❓ Hon Barbara Scott raises concerns about the use of untested psychotropic drugs for children with behavioural disorders in WA, requesting audits. The Minister acknowledges the concern and states the issue will be considered in an upcoming ADHD policy.
AnsweredQoN 1396Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
PRESCRIPTION DRUGS FOR CHILDREN, BEHAVIOURAL DISORDERS 1396. Hon BARBARA SCOTT to the parliamentary secretary representing the Minister for Health: A recent survey involving 70 per cent of Australia’s paediatricians and child psychiatrists has confirmed suspicions that Australia is going the way of the United States, where a new generation of psychotropic drugs has joined Ritalin as an answer to behavioural disorders in children. According to the paediatrician who conducted the survey, Daryl Efron of the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne, the long-term effects of the new drugs on children had not been tested, and there was no research on what effect they had when taken together. In the light of this evidence - (1) Will the minister conduct an urgent audit of Western Australian children being given untested drugs for behaviour control? (2) How many children in child care centres, kindergartens and primary schools are on these prescription drugs, and how many bring drugs with them to be administered by carers or teachers? (3) Will the minister conduct an audit of all Western Australian paediatricians and child psychiatrists to determine the level of drugs given to treat conditions such as anxiety, aggression, depression, inattention, hyperactivity and obsessive-compulsive disorder? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) The issue of prescription drugs for the treatment of behavioural disorders in children is of great concern for the Government. A policy on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is being finalised for release in the very near future. The issue of drug prescription will be given consideration in that policy. (2) Not known. (3) Refer to (1).
PRESCRIPTION DRUGS FOR CHILDREN, BEHAVIOURAL DISORDERS
A recent survey involving 70 per cent of Australia’s paediatricians and child psychiatrists has confirmed suspicions that Australia is going the way of the United States, where a new generation of psychotropic drugs has joined Ritalin as an answer to behavioural disorders in children. According to the paediatrician who conducted the survey, Daryl Efron of the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne, the long-term effects of the new drugs on children had not been tested, and there was no research on what effect they had when taken together. In the light of this evidence - (1) Will the minister conduct an urgent audit of Western Australian children being given untested drugs for behaviour control? (2) How many children in child care centres, kindergartens and primary schools are on these prescription drugs, and how many bring drugs with them to be administered by carers or teachers? (3) Will the minister conduct an audit of all Western Australian paediatricians and child psychiatrists to determine the level of drugs given to treat conditions such as anxiety, aggression, depression, inattention, hyperactivity and obsessive-compulsive disorder? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) The issue of prescription drugs for the treatment of behavioural disorders in children is of great concern for the Government. A policy on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is being finalised for release in the very near future. The issue of drug prescription will be given consideration in that policy. (2) Not known. (3) Refer to (1).
In the light of this evidence - (1) Will the minister conduct an urgent audit of Western Australian children being given untested drugs for behaviour control? (2) How many children in child care centres, kindergartens and primary schools are on these prescription drugs, and how many bring drugs with them to be administered by carers or teachers? (3) Will the minister conduct an audit of all Western Australian paediatricians and child psychiatrists to determine the level of drugs given to treat conditions such as anxiety, aggression, depression, inattention, hyperactivity and obsessive-compulsive disorder? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) The issue of prescription drugs for the treatment of behavioural disorders in children is of great concern for the Government. A policy on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is being finalised for release in the very near future. The issue of drug prescription will be given consideration in that policy. (2) Not known. (3) Refer to (1).
(1) Will the minister conduct an urgent audit of Western Australian children being given untested drugs for behaviour control? (2) How many children in child care centres, kindergartens and primary schools are on these prescription drugs, and how many bring drugs with them to be administered by carers or teachers? (3) Will the minister conduct an audit of all Western Australian paediatricians and child psychiatrists to determine the level of drugs given to treat conditions such as anxiety, aggression, depression, inattention, hyperactivity and obsessive-compulsive disorder? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) The issue of prescription drugs for the treatment of behavioural disorders in children is of great concern for the Government. A policy on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is being finalised for release in the very near future. The issue of drug prescription will be given consideration in that policy. (2) Not known. (3) Refer to (1).
(2) How many children in child care centres, kindergartens and primary schools are on these prescription drugs, and how many bring drugs with them to be administered by carers or teachers? (3) Will the minister conduct an audit of all Western Australian paediatricians and child psychiatrists to determine the level of drugs given to treat conditions such as anxiety, aggression, depression, inattention, hyperactivity and obsessive-compulsive disorder? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) The issue of prescription drugs for the treatment of behavioural disorders in children is of great concern for the Government. A policy on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is being finalised for release in the very near future. The issue of drug prescription will be given consideration in that policy. (2) Not known. (3) Refer to (1).
(3) Will the minister conduct an audit of all Western Australian paediatricians and child psychiatrists to determine the level of drugs given to treat conditions such as anxiety, aggression, depression, inattention, hyperactivity and obsessive-compulsive disorder? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) The issue of prescription drugs for the treatment of behavioural disorders in children is of great concern for the Government. A policy on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is being finalised for release in the very near future. The issue of drug prescription will be given consideration in that policy. (2) Not known. (3) Refer to (1).
Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) The issue of prescription drugs for the treatment of behavioural disorders in children is of great concern for the Government. A policy on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is being finalised for release in the very near future. The issue of drug prescription will be given consideration in that policy. (2) Not known. (3) Refer to (1).
I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) The issue of prescription drugs for the treatment of behavioural disorders in children is of great concern for the Government. A policy on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is being finalised for release in the very near future. The issue of drug prescription will be given consideration in that policy. (2) Not known. (3) Refer to (1).
(1) The issue of prescription drugs for the treatment of behavioural disorders in children is of great concern for the Government. A policy on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is being finalised for release in the very near future. The issue of drug prescription will be given consideration in that policy. (2) Not known. (3) Refer to (1).
(2) Not known. (3) Refer to (1).
(3) Refer to (1).
PRESCRIPTION DRUGS FOR CHILDREN, BEHAVIOURAL DISORDERS
A recent survey involving 70 per cent of Australia’s paediatricians and child psychiatrists has confirmed suspicions that Australia is going the way of the United States, where a new generation of psychotropic drugs has joined Ritalin as an answer to behavioural disorders in children. According to the paediatrician who conducted the survey, Daryl Efron of the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne, the long-term effects of the new drugs on children had not been tested, and there was no research on what effect they had when taken together. In the light of this evidence - (1) Will the minister conduct an urgent audit of Western Australian children being given untested drugs for behaviour control? (2) How many children in child care centres, kindergartens and primary schools are on these prescription drugs, and how many bring drugs with them to be administered by carers or teachers? (3) Will the minister conduct an audit of all Western Australian paediatricians and child psychiatrists to determine the level of drugs given to treat conditions such as anxiety, aggression, depression, inattention, hyperactivity and obsessive-compulsive disorder? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) The issue of prescription drugs for the treatment of behavioural disorders in children is of great concern for the Government. A policy on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is being finalised for release in the very near future. The issue of drug prescription will be given consideration in that policy. (2) Not known. (3) Refer to (1).
In the light of this evidence - (1) Will the minister conduct an urgent audit of Western Australian children being given untested drugs for behaviour control? (2) How many children in child care centres, kindergartens and primary schools are on these prescription drugs, and how many bring drugs with them to be administered by carers or teachers? (3) Will the minister conduct an audit of all Western Australian paediatricians and child psychiatrists to determine the level of drugs given to treat conditions such as anxiety, aggression, depression, inattention, hyperactivity and obsessive-compulsive disorder? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) The issue of prescription drugs for the treatment of behavioural disorders in children is of great concern for the Government. A policy on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is being finalised for release in the very near future. The issue of drug prescription will be given consideration in that policy. (2) Not known. (3) Refer to (1).
(1) Will the minister conduct an urgent audit of Western Australian children being given untested drugs for behaviour control? (2) How many children in child care centres, kindergartens and primary schools are on these prescription drugs, and how many bring drugs with them to be administered by carers or teachers? (3) Will the minister conduct an audit of all Western Australian paediatricians and child psychiatrists to determine the level of drugs given to treat conditions such as anxiety, aggression, depression, inattention, hyperactivity and obsessive-compulsive disorder? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) The issue of prescription drugs for the treatment of behavioural disorders in children is of great concern for the Government. A policy on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is being finalised for release in the very near future. The issue of drug prescription will be given consideration in that policy. (2) Not known. (3) Refer to (1).
(2) How many children in child care centres, kindergartens and primary schools are on these prescription drugs, and how many bring drugs with them to be administered by carers or teachers? (3) Will the minister conduct an audit of all Western Australian paediatricians and child psychiatrists to determine the level of drugs given to treat conditions such as anxiety, aggression, depression, inattention, hyperactivity and obsessive-compulsive disorder? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) The issue of prescription drugs for the treatment of behavioural disorders in children is of great concern for the Government. A policy on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is being finalised for release in the very near future. The issue of drug prescription will be given consideration in that policy. (2) Not known. (3) Refer to (1).
(3) Will the minister conduct an audit of all Western Australian paediatricians and child psychiatrists to determine the level of drugs given to treat conditions such as anxiety, aggression, depression, inattention, hyperactivity and obsessive-compulsive disorder? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) The issue of prescription drugs for the treatment of behavioural disorders in children is of great concern for the Government. A policy on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is being finalised for release in the very near future. The issue of drug prescription will be given consideration in that policy. (2) Not known. (3) Refer to (1).
Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) The issue of prescription drugs for the treatment of behavioural disorders in children is of great concern for the Government. A policy on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is being finalised for release in the very near future. The issue of drug prescription will be given consideration in that policy. (2) Not known. (3) Refer to (1).
I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) The issue of prescription drugs for the treatment of behavioural disorders in children is of great concern for the Government. A policy on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is being finalised for release in the very near future. The issue of drug prescription will be given consideration in that policy. (2) Not known. (3) Refer to (1).
(1) The issue of prescription drugs for the treatment of behavioural disorders in children is of great concern for the Government. A policy on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is being finalised for release in the very near future. The issue of drug prescription will be given consideration in that policy. (2) Not known. (3) Refer to (1).
(2) Not known. (3) Refer to (1).
(3) Refer to (1).
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