§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent representations he has received regarding inappropriate use of the prescription of Ritalin for children. [60090]
§ Jacqui SmithWe have no record of recent representations on this subject. Methylphenidate (principal brand name Ritalin) is a controlled drug under Schedule 2 of the Misuse of Drugs Act and is licensed for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children aged six years or older. Treatment should be under the supervision of a specialist in childhood behavioural disorders.
§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many prescriptions of Ritalin were issued in each of the last five years for(a) attention deficit disorder and (b) attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in each (i) region and (ii) health authority. 160088]
§ Jacqui SmithThis information is not collected centrally in the form, or for the years, requested. The available data on the number of prescription items dispensed in the community (for example excluding items written and dispensed in hospitals) for methylphenidate hydrochloride by health authorities and regions for the period 1999 to 2001 are shown in the table, a copy of which has been placed in the Library. It should be noted that Ritalin, the brand name for a drug used mainly in the treatment of severe forms of childhood attention deficit and hyperactivity disorders, is the principal but not the only presentation of methylphenidate hydrochloride.