Robert Whitaker, author of *Anatomy of an Epidemic*, discusses the disturbing effects of psychotropic drugs prescribed for children. Such medications, used for ADHD, depression, and anxiety, for example, have become commonplace over the past 30 years. This practice profoundly alters the lives of the children, and so now we, as a society, urgently need to address this question: do the medications help the children thrive and grow up into healthy adults? Or does this practice do more harm than good over the long term. Robert Whitaker emphasizes two things: first, the need for an objective, evidence-based approach to evaluating these drugs; and second, the need for better public understanding of how these medications work.
Robert Whitaker is the prize-winning author of _Anatomy of an Epidemic, Mad in America_, and co-author of _Psychiatry Under the Influence_. He is also the founder of the resource/info organization Mad in America.com. Mr. Whitaker has won numerous awards as a journalist covering medicine and science, including the George Polk Award for Medical Writing and a National Association for Science Writers’ Award for best magazine article. In 1998, he co-wrote a series on psychiatric research for _The Boston Globe _that was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service. His first book, _Mad in America_, was named by _Discover_ magazine as one of the best science books of 2002. _Anatomy of an Epidemic_ won the 2010 Investigative Reporters and Editors book award for best investigative journalism. He is the publisher of madinamerica.com.