And now, good news about the ADHD patch

With the staff member whose negative review of the ADHD patch was released on Thursday now reversing his opinion and saying it's marketable, a patch which can deliver a generic version of Ritalin to children ages 6 through 12 received a recommendation from an advisory panel and moved closer to FDA approval yesterday. The patch, called Daytrana, delivers methylphenidate through the skin. This version would be worn for nine hours, and was found to have no greater side effects than similar dosages in pill form. Although the panel found it to be safe and effective, the recommendation suggests that the patch should only be used by children who have trouble taking pills. The FDA will make its final decision on whether to approve the patch by December 28, but usually follows the advice of the panel.