ADHD drug prescriptions surge 38% in 2 years

Prescriptions for methylphenidate have surged in Korea, with 58.05 million tablets prescribed in the first half of this year, up 37.8 percent from the first half of 2024. The drug is especially common among people aged 19 and under, who accounted for about half of the total. Health authorities are warning against misuse as a study drug and are stepping up campaigns against illegal online sales.

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety and the Korea Institute of Drug Safety and Risk Management said 58.05 million methylphenidate tablets were prescribed in the first half of this year.

That figure was up 12.1 percent from the same period a year earlier and 37.8 percent from the first half of 2024.

People aged 19 and under received 28.81 million tablets in the first half of this year, about half of all prescriptions.

Males aged 19 and under saw prescriptions rise from 15.78 million tablets in the first half of 2024 to 18.73 million in the same period in 2025.

The ministry said it identified 1,733 online posts offering or facilitating illegal methylphenidate sales during inspections in May and August.

Published Oct 4, 2026 2:54 pm KST

Prescriptions for methylphenidate, an attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) treatment widely known as "study drug" among students in Korea, have surged nearly 38 percent over the past two years in the country and are especially high among people aged 19 and under, data showed Sunday.

According to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety and the Korea Institute of Drug Safety and Risk Management, 58.05 million methylphenidate tablets were prescribed in the first half of this year, up 12.1 percent from the same period a year earlier.

This marked a 37.8 percent increase from the first half of 2024, when 42.13 million tablets were prescribed.

Methylphenidate is a controlled medical substance in Korea and needs a doctor's prescription to be purchased.

Alarming is that methylphenidate prescriptions were particularly high among people aged 19 and under, who accounted for about half of the total.

In the first half of this year, 28.81 million tablets were prescribed to people in the age group. Males accounted for 20.9 million tablets, far more than the 7.91 million prescribed to females.

Prescriptions for males aged 19 and under have risen steadily, from 15.78 million tablets in the first half of 2024 to 18.73 million in the same period in 2025.

The number of patients prescribed methylphenidate has also increased. In June, about 225,000 people were prescribed the drug, 35,000 more than the same month in 2025.

The increase comes amid concerns that methylphenidate is increasingly being viewed as a "study drug" that can improve concentration and academic performance. Among some students and parents, the drug has gained a reputation for helping people study better and dramatically boosting concentration. Korean students are under huge academic stress, especially during their high school years.

Health authorities have warned against the misuse of the drug among students, adding that those who take the drug just to enhance their academic performance may experience side effects including headaches, insomnia and hallucinations.

The drug safety ministry has stepped up efforts to prevent misuse and correct such misconceptions through campaigns emphasizing that methylphenidate is not a nutritional supplement.

The ministry said it identified 1,733 online posts offering or facilitating the illegal sale of methylphenidate during inspections conducted in May and August.

"People who purchase the drug online without a prescription or take medication obtained from someone else may face punishment," a ministry official said.

The rise in methylphenidate prescriptions has outpaced that of other medical narcotics.

Prescriptions for painkillers, anti-anxiety drugs and sedatives rose 0.4 percent to 4.5 percent year-on-year in the first half of this year, while those for appetite suppressants and cough medicines declined.

韩国哌甲酯处方量激增，今年上半年开具的处方量达5805万片，比2024年上半年增长37.8%。该药物在19岁及以下人群中尤为常见，约占总处方量的一半。卫生部门警告民众切勿将该药滥用作研究用药，并加大力度打击非法网络销售。

韩国食品药品安全部和韩国药品安全风险管理研究院表示，今年上半年共开出了 5805 万片哌甲酯片剂。

该数字比上年同期增长了 12.1%，比 2024 年上半年增长了 37.8%。

今年上半年，19 岁及以下人群获得了 2881 万片药片，约占所有处方药的一半。

19 岁及以下男性的处方药数量从 2024 年上半年的 1578 万片增加到 2025 年同期的 1873 万片。

该部门表示，在 5 月和 8 月的检查中，他们发现了 1733 个提供或协助非法销售哌甲酯的在线帖子。

发布于2026年10月4日下午2:54（韩国标准时间）

数据显示，过去两年里，韩国用于治疗注意力缺陷多动障碍 (ADHD) 的药物哌甲酯（俗称“学习药”）的处方量在韩国激增了近 38%，尤其是在 19 岁及以下的人群中，处方量更是居高不下。

据韩国食品药品安全部和韩国药品安全风险管理研究院的数据，今年上半年，甲基苯丙胺片剂的处方量为5805万片，比去年同期增长12.1%。

这比 2024 年上半年增加了 37.8%，当时处方药数量为 4213 万片。

在韩国，哌甲酯是一种受管制药品，需要医生处方才能购买。

令人担忧的是，19 岁及以下人群的哌甲酯处方量特别高，约占总数的一半。

今年上半年，该年龄段人群共被处方了2881万片药片。其中男性处方药片数量为2090万片，远高于女性的791万片。

19 岁及以下男性的处方量稳步上升，从 2024 年上半年的 1578 万片增加到 2025 年同期的 1873 万片。

服用哌甲​​酯的患者人数也有所增加。6月份，约有22.5万人被开了这种药，比2025年同期增加了3.5万人。

甲基苯丙胺的使用量增加，正值人们担忧其日益被视为一种“学习药物”，能够提高注意力和学习成绩之际。在一些学生和家长眼中，这种药物被认为有助于提高学习效率，并能显著增强注意力。韩国学生，尤其是高中生，面临着巨大的学业压力。

卫生部门警告学生不要滥用这种药物，并补充说，那些仅仅为了提高学习成绩而服用这种药物的人可能会出现头痛、失眠和幻觉等副作用。

药品安全部加大了防止滥用和纠正此类误解的力度，开展宣传活动，强调哌甲酯不是营养补充剂。

该部门表示，在 5 月和 8 月进行的检查中，发现了 1733 个提供或协助非法销售哌甲酯的在线帖子。

一位卫生部官员表示：“未经处方在网上购买该药物或服用从他人处获得的药物的人可能会面临处罚。”

哌甲酯处方量的增长速度超过了其他医用麻醉药品。

今年上半年，止痛药、抗焦虑药和镇静剂的处方量同比增长 0.4% 至 4.5%，而食欲抑制剂和止咳药的处方量则有所下降。