If your child is suffering from bipolar disorder, help is available. While I think the linked advertisement is no longer on television (I don't know for sure), Massachusetts General Hospital is nonetheless enrolling patients ages 4-6 with bipolar disorder to participate in a study where they will receive quetiapine (Seroquel) to alleviate their symptoms.
I can only hope that it will be as great of a study as a similar investigation that utilized Zyprexa for adolescents with bipolar disorder. Of course, we know (because someone at Harvard said so) that children with bipolar disorder become suicidal in 75% of cases. Did I mention I have a bridge that I'm looking to sell...
Please read Intueri's post as well as my earlier post to see just how "scientific" the diagnostic process is for kids and adolescents regarding bipolar disorder.
How much do the parents get paid to enroll their children in this study?
ReplyDeleteMost studies pay for airfare and possibly hotel accomodations; treatment[meds]. FDA website has easy access to take a look at hundreds of studies--all over the country. Parents do not get paid for enrolling their child. The risk remains 1. not knowing if child gets placebo or medication 2.remaining left without answers they desperately seek. 3. I was asked to enroll my daughter in a trial when she was 17. Why on earth would I have done that? trialing 3 antipsychotics, and not knowing which of the 3 or the placebo she would get. If an adult consents to a medication trial--fine. Enrolling a child in one with such variables is something I personally would never choose for a child of mine. I'm not convinced any study is worthwhile at this point, unless they trial the med for a year or longer, and consider drop out rates, withdrawal symptoms, and many other aspects. Studies are primarily nothing more than a Pharma-funded way to increase sales.
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