Nearly half of ADHD medication scripts are now for adults

Professor Richard Harvey said there was previously 'significant underdiagnosis' of ADHD in adults.
Professor Richard Harvey.

Adults have overtaken children aged 6-12 as the biggest patient cohort treated with ADHD medications, PBS data show.

Nearly 210,000 patients aged over 18 were prescribed ADHD medications — primarily stimulants — on the PBS in 2022-23, compared with about 154,000 patients aged 6-12.