Focalin

Business Editors and Health/Medical Writers

EAST HANOVER, N.J.--(BW HealthWire)--Aug. 19, 2002

Findings Suggest Girls with ADHD Face Greater Impairment in Important Areas of Social Development than Boys with the Disorder

A nationwide survey released today reports that girls with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) face greater impairment in areas of social development including self-esteem, social relationships and family relationships than boys with the disorder. Findings also suggest that gender has important implications for diagnosis and treatment of ADHD. The survey, conducted by Harris Interactive on behalf of Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, documented perceptions surrounding gender differences in ADHD among parents of children with ADHD, adolescents with ADHD aged 12 - 17, teachers and the general public.

Impact on Social Development

Before being treated for their ADHD, girls reported more difficulty than boys in a number of areas. Compared to boys, more girls said it was "very difficult" for them to make friends, get along with their parents, get things done in general and focus on school work. Girls were also more likely than boys to say it was "very or somewhat difficult" for them to feel good about themselves and feel happy prior to treatment. In addition, results suggest that girls with ADHD are approximately three times more likely to be treated for depression than boys with ADHD; 14% of girls who were taking medication for their ADHD were taking medication for depression before the ADHD diagnosis, compared to only 5% of boys.

"Unfortunately, all too often girls with ADHD are missed altogether or misdiagnosed with depression because girls tend to internalize their symptoms," said Patricia Quinn, M.D., Director, National Center for Gender Issues and ADHD and an independent advisor on the survey. "Therefore, the unique difficulties that girls with ADHD encounter are often prolonged."

Most parents of girls (74%) strongly agreed that, in general, untreated ADHD has serious long-term effects on self-esteem, compared to 63% of boys' parents. More than half (55%) agreed that their daughter's ADHD affects her self-esteem a great deal, compared with 46% of boys' parents. And, compared to parents of boys, more parents of girls believed that their child's ADHD has a significant impact on their family life.

Girls More Likely to go Undiagnosed

Research suggests that girls with ADHD are likely to go undiagnosed. According to one estimate, as many as 75% of girls with ADHD may be missed. Compared to boys with ADHD, girls with the disorder show less hyperactivity and aggression and are more likely to show symptoms consistent with the ADHD-inattentive subtype that are less easily noticed. Behaviors associated with the inattentive subtype include forgetfulness, timidity, difficulty listening, anxiety and being highly distractible. Research suggests that children with the inattentive subtype of ADHD are accurately diagnosed only 50% of the time.

Findings from the survey support gender-specific research in this area:

Teachers' Perceptions about Gender and ADHD Diagnosis:

The General Public's Perceptions about Gender and ADHD Diagnosis:

Girls' Parents More Willing to Seek Treatment

"Survey results suggest that girls' parents are more willing to seek medical assistance for their child's symptoms than boys' parents," said Dr. Quinn. "This may be due to a number of factors, including the impact ADHD has on girls' social development, the fact that the problem tends to go unaddressed longer in girls, and the misperception that the chronic and pervasive hyperactive symptoms of ADHD in males is just a case of `boys being boys'."

According to the survey, almost all (92%) parents of girls were "very willing" to seek a medical opinion when it was indicated that their child might have ADHD, as compared to 73% of boys' parents. Survey results also suggest that boys' parents face greater outside influences about how to treat their child's ADHD:

Among parents of boys who are currently taking medicine for their ADHD, more than half (59%) were initially reluctant about treating their child with medication, compared to 39% of girls' parents. Almost all parents whose children are being treated with medication said that the treatment has helped their child (94% of boys' parents and 96% of girls' parents).

Among children surveyed, 63% said they take medication to treat their ADHD; 36% said they receive behavior modification and 21% said they do not receive any treatment (medication or behavior modification).

In addition to improving ADHD symptoms (chronic and pervasive inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity), most children who were receiving medication said their treatment has helped them in important aspects of their daily lives, such as:

Almost all children receiving medication said that their treatment has helped them to focus on schoolwork (95%) and "get things done" (94%). Despite the benefits of appropriate treatment, among those who take ADHD medication during the day at school, 38% said taking medicine at school makes them feel embarrassed.

Novartis ADHD Treatment

The Novartis ADHD product portfolio includes Ritalin(R) (methylphenidate HCl), Ritalin SR, Focalin(TM) (dexmethylphenidate), a refined formulation of Ritalin, and new Ritalin(R) LA (methylphenidate) extended-release capsules. Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation received marketing clearance from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for Ritalin LA on June 5, 2002 and it is now available to patients.

Ritalin LA is a once-daily formulation of Ritalin that eliminates the need for a mid-day dose at school. Clinical studies showed Ritalin LA to be statistically superior to placebo (sugar pill) in managing the symptoms for both diagnostic subtypes of ADHD - ADHD Combined Type and ADHD Predominantly Inattentive Type.

Celgene Corporation (Nasdaq: CELG) of Warren, New Jersey granted Novartis Pharma AG an exclusive worldwide (excluding Canada) license covering its intellectual property rights associated with Ritalin LA as well as Focalin. Pursuant to an agreement between Novartis Pharma AG and Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation markets Focalin in the U.S.

Ritalin LA was developed by the drug delivery division of Elan Corporation, plc (NYSE: ELN) and will be supplied to Novartis under an exclusive worldwide royalty and manufacturing agreement between the companies. Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation has commercialization rights to Ritalin LA in the U.S.

Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation researches, develops, manufacturers and markets leading innovative prescription drugs used to treat a number of diseases and conditions, including central nervous system disorders, organ transplantation, cardiovascular diseases, dermatological diseases, respiratory disorders, cancer and arthritis. The company's mission is to improve people's lives by pioneering novel healthcare solutions.

Located in East Hanover, New Jersey, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation is an affiliate of Novartis AG (NYSE: NVS), a world leader in healthcare with core businesses in pharmaceuticals, consumer health, generics, eye-care, and animal health. In 2001, the Novartis Group's businesses achieved sales of CHF 32.0 billion (USD 19.1 billion) and a net income of CHF 7.0 billion (USD 4.2 billion). The Group invested approximately CHF 4.2 billion (USD 2.5 billion) in R&D. Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Novartis Group companies employ about 71,000 people and operate in over 140 countries around the world. For further information please consult http://www.pharma.us.novartis.com or http://www.novartis.com.

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