A study by pharmacy benefits manager Medco has found that prescriptions for attention-deficit disorder drugs have soared over the past four years, trailing only hot-selling rheumatoid arthritis drugs in the marketplace. The number of prescriptions written to treat ADHD more than doubled between 2000 and 2004, according to the pharmacy benefits manager. Some analysts say the trend reflects a growing feeling among doctors that the condition is not just a childhood problem. Others warn the increase may be a result of marketing by pharma companies eager to boost profits. Medco notes spending on these drugs has risen 325 percent over the past four years.
- see this story from The New York Times