Consumption of methylphenidate and atomoxetine in the private healthcare sector in South Africa: a longitudinal study

Background Globally Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) has been in the spotlight. Despite some controversies, treatment of ADHD remains the cornerstone of patient care. Objective To describe the consumption of methylphenidate and atomoxetine in the private healthcare sector in South Africa over a four-year period (2013–2016). Method Data were extracted from the Intercontinental Marketing Service (IMS) database for the drug utilisation study. Consumption patterns were expressed as number of Defined Daily Doses (DDDs)/1000 inhabitants/day and number of DDDs/1000 inhabitants/month. Results Methylphenidate (95.85%) was the medication of choice when compared to atomoxetine (4.15%) in 2013. The corresponding figures for 2016 were 96.40% and 3.60%. Consumption of ADHD medication showed slight changes over the 4-year period. If only the private healthcare sector population is considered, consumption of methylphenidate was 6.010 DDDs/1000 inhabitants/day in 2013, and 7.827 DDDs/1000 inhabitants/day in 2016. A previous study (1994–1996) reported 0.12 DDDs/1000 inhabitants/day for methylphenidate. Consumption of atomoxetine was 0.044 DDDs/1000 inhabitants/day in 2013 and 0.050 DDDs/1000 inhabitants/day in 2016. Conclusion Consumption showed an increase in use of methylphenidate in South Africa, with small changes observed over the study period. Further studies are required.