ADHD drug prescriptions up 38% in two years

About 58.05 million units dispensed in first half of this year; males under 19 lead rise

This image is not related to the article. [Generated by Gemini]
This image is not related to the article. [Generated by Gemini]

Prescriptions for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder medication have been surging among teenagers, driven in part by the drug's reputation as a "study pill" that boosts concentration.

The government has pushed back, producing a public awareness video carrying the message that "there is no drug that makes you study better."

An analysis of data from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety and the Korea Institute of Drug Safety and Risk Management found that prescriptions of methylphenidate — a controlled narcotic used to treat ADHD — reached about 58.05 million units in the first half of this year, up 12.1 percent from the same period last year. Compared with the first half of 2024, when about 42.13 million units were dispensed, the figure has risen 37.8 percent.

Methylphenidate requires a doctor's prescription. People who take it without a diagnosed condition may experience side effects including headaches, insomnia, hallucinations and delusional thinking.

Monthly figures for this year show that dispensing exceeded 10 million units in both April and June. In the first half of last year, May recorded the highest monthly total at about 9.22 million units.

The number of patients receiving methylphenidate prescriptions was also broadly higher this year than last. In June, about 225,000 patients were prescribed the drug — roughly 35,000 more than in the same month last year.

Patients aged 19 and under accounted for roughly half of both the total number of prescriptions and the total units dispensed. About 28.81 million units were prescribed to that age group in the first half of this year. Males under 19 received about 20.9 million units, far outpacing the roughly 7.91 million units dispensed to females in the same age group.

Methylphenidate prescriptions for males aged 19 and under have consistently risen, from about 15.78 million units in the first half of 2024 to about 18.73 million units in the first half of 2025.

To curb misuse and raise awareness around the rising prescription trend, the government has launched a video-based public information campaign.

A video featuring actors Seo Young-hee and Kim Tae-young conveys the message that methylphenidate is not a nutritional supplement and that no drug exists that improves academic performance.

"Special inspections conducted in May and August this year identified 1,733 illegal online posts offering to sell or broker methylphenidate," a Ministry of Food and Drug Safety official said. "Purchasing the drug online without a prescription, or taking medication received from another person, can result in criminal penalties."


ko@heraldcorp.com