The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) is committed to ensuring that Australians get quality, comprehensive guidance on the diagnosis and treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
Accordingly, the NHMRC and the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP) have agreed to release the draft Australian Guidelines prior to formal consideration by the Council of the NHMRC.
The Council of the NHMRC will make no decision on the draft Australian Guidelines on ADHD, developed by the Royal Australian College of Physicians (RACP), until conflict of interest investigations in the United States (US) are concluded.
The draft Australian Guidelines’ references include the work of a leading US ADHD researcher. The researcher is being investigated in the US over an alleged conflict of interest. The allegations relate to possible breaches of US conflict of interest policies.
The RACP submitted these draft guidelines to the NHMRC for consideration and approval in June 2009, as required by the Government. The NHMRC and the RACP subsequently became aware of the formal conflict of interest investigation in June 2009.
At its meeting in October 2009, the Council of the NHMRC resolved not to consider the draft guidelines for final release until the US investigation has been completed.
To provide updated draft guidelines following earlier consultation, the latest draft RACP Guidelines are provided together with links to other useful information and guidance on ADHD prepared by respected national and international bodies.
The current version of the draft guidelines has not been approved by the NHMRC, and will not until the US investigation has been resolved. However it has taken into account the views of community and professionals through consultation on the earlier draft released in June 2008. The current draft supersedes the earlier draft.
If the US investigation remains unresolved by mid-2010, NHMRC will move to redevelop the draft guidelines.