Nick Xenophon (SA, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Health and Ageing, Senator Ludwig. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is the most diagnosed childhood disorder in Australia. Research by Dr Constantine Berbatis of Curtin University has found that Australia, along with the United States, has amongst the highest rate of psychostimulant treatment for ADHD internationally. In the past, the UN has warned Australia about its high levels of drug use to treat ADHD. I draw the minister’s attention to articles published in the Advertiser and the Daily Telegraph on Monday, 17 November this year which reported financial links between the members of the panel currently preparing the national review of ADHD and the large pharmaceutical companies that provide psychostimulant treatment for ADHD. This panel, from the Royal Australasian College of Physicians, has been commissioned by the National Health and Medical Research Council to develop a new set of guidelines for the management of ADHD. Has the government investigated the veracity of these reports, and if they are true what action will the government take?