'ADHD' Drug Prescriptions Surge... Teenage Males Account for 36%

[Financial News] Prescription volume for the Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) treatment drug 'Methylphenidate' surged by more than 12% in one year. Prescriptions for people aged 19 or younger, particularly males, stood out.
 According to the medical industry on the 4th, Methylphenidate prescriptions totaled 58.05 million units in the first half of this year, up 12.1% from the same period last year. Methylphenidate is a narcotic drug for medical use that is often mistakenly known as 'a drug that boosts concentration.'
 Notably, people aged 19 or younger account for about half of both the number of patients receiving prescriptions and the prescription volume.
 Methylphenidate prescriptions for people aged 19 or younger totaled 28.81 million units in the first half of this year. In particular, prescriptions for males aged 19 or younger reached 20.90 million units, or 36% of the total, far exceeding the 7.91 million units prescribed to females in the same age group.
 Prescriptions for males aged 19 or younger have steadily increased, from 15.78 million units in the first half of 2024 to 18.73 million units in the first half of 2025.
 The upward trend is clear when compared with other narcotic drugs for medical use.
 In the first half of this year, prescriptions for analgesics, anti-anxiety drugs, and hypnotic sedatives increased by between 0.4% and 4.5% from the first half of last year, respectively. Prescriptions for appetite suppressants decreased year over year.
 As prescription volume surged, the government began promoting efforts to prevent the misuse and abuse of Methylphenidate and improve public awareness through videos. In fact, Methylphenidate can cause side effects such as headaches, insomnia, hallucinations, and delusional thinking when taken by people who do not have the relevant conditions.
[email protected] Kwon Jun-ho Reporter