Written question asked by Patsy Calton (Liberal Democrat) on Thursday, 18 December 2003, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 7 January 2004. It was answered by Stephen Ladyman (Labour) on Wednesday, 7 January 2004 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Dept of Health

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the long-term effects of Ritalin.

Answer: Mrs. Calton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the long-term effects of Ritalin. [145816] Dr. Ladyman: Ritalin is indicated as a part of a comprehensive treatment programme for attention- deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children over six years of age where remedial measures alone prove insufficient. In October 2000 the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) published an appraisal of the use of the drug methylphenidate (main brand name Ritalin) in the treatment of childhood ADHD and issued clinical guidelines for its use, including the need for regular monitoring of children receiving this therapy. NICE recommended long-term follow-up of adverse effects and the potential for misuse of the drug in assessing long-term benefits and health gain into adulthood. As with all medicines, the safety of methylphenidate is continually monitored by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency and the independent advisory body the Committee on the Safety of Medicines. Comprehensive information on the use of methylphenidate, including possible side effects, contraindications and precautions is contained in the summary of product characteristics produced by the manufacturer and approved by the licensing authority.

Secondary information