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News
Two of the most widely used ADHD medications — lisdexamfetamine and methylphenidate — show nearly identical rates of abuse and dependence reporting in a large global pharmacovigilance study. Other ADHD drugs, including atomoxetine and bupropion, came in significantly lower. Researchers say the findings call for more head-to-head studies on abuse potential across ADHD therapies.
A new study analyzing the WHO's global pharmacovigilance database (VigiBase) found that lisdexamfetamine and methylphenidate — two of the most commonly prescribed ADHD medications — carry statistically similar risks for abuse and dependence. The analysis, published in General Psychiatry, examined over 55,000 individual case safety reports from patients aged 15 and older across multiple continents.
While methylphenidate's abuse potential has long been recognized, real-world comparative data for other ADHD medications has been sparse. This study helps fill that gap, showing that most other ADHD drugs — including atomoxetine, bupropion, modafinil, and dexamphetamine — are associated with significantly lower relative reporting of abuse and dependence.
By the Numbers:
Why it matters: For clinicians prescribing ADHD medications, these findings reinforce that lisdexamfetamine should be treated with the same caution as methylphenidate regarding abuse risk — particularly in younger patients. The authors call for more direct comparative studies to better guide prescribing decisions.
