ArticlePediatrics2025
Prescription Stimulant Dispensing to US Children: 2017-2023.
Article in Pediatrics, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers.
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Who cites it
8 citing papers in PubMed.
- Article
- Generics in Medicaid increased in price and shifted to larger manufacturers amid 2022-2023 amphetamine shortage.Health affairs scholar · 2026Article
- Time to Medication Initiation in School-age Children With ADHD in Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics.Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics : JDBP · 2026Article
- Teachers' Reports of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Medication Changes During Stimulant Shortages: National Survey Results.Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry · 2026Article
- Stimulant shortage in children with ADHD: greater vulnerability among those with comorbidity.BMC psychiatry · 2026Article
- Changes in Stimulant Dispensing to US Children Associated With the Stimulant Shortage.Pediatrics · 2025Article
- Trends in Parent-Reported ADHD Diagnosis and Treatment Among U.S. Children, 2016-2023.Journal of clinical child and adolescent psychology : the official journal for the Society of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, American Psychological Association, Division 53Article
- ADHD Medication and Depressive Symptoms in Adolescents: A Retrospective Longitudinal Study.Academic pediatricsArticle
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5 authors.
Funding
Abstract
objectiveTo evaluate changes in prescription stimulant dispensing to children aged 5 to 17 years associated with the COVID-19 pandemic and the shortage of immediate-release mixed amphetamine salts (Adderall), which was announced in October 2022.
methodsWe analyzed the 2017 to 2023 IQVIA Longitudinal Prescription Database, which captures 92% of US prescriptions. Using an interrupted time series design, we evaluated level and slope changes in the monthly stimulant-dispensing rate (number of children with stimulant dispensing per 100 000 children) in March 2020 and October 2022.
resultsIn March 2020, the monthly stimulant-dispensing rate to children declined -454.9 children per 100 000 (95% CI, -572.6 to -337.2), an 18.8% decrease relative to January 2017. After March 2020, this rate increased to 12.7 children per 100 000 per month (95% CI, 6.6-18.8). In October 2022, there was no level change (-39.7 children per 100 000; 95% CI, -189.9 to 110.5) or slope change (-12.1 children per 100 000 per month; 95% CI, -27.5 to 3.3), although estimates were negative. During October 2022, there was a level decrease in the monthly dispensing rate for immediate-release mixed amphetamine salts and a level increase in the monthly dispensing rate for dexmethylphenidate.
conclusionsStimulant dispensing to children declined after the pandemic began. Dispensing may also have declined after October 2022, but estimates were not significant, partly because decreased dispensing of immediate-release mixed amphetamine salts was offset by increased dispensing of other stimulants. Findings suggest the shortage may have prompted children to switch to alternative stimulants. Future research should evaluate whether any switches led to adverse events.
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