Excepted from ARS Week In Review 4 Jul 1999:

CCHR

About.com specialist on Attention Deficit Disorder Bob Seay reported on CNN using 'experts' from Scientology.

"The segment was on CNN several times - three times in one day, on June 1, 1999 as part of the 'Headline News' segments and again on all of the 'For Your Health' programs of June 5 and 6. The lady interviewed on CNN turns out to be Dr. Mary Ann Block of The Block Center. Dr. Block is the author of the book 'No More Ritalin — Treating ADHD Without Drugs.'

"She does serve as a medical consultant for the Citizen's Commission on Human Rights. Founded in 1969 by the Church of Scientology, the CCHR defines itself as 'a non-profit, public benefit organization dedicated to exposing and eradicating criminal acts and human rights abuses by psychiatry.' Vice President Marla Filidei told me that it is the CCHR's job to see to it that the information - the 'truth' - about the psychiatric profession and the ADD/ADHD diagnosis in general be made public. Basically, Dr. Block and the CCHR feel that the American Psychiatric Association has failed to inform people that there are side effects of ritalin and other psychotropic medications.

"Marla Filidei talked with me about her involvement in the CNN interview and about the 'study on violence' as well. This 'study' turns out to not be a study after all, but a report titled 'The Interim Report on Psychiatric Drugs and Children Who Kill.' Ms. Filidei put the report together the day after the Columbine Shootings in response to media interest in the fact that Eric Harris - one of the killers - had been taking Luvox. The killers killed only after they had started taking the medications. In other words, for Ms. Filidei, it was a simple logical deduction: These children killed other students. These children had been prescribed psychotropic drugs. Therefore, the drug is the connection. The report costs $3.00 and is available through CCHR.

"So there we have it — an interview with an author who wants to sell a book, a study which is actually a compilation of stories taken from newspapers and whatever research could be found to provide some footnotes, and somebody in the Office of the Governor of Colorado who can't tell propaganda from research."

Michael Fumento is a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute in Washington, D.C. where he specializes in science and health issues. He is the author of numerous books.

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