brain activation increased under medication, especially in frontal and parietal regions of the brain. These areas are thought to be involved in "working memory processes." These specific activation patterns in the ADHD boys with medication were very similar to the patterns seen in the boys without ADHD, also with medication. In other words, stimulants have the same effects in the brains of people with ADHD, and without ADHD.
The study also indicated that MPH improves the "functional networks of working memory" by increasing the brain activity in parietal and frontal regions. It also pointed out that the improvement is best seen in difficult tasks.
It also shows that MPH does not have some kind of "reverse effect" on people with ADHD, as some myths claims. Rather, the MPH activation patterns are similar to the ones observed in the healthy boys. All the stimulant medication does is improve the performance of certain regions of the brain so that the brain functions more normally, and is better at focusing, problem solving, and having self-control."
Elliott, R. et al. Effects of methylphenidate on spatial working memory and planning in healthy young adults. Psychopharmacology 131, 196−206 (1997)
@ Ha_ Safran
ReplyDeleteYour biology seems to have come from your own logic, not actual science. Although it may be counter intuitive the effects of Ritalin on a non-ADD brain are the same as an ADD one i.e. improved cognitive function. May I suggest fact checking before launching into your own diatribe?
"...brain activation increased under medication, especially in frontal and parietal regions of the brain. These areas are thought to be involved in "working memory processes." These specific activation patterns in the ADHD boys with medication were very similar to the patterns seen in the boys without ADHD, also with medication. In other words, stimulants have the same effects in the brains of people with ADHD, and without ADHD.
The study also indicated that MPH improves the "functional networks of working memory" by increasing the brain activity in parietal and frontal regions. It also pointed out that the improvement is best seen in difficult tasks.
It also shows that MPH does not have some kind of "reverse effect" on people with ADHD, as some myths claims. Rather, the MPH activation patterns are similar to the ones observed in the healthy boys. All the stimulant medication does is improve the performance of certain regions of the brain so that the brain functions more normally, and is better at focusing, problem solving, and having self-control."
Elliott, R. et al. Effects of methylphenidate on spatial working memory and planning in healthy young adults. Psychopharmacology 131, 196−206 (1997)