"A study published Thursday in JAMA Network Open looked at all prescriptions for stimulant drugs such as Ritalin and Adderall dispensed in the province between 2015 and 2023. By 2023, data shows overall annual new stimulant prescriptions were up by 157 per cent compared to 2015. The report says prescriptions for ADHD treatment rose throughout the study period and accelerated in 2020, coinciding with the lockdowns of the COVID-19 pandemic."
"However, while they acknowledge there is a lack of data on whether the medication was being prescribed appropriately, they also say there may have been some people who were misdiagnosed when a condition that causes similar symptoms is incorrectly deemed ADHD or overdiagnosed when milder symptoms are incorrectly diagnosed as ADHD."
"Lead author Dr. Daniel Myran said his concern is that some people could be exposed to adverse side effects of the medication unnecessarily, and they might miss an opportunity to treat other mental health conditions. The biggest change over the study period was in adult females, with increases of approximately 421 per cent and 369 per cent in ages 25 to 44 and 18 to 24, respectively."
All prescriptions for stimulant drugs dispensed in Ontario between 2015 and 2023 were analyzed. Overall annual new stimulant prescriptions increased 157% by 2023 compared with 2015. Prescriptions rose steadily from 2015 to 2019 at about 7% per year, then accelerated to about 28% per year beginning in 2020, coinciding with COVID-19 lockdowns. Contributing factors include increased screen time, greater public awareness and acceptance of ADHD symptoms, recognition of previously undiagnosed people, and growth of private assessments. Data are lacking on prescribing appropriateness, raising concerns about misdiagnosis, overdiagnosis, unnecessary exposure to medication side effects, and missed treatment opportunities for other conditions.
Read at www.cbc.ca
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