Telehealth vs In-Person ADHD Prescribing: Which is Safest?

Medscape July 1, 2025
Edited by Sneha Gupta

TOPLINE:

Prescribing stimulants for teens and adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) via telehealth was not associated with increased risk for substance use disorder (SUD) compared with in-person prescribing, a new study suggested. However, receiving an initial stimulant prescription via telehealth was linked to a sixfold higher risk for stimulant use disorder (stimUD).

METHODOLOGY:

• Researchers analyzed electronic health record data for nearly 8000 US patients with ADHD from 2020-2023. Participants were aged ≥ 12 years (52% > 26 years, 25% 18-25 years, and 23% 12-17 years), had received initial stimulant prescriptions during the study, and did not have a non-nicotine SUD diagnosis at baseline.
• Outcomes were the development of stimUD or non-nicotine SUD, defined as meeting one of the three...

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