Toddlers used as guinea pigs

Absolutely shocking.

Tots Used as Guinea Pigs? ABC News
Friday, 12 May 2006
ABC News reports that antipsychotic drugs are being tested on toddlers at Harvard University affiliate hospital, Massachusetts General Children's Hospital.

The drugs being tested on very young, defenseless children are the most toxic, harm producing psychotropic prescription drugs marketed.

The indisputable evidence of these drugs' severe adverse effects in adults with schizophrenia is now being acknowledged by leading psychiatrists:

In an editorial in the American Journal of Psychiatry, Dr. Carol Tamminga, acknowledged: “the side effect outcomes are staggering in their magnitude and extent and demonstrate the significant medication burden for persons with schizophrenia.…"
See: Dr. Carol Tamminga, "Practical Treatment Information for Schizophrenia" Editorial, AJP, April, 2006, vol. 163:563-565.


How can anyone justify the use of four-year old children as human drug testing guinea pigs?
The experiments described by ABC News expose small children to drugs so toxic they disrupt normal biological and mental function, damage major organs, produce debilitating, chronic diseases such as diabetes, leading to premature death?

According to its website, MassGeneral Hospital for Children, is the largest of the Harvard Medical School teaching facilities, the hospital."

"the oldest provider of pediatric services in Boston, has provided comprehensive care for children since 1821. It is consistently ranked by U.S. News and World Report, Annual Guide to America's Best Hospitals, and was ranked number 16 in the 2003 edition. Through its growing network of community-based facilities and pediatricians, the hospital's excellent care is conveniently accessible to families throughout the region."
http://www.massgeneral.org/mghfc/mghfc_aboutus.htm

If these experiments were approved by the FDA, and passed the institutional review boards (IRBs) of Harvard and MassGeneral, what does it say about the debasement of academic medicine?

Clearly the system for safeguarding the children's right to be free from the risks of medical experiments that are not in their best interest, is broken and must be replaced.

Join AHRP's efforts to stop the putting children in harm's way in medical experiments.

Help AHRP --we need a hosting a website for a petition to stop experimental exploitation of children.


Add your voice to public comments following ABC story at: http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2006/05/tots_used_as_hu.html


Contact: Vera Hassner Sharav
veracare@ahrp.org