ADHD stimulants
At a glance
- Medicare prescriptions, 2024
- 2,717,697
- Medicare drug cost
- $174.3M
- Average cost per prescription
- $64.15
- Clinicians who prescribed it
- 63,602
Where it is prescribed
What these drugs are
Stimulants such as amphetamine and methylphenidate treat ADHD and narcolepsy. They are Schedule II controlled substances.
Who prescribes it
- Psychiatry 31.2%
- Family Medicine 18.0%
- Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners 17.9%
- Internal Medicine 9.3%
- Nurse Practitioners 8.6%
- Physician Assistants 5.0%
- Neurology 3.4%
- Child & Adolescent Psychiatry 2.2%
- Pulmonology 0.6%
- Sleep Medicine 0.6%
- General Practice 0.5%
- Addiction Medicine 0.3%
Share of Medicare prescriptions written by each specialty.
Drugs in this group
| Drug | Prescriptions |
|---|---|
| Dextroamphetamine/Amphetamine (Adderall Xr, Dextroamphetamine-Amphet Er, Mydayis) | 1,913,854 |
| Methylphenidate Hcl (Quillichew Er, Ritalin La, Aptensio Xr) | 531,367 |
| Lisdexamfetamine Dimesylate (Vyvanse) | 198,698 |
| Dextroamphetamine Sulfate (Zenzedi) | 42,649 |
| Dexmethylphenidate Hcl (Focalin, Focalin Xr) | 30,037 |
| Amphetamine (Dyanavel Xr, Adzenys Xr-Odt) | 1,504 |
| Methylphenidate (Cotempla Xr-Odt, Daytrana) | 411 |
| Amphetamine Sulfate (Evekeo) | 389 |
| Dextroamphetamine (Xelstrym) | 60 |
Drugs filled in fewer than 1,000 counties have no page of their own; their national totals are shown here.
Industry payments about this drug
Drug makers reported $3.3M in payments to clinicians that named this group of drugs in 2025 (meals, speaking, consulting and similar).
- Collegium Pharmaceutical, Inc. $1.5M
- Tris Pharma Inc $1.4M
- Noven Therapeutics, LLC $201,247
- Neos Therapeutics, LP $88,518
- Vertical Pharmaceuticals, LLC $80,900
- Aytu Biopharma, Inc. $21,137
- Noven Pharmaceuticals, Inc. $3,025
- Avion Pharmaceuticals $115
Source: CMS Open Payments, general payments (not research), program year 2025. A payment is not evidence of wrongdoing. Payments by doctor
Recalls and shortages
On the FDA shortage list now
- Lisdexamfetamine Dimesylate, Capsule, 10 mg (NDC 64850-550-01) (Elite Laboratories, Inc.)
- Lisdexamfetamine Dimesylate, Capsule, 50 mg (NDC 64850-554-01) (Elite Laboratories, Inc.)
- Lisdexamfetamine Dimesylate, Capsule, 30 mg (NDC 64850-552-01) (Elite Laboratories, Inc.)
- Lisdexamfetamine Dimesylate, Capsule, 40 mg (NDC 0378-6857-77) (Mylan Pharmaceuticals Inc., A Viatris Company)
- Lisdexamfetamine Dimesylate, Capsule, 40 mg (NDC 64850-553-01) (Elite Laboratories, Inc.)
- Lisdexamfetamine Dimesylate, Capsule, 30 mg (NDC 0378-6856-77) (Mylan Pharmaceuticals Inc., A Viatris Company)
- Lisdexamfetamine Dimesylate, Capsule, 70 mg (NDC 64850-556-01) (Elite Laboratories, Inc.)
- Lisdexamfetamine Dimesylate, Capsule, 60 mg (NDC 64850-555-01) (Elite Laboratories, Inc.)
5 recalls since 2020
- Jun 2026 · Lannett Company Inc. · Class II
Labeling: Label Mix-up: Capsules contain only immediate-release (IR) pellets while labeled as ER capsules. - Oct 2025 · Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Inc · Class II
Failed Dissolution Specifications: An out of specification results observed in dissolution test during analysis at 12-month long term stability station (25¿C, 60%RH) for Lisdexamfetamine dimesylate capsules. - Aug 2025 · Granules Pharmaceuticals Inc. · Class III
Failed Impurities/Degradation Specifications: - Jun 2025 · Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Inc · Class II
Failed Dissolution Specifications: An out of specification results observed in dissolution test during analysis at 9 month long term stability station (25¿C, 60%RH). - Oct 2020 · Ani Pharmaceuticals, Inc. · Class III
Labeling: Incorrect expiration date. Product dated with 24-month expiration date instead of 18-months.
Recalls usually affect specific lots from one maker, not every version of a drug. Class I is the most serious; most drug recalls are Class II. FDA recalls (opens in a new tab)
Sources: CMS Medicare Part D Prescribers by Provider and Drug (2024; prescriptions include refills, and CMS hides counts under 11 per prescriber); U.S. Food and Drug Administration, openFDA (drug labels, NDC directory, enforcement reports, drug shortages); CMS Open Payments 2025; ClinicalTrials.gov. General information only, not medical advice; not yet reviewed by our medical reviewer.