A study has cast doubt over the use of Ritalin for treating attention deficit hyperactivity disorder after reviewing all available evidence.
The paper’s authors said that the effect of the widely used drug on ADHD symptoms remained uncertain.
There were nearly a million prescriptions for Ritalin, the best known brand name of the drug methylphenidate, and related drugs dispensed last year. ADHD affects an estimated 5 per cent of children. Sufferers may have difficulty focusing attention and remaining “on task” and show excessively impulsive behaviour and hyperactivity.
The review, published in the Cochrane Library, found that Ritalin appeared to produce modest improvements in symptoms, general behaviour and quality of life, the researchers said that the quality of evidence was poor. There were also signs that