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March 13, 2007
ADHD Medication Use Nearly Triples Globally
The use of ADHD medications has nearly tripled worldwide since 1993, researchers reported on February 27, 2007. Since the increase of medications has risen between 1993 and 2003, the price of these medications has rose nine fold as well, reported the University of California researchers, including Richard Scheffler, and expert in health economics and public policy’s, whom led this study. Mr. Scheffler said, “ADHD could become the leading childhood disorder treated with medications across the globe. We can expect that the already burgeoning global costs for the medication treatment for ADHD will rise even more sharply over the next decade.”
A rough estimate proves that one in 25 children and adolescents that are living in the U.S. are taking medication for ADHD, the researchers say.
This study was conducted with an international pharmaceutical database that examined all the data from about 70 different countries. In 1993, only 31 countries were using ADHD medications. But, by the year 2003, over 50 countries were using them.
Japan, France, Sweden and Korea all showed increases in ADHD drugs among 5 to 19 year olds. The United States had the largest increase, 83% of the prescriptions and $2.4 billion in 2003. Scheffler’s team wrote in the journal Heath Affairs that the usage of ADHD medications increased 274% during their study period.
Source: Topix.net
By: Margo Richter
Posted by margo at March 13, 2007 04:56 PM
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