Patients reimbursed for ADHD medication quadruples in 10 years, says new research
New research from the University of Galway shows that ADHD medication prescriptions in Ireland have quadrupled over the last decade. The study highlights a significant increase in adult diagnoses, particularly among women.
Why it matters
The data reflects a growing societal awareness of neurodevelopmental conditions and the resulting strain on public health systems.
THE NUMBER OF people receiving prescriptions for ADHD medication has skyrocketed over the past 10 years, new research has shown.
A paper authored by Anthony Maher from the University of Galway’s School of Psychology, and published by the Irish Medical Journal , found that the dosage units – meaning tablets or capsules – of ADHD medication dispensed to adults in Ireland more than doubled from 2015 to 2024.
The research did not include the varying doses of each unit, which could be between 10mg and 70mg for some medications.
The number of patients receiving ADHD medication through public schemes soared from 3,377 to 13,966 in this time, an increase of 314% or 4.14 times the original figure.
The demographic with the largest patient growth was those aged between 16 and 34. The number of female patients also shot up massively and nearly equalised with men over the 10 years.
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