We train health care professionals and
the public about ADHD in Adults
with the latest evidence-based content
from International Experts.

Program Committee: Stephen V. Faraone, PhD, Program Director;
Lenard Adler, MD, David Goodman, MD, Co-Chairs, APSARD Education Committee;
Jonathan Marx, MBA, Media and Marketing Director

ADHD International Consensus Statement

Fortunately, as John Adams famously said of Steve_Faraone_AIAthe Boston Massacre, “Facts are stubborn things.”
And science is a stubborn enterprise; it does not tolerate shoddy research or opinions not supported by fact. ADHD scientists have addressed many of the myths about the disorder in the International Consensus Statement on ADHD, a published summary of scientific facts about ADHD endorsed by a of 75 international ADHD scientists in 2002. The statement describes evidence for the validity of ADHD, the existence of genetic and neurobiologic causes for the disorder and the range and severity of impairments caused by the disorder.
The Statement makes several key points:
  • The U.S. Surgeon General, the American Medical Association, the American Psychiatric Association, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, the American Psychological Association, and the American Academy of Pediatrics recognize ADHD as a valid disorder.
  • ADHD involves a serious deficiency in a set of psychological abilities and that these deficiencies pose serious harm to most individuals possessing the disorder.
  • Many studies show that the psychological deficits in people with ADHD are associated with abnormalities in several specific brain regions.
  • The genetic contribution to ADHD is routinely found to be among the highest for any psychiatric disorders.
  • ADHD is not a benign disorder. For those it afflicts, it can cause devastating problems.
  • Hundreds of studies have shown the effectiveness of ADHD medications and multiple therapies.

The facts about ADHD will prevail if you take the time to learn about them. Thank you for doing so.

Stephen V. Faraone, PhD
PI for ADHD in Adults

You may download your Consensus Statement by completing the web form on the right.