WASHINGTON, Feb. 9 (UPI) -- A federal advisory committee has approved warnings that Ritalin and similar stimulants can cause irregular heart beat.
Members of the Food and Drug Administration said they want to discourage the explosive growth in Ritalin use, the New York Times reported. Almost 4 million people now take the stimulants.
"I must say that I have grave concerns about the use of these drugs and grave concerns about the harm they may cause," said Dr. Steven Nissen, a panel member and cardiologist at the Cleveland Clinic.
FDA officials said they did not expect speedy action. Another committee, this one composed of pediatricians and psychiatrists, is expected to hold a similar meeting soon and is likely to reach the opposite conclusion, the newspaper said.
The committee voted unanimously for patient guides carrying warnings, and voted 8-7 for a so-called FDA black box warning.
