The first Wellcome Trust University Award in biomedical ethics has been made to Dr Ilina Singh at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) for a lectureship in bioethics and society. The award will enable Dr Singh to continue ground-breaking research into attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children and to explore ethical issues surrounding the impact of stimulant drugs.

ADHD is the fastest-growing child psychiatric disorder in the world with 6–15 per cent of American schoolchildren affected and 1–3 per cent in the UK. Ritalin (methylphenidate) is the most common form of treatment for ADHD, yet the use of stimulant drugs to treat behaviour problems in young children has raised ethical concerns about a child's authenticity, a child's right to self-creation and the rights of parents to shape the capacities of their children.

Although there has been much research and debate about the use of Ritalin-type drugs, there is very little research on the young person's viewpoint. How do children think about their 'authentic' selves in relation to stimulant drug treatment? What impact do they think ADHD diagnosis and drug treatment are having on them?

Dr Singh's five-year investigation will seek to answer these questions. Building on the results of a pilot study carried out in 2005, Dr Singh will conduct in-depth interviews with three groups of children: those who are taking stimulant drugs for a diagnosis of ADHD, those who are 'at-risk' for ADHD and are unmedicated, and a group of children without mental health problems. Up to 100 children will be interviewed across the UK and the USA.

Ultimately, the findings from this study should help to inform clinical and parental practices around child behaviour management, diagnosis and treatment.

See also

• Biomedical ethics funding
• Wellcome Trust announces first university biomedical ethics award (Press release, 18 September 2006)