Prescriptions of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medications for children and teenagers—wrongly known as "study-aid drugs" that boost concentration—are rising quickly. In just January to September last year, the number of patients age 19 and under who received ADHD prescriptions had already surpassed the total for all of 2024.
On the 11th, according to the Ministery of Food and Drug Safety's Monthly trends in medical narcotics, 113,263 males age 19 and under were prescribed methylphenidate in January to September last year, about 6% more than the total number of prescriptions in 2024 (107,267). During the same period, 49,209 females age 19 and under were prescribed the drug, already exceeding the 2024 annual figure (45,764).
Methylphenidate accounts for more than 80% of Korea's ADHD medication market. Methylphenidate is a psychotropic drug classified as a medical narcotic. A leading product is Concerta, developed by Janssen, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson (J&J), used to treat ADHD symptoms such as inattention and hyperactivity in patients age 6 and older. Because a single daily dose sustains effects for a long time, it is frequently prescribed.
The rise in prescriptions is even clearer compared with the past. In 2023, 90,851 males and 34,888 females age 19 and under were prescribed methylphenidate, and the upward trend has continued every year since. In fact, since 2021, the number of patients age 19 and under prescribed methylphenidate has increased each year, according to tallies.
The problem is that although this drug is a prescription-only medicine that must be used to treat illness based on a medical diagnosis and a physician's prescription, it is being misperceived among test-takers and parents as a "drug that makes you study well" or a "drug that boosts concentration," raising concerns about misuse and abuse.
An analysis by the National Health Insurance Service of methylphenidate prescription patterns from 2007 to 2024 found that prescriptions were most common among teenagers by age group and in the fifth income quintile (high-income) by income level. Prescriptions were concentrated in areas with intense educational fervor, such as Gangnam, Seocho, and Bundang.
Experts warn that serious side effects can occur when teenagers without ADHD take this drug. Beyond headaches and insomnia, it can lead to increased impulsivity and aggression, hallucinations and delusions, and even attempted extreme choices, they said, calling for particular caution.
Cheon Geun-a, a child and adolescent psychiatrist at Severance Hospital, said, "Even if you give ADHD medication to a child whose dopamine system is functioning normally, the cognitive enhancement effect is minimal," and added, "On the contrary, emotional dysregulation may worsen, increasing impulsivity or aggression, or anxiety may intensify and reduce concentration; in rare cases, it can lead to auditory hallucinations and carries a risk of drug dependence."
The government has also moved to respond. The Ministery of Food and Drug Safety has cracked down on illegal advertising and sales of methylphenidate around the college entrance exam period and continued monitoring of medical institutions with potential misuse concerns. This year, it plans to further tighten enforcement against medical narcotics misuse by using artificial intelligence (AI) and other tools.