Key Takeaways
ADHD stimulant meds can be safely prescribed via telehealth, a study argues
Experts worry that people have a greater risk of addiction if prescribed stimulants remotely
But ADHD patients treated via telehealth didn’t have a greater risk of substance use disorder
MONDAY, June 16, 2025 (HealthDay News) — People with ADHD might be prescribed their meds remotely without increasing their risk of addiction, a new study says.
Experts have worried that prescribing stimulants like Adderall through telehealth visits might increase substance abuse among people with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
But this study found no increased risk among ADHD patients prescribed their meds via telehealth versus those who got their scrips at an in-person visit, according to results published June 11 in the American Journal of Psychiatry.
“Our study suggests that, generally, telehealth-based relationships – which make health care more accessible – can be safe and don’t increase the risk of substance use disorder,” lead researcher Dr. Vinod Rao, medical director of adult ambulatory psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, said in a news release.
For the study, researchers tracked nearly 8,000 patients treated for ADHD at Massachusetts General Hospital between March 2020 and August 2023, a time during which many doctors pivoted to telehealth due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
About 46% of the patients had an in-person appointment on the day their first stimulant was prescribed, results show.
Overall, about 91% of patients had at least one in-person visit with their doctor prior to their first prescription, while 9% had a telehealth-only relationship with their doc.
Patients who never met their doc in person were not more likely to develop a substance use disorder, results show.
The study did find patients who got their first stimulant prescription through telehealth were at a sixfold higher risk of stimulant addiction, after researchers adjusted for other risk factors.
In all, 19 patients total wound up with a stimulant use disorder, which means this finding could be coincidental, researchers said.
It could be that people who opt for telehealth care already have a higher risk for substance use disorder, rather than telehealth causing their increased risk, researchers said.
“While we think the findings should be replicated, the vast majority of the data show no increase in substance use disorder developing when patients exclusively use telehealth,” senior researcher Dr. Timothy Wilens, co-director of the Center for Addiction Medicine at MGH, said in a news release. “Our study supports the use of telehealth for ADHD stimulant therapy in clinical settings.”
More information
CHADD has more on ADHD medications.
SOURCES: Mass General Brigham, news release, June 11, 2025; American Journal of Psychiatry, June 11, 2025
What This Means For You
People with ADHD should ask their doctor if telehealth visits are available for checkups and treatment regarding their condition.
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