An expert withdrew her support for a Channel 4 documentary series about the RDUH
Katya Rubia, a professor of cognitive neuroscience at King’s College London, has withdrawn her support for the Channel 4 documentary *The Great ADHD Myth?* about attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). She stated that the program was edited in a biased manner, and that her comments were selectively cut and taken out of context to fit the filmmakers’ narrative.
According to The Guardian, Rubia agreed to participate in the filming knowing that the filmmakers sought to portray ADHD as a myth, in order to offer an alternative perspective. In her view, such programs could encourage parents to stop medicating their children. The professor warned that this could potentially increase the risk of long-term negative consequences of untreated ADHD, including anxiety, depression, lower self-esteem, substance abuse, suicide, poorer academic performance, and reduced employment prospects.
The program’s host, Max Pemberton, a psychiatrist with the UK’s National Health Service, concluded that ADHD is more of a social construct than a medical condition. He also believed that schools should better adapt to the needs of different children rather than using medication to force them to conform to a restrictive standard.
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Rubia criticized the episode featuring 10-year-old Mason, who was shown during the process of discontinuing his ADHD medication. According to her, this experience cannot serve as convincing evidence, since at the same time the child’s screen time was limited, supplements and unhealthy foods were removed from his diet, and time spent outdoors and interacting with loved ones was increased. She also stated that studies indicate that dietary changes, supplements, physical exercise, neurofeedback, cognitive training, and contact with nature have mostly negligible or very small effects for children with ADHD compared to medication.
Professor Anita Tapar of Cardiff University School of Medicine, who led NHS England’s independent working group on ADHD, also called the “social construct” argument unhelpful. Subodh Dave, president of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, stated that denying the existence of this condition harms people with ADHD and the professionals who care for them.
Channel 4 rejected claims that Rubia’s interview had been unfairly edited and stated that her consent to participate was informed. The network also reported that the well-being of the boy and his family was a priority during production, and that regarding the interruption in his medication, they consulted with an independent physician, the boy’s family doctor, an occupational health company, and three independent psychiatrists. In a survey conducted by the charity ADHD UK following the program’s broadcast, more than 4,000 respondents answered the questions; more than 94% of them believed that the program had increased the stigma surrounding ADHD.
