Fact or Fiction: ADHD in America, a Capitol Hill Forum

Briefing hosted by Shire, the Entertainment Industries Council and the Lab School of Washington with actress Roxy Olin delivering keynote on behalf of Entertainment Industries Council as part of its mental health advocacy tour

WASHINGTON, Sept. 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Shire plc (LSE: SHP, Nasdaq: SHPGY), the global specialty biopharmaceutical company, has partnered with the Entertainment Industries Council (EIC) , the Lab School of Washington and other organizations in support of National Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Awareness Week to host "Fact or Fiction: ADHD in America, a Capitol Hill Forum." The panel discussion aims to dispel myths and provide facts about the diagnosis, treatment and management of ADHD.  Held in the Rayburn House Office Building on Thursday, September 16th, this briefing promotes education and increased awareness of ADHD by featuring insights from ADHD experts and advocates.

An estimated 7.8 percent of all school-aged children(1) and up to 4.4 percent of adults(2) in the United States have been diagnosed with ADHD, yet few understand the realities of the condition and the day-to-day challenges that it can present for patients and their families. These issues will be addressed by a panel moderated by Frank Sesno, former CNN Washington Bureau Chief and several distinguished participants, including:

• Michele Novotni, Ph.D., ADHD Expert and Former Attention Deficit Disorder Association (ADDA) President
• Roxy Olin, Actress, "The City" and "Brothers and Sisters"
• Katherine Schantz, Head of the Lab School of Washington and Baltimore Lab School
• Ari Tuckman, Psy.D, MBA, Psychologist and ADHD Expert
• Judith Warner, Author "We've Got Issues: Children and Parents in the Age of Medication"

Actress Roxy Olin, known for her work on the MTV show "The City" and ABC's "Brothers and Sisters," will be speaking at the event on behalf of EIC in conjunction with her advocacy work at EIC's annual PRISM Awards Capitol Hill Showcase and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's addiction and mental health awareness event. "I am honored to tell my personal story about living with ADHD," said Ms. Olin. "It's a disorder that presents me with daily challenges and I am pleased to be able to help create greater awareness of this issue by participating in this forum."

Panelists will discuss the neurobiological nature of ADHD, the prevalence of ADHD among children, teens and adults, the impact of ADHD on quality of life and the economy, and the importance of early and effective intervention.

Notes to editors

About ADHD

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a psychiatric behavioral disorder that manifests as a persistent pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that is more frequent and severe than is typically observed in individuals at a comparable level of development.(1,2)

ADHD is one of the most common childhood psychiatric disorders.(3)   In the United States, approximately 7.8 percent of all school-age children have been diagnosed with ADHD at some point in their lives, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).(4)   Although many people tend to think of ADHD as a childhood problem, up to 65 percent of children with ADHD may still exhibit symptoms into adulthood.(5)   The disorder is also estimated to affect 4.4 percent of US adults aged 18 to 44 based on results from the National Comorbidity Survey Replication.(6)   When this percentage is extrapolated to the full US population aged 18 and over, approximately 9.8 million adults are believed to have ADHD.(7)

The specific etiology of ADHD is unknown and there is no single diagnostic test for this disorder.(3) Adequate diagnosis requires the use of medical and special psychological, educational, and social resources, utilizing diagnostic criteria specified in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR®) or International Classification of Diseases, Tenth revision (ICD-10).(1-3)

Although there is no cure for ADHD, there are accepted treatments that specifically target its symptoms.(3)   Standard treatments include educational approaches, psychological therapies which may include behavioral modification, and/or medication.(3)

References

1. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 4th ed. Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR®). Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Publishing; 2000:85-93.
2. International Classification of Diseases, Tenth revision, (ICD-10). World Health Organization; 2007: Chapter 5, F90. http://www.who.int/classifications/apps/icd/icd10online/. Accessed March 31, 2010.
3. Pliszka S and the AACAP Work Group on Quality Issues. Practice parameter for the assessment and treatment of children and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2007; 46(7):894-921.
4. Mental health in the United States: Prevalence of diagnosis and medication treatment for attention- deficit/hyperactivity disorder, United States, 2003. MMWR. 2005;54(34):842-847.
5. Dulcan, M and the AACAP Work Group on Quality Issues. Practice parameters for the assessment and treatment of children, adolescents, and adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 1997;36(10 Suppl):85S-121S.
6. Kessler RC, Adler L, Barkley R, et al. The prevalence and correlates of adult ADHD in the United States: results from the national comorbidity survey replication. Am J Psychiatry. 2006; 163:716-723.
7. Annual Estimates of the Population by Selected Age Groups and Sex for the United States: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2005 (NC-EST2005-02).  U.S. Census Bureau. http://www.census.gov/popest/national/asrh/NC-EST2005-sa.html. Accessed  March 31, 2010.

SHIRE PLC

Shire's strategic goal is to become the leading specialty biopharmaceutical company that focuses on meeting the needs of the specialist physician.  Shire focuses its business on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), human genetic therapies (HGT) and gastrointestinal (GI) diseases as well as opportunities in other therapeutic areas to the extent they arise through acquisitions.  Shire's in-licensing, merger and acquisition efforts are focused on products in specialist markets with strong intellectual property protection and global rights.  Shire believes that a carefully selected and balanced portfolio of products with strategically aligned and relatively small-scale sales forces will deliver strong results.

For further information on Shire, please visit the Company's website: www.shire.com.

"SAFE HARBOR" STATEMENT UNDER THE PRIVATE SECURITIES LITIGATION REFORM ACT OF 1995

Statements included herein that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties and are subject to change at any time. In the event such risks or uncertainties materialize, the Company's results could be materially adversely affected. The risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, risks associated with: the inherent uncertainty of research, development, approval, reimbursement, manufacturing and commercialization of the Company's Specialty Pharmaceutical and Human Genetic Therapies products, as well as the ability to secure and integrate new products for commercialization and/or development; government regulation of the Company's products; the Company's ability to manufacture its products in sufficient quantities to meet demand; the impact of competitive therapies on the Company's products; the Company's ability to register, maintain and enforce patents and other intellectual property rights relating to its products; the Company's ability to obtain and maintain government and other third-party reimbursement for its products; and other risks and uncertainties detailed from time to time in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

References

1. Mental health in the United States: Prevalence of diagnosis and medication treatment for attention- deficit/hyperactivity disorder, United States, 2003. MMWR. 2005;54(34):842-847.
2. Kessler RC, Adler L, Barkley R, et al. The prevalence and correlates of adult ADHD in the United States: results from the national comorbidity survey replication. Am J Psychiatry. 2006;163:716-723.

SOURCE Shire