Overview
- The one-hour documentary presented by NHS psychiatrist Max Pemberton aired on Tuesday and queried whether ADHD should be understood as a neurodevelopmental disorder.
- ADHD UK has filed a formal complaint with Ofcom, urged supporters to complain, and said it will submit fuller evidence and take concerns to Parliament.
- The programme followed a 10-year-old boy taken off medication for a six-week lifestyle trial and disclosed in its end credits that the child later returned to medication after school performance fell.
- Channel 4 defended the film as part of its remit to challenge received wisdom and stimulate public debate while some reviewers praised its provocation and others called it one-sided and potentially harmful.
- The film highlighted wider issues in diagnosis and treatment, noting a reported rise in referrals and the lack of a single biomarker for ADHD, a point that underlies disputes over medicalisation and real-world support needs.