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href="/publications/adhd-guide.html">Publications</a><span class="fa fa-angle-right"></span> WHO and Methylphenidate </div></div></div> </div></div></div><div id="main" class="content-area"><div class="container"> <div class="neos-contentcollection"><div class="neos-nodetypes-headline headline--underline"><div><h1 style="text-align:center">Evidence that the World Organization’s Decision to Exclude Methylphenidate from its List of Essential Medicines for Children was Wrong</h1></div></div><div class="neos-nodetypes-text"><div><p>Although methylphenidate has been used for over 60 years and is recognized for its high efficacy in treating ADHD, the World Health Organization (WHO) has repeatedly excluded it from its list of essential medicines for children.  That decision, which is not consistent with the evidence on methylphenidate limits the availability of this treatment for ADHD, especially in in low and middle-income countries (LMICs). </p><p>The Committee's initial rejection in 2019 was based on doubts about the quality of evidence on the drug's effectiveness and safety, citing a 2015 Cochrane meta-analysis that used a controversial method for assessing evidence quality. Despite a broader evidence base in a second application, supported by numerous professional groups, which showed the drug's benefits in reducing injuries, substance abuse, and criminal acts among ADHD patients, the Committee again rejected its inclusion in 2021. </p><p>They cited the short duration of most supporting randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and their erroneous claim that many methylphenidate RCTs were biased.  That decision was wrong, especially given methylphenidate's proven long-term safety and effectiveness, WHO's own recommendation of the drug for ADHD in another publication and the fact that WHO does not require long-term safety data from RCTs for other medications.  WHO’s decision flies in the face of evidence, harms low-resource families in LMICs, and stigmatizes those with ADHD and the treatments for their disorder.</p></div></div><div class="glbt-services"><a href="https://www.adhd-federation.org/_Resources/Persistent/27cd1a52b96eed571d2ab2ca9ae58078d56470a8/MethylphenidateSubmission%20to%20WHO%202020_web.pdf" target="_blank"><div class="Icnbox_style top"><i class="fa fa-book services_icon3"></i><div class="sIcn_heading2b"><h3>Read the WF ADHD’s Application to the WHO</h3></div><div class="sIcn_content2b"><p style="text-align:center">for Inclusion to the 23rd Expert Committee on the Selection and Use of Essential Medicines for Children: Methylphenidate Hydrochloride</p></div></div></a></div><div class="neos-nodetypes-text"><div><p style="text-align:center"><i>The application was submitted to the WHO on November 25, 2020 by: </i><br><i>Stephen V. Faraone, Ph.D.</i><br><i>Tobias Banaschewski, MD, PhD</i><br><i>David Coghill, MB ChB, MD, FRCPsych FRANZCP</i><br><i>Samuele Cortese MD, PhD</i><br><i>Jeffrey H. Newcorn, MD</i><br><i>Patricia Moscibrodzki, MPH </i><br><i>and Craig L. Katz, MD</i></p></div></div></div> </div></div><div id="footer"><div class="footer-area-top"><div class="footer-wrapper container"><div class="section-text">Get our Newsletter</div><a href="https://utf8ssl.mailemm.com/form.action?agnCI=1058&agnFN=ADHD_en_doi_subscribe" class="section-button" target="_blank"> Subscribe now </a></div></div><div class="footer-area-middle"><div class="container"><div class="row"><aside class="col-md-4"><div class="footer-logo-margin"><a class="navbar-brand" href="/"><img src="https://www.adhd-federation.org/_Resources/Static/Packages/Globit.DefaultSite/images/logo.png?bust=b0b5d183" alt="From Child to Adult Disorder"></a><div class="slogan">From Child to Adult Disorder</div></div><div class="menu-footer-one-container"><div class="menu"><html xmlns:f="http://typo3.org/ns/TYPO3/Fluid/ViewHelpers" xmlns:ts="http://typo3.org/ns/Neos/Fusion/ViewHelpers" xmlns:neos="http://typo3.org/ns/Neos/Neos/ViewHelpers"><ul><li class="normal"><a target="_self" href="/contact-us.html">Contact Us</a></li><li class="normal"><a target="_self" href="/legal-notice.html">Legal Notice</a></li><li class="normal"><a target="_self" href="/privacy-policy.html">Privacy Policy</a></li><li class="normal"><a target="_self" href="/cookie-declaration.html">Cookie Declaration</a></li></ul> </div></div></aside><aside class="col-md-4"><h3>Federation</h3><div class="footer-contact-block"><div class="fa fa-location-arrow fa-lg"></div><div class="details">World Federation of ADHD<br>c/o Wartmann & Merker<br>Kirchgasse 48<br>CH-8001 Zurich, Switzerland</div></div><div class="footer-contact-block"><div class="fa fa-envelope fa-lg"></div><div class="more-link"><a href="mailto:adhd@cpo-hanser.de">adhd@cpo-hanser.de</a></div></div></aside><aside class="col-md-4"><h3>Congress</h3><div class="footer-contact-block"><div class="fa fa-location-arrow fa-lg"></div><div class="details">CPO HANSER SERVICE<br /> Hanser & Co GmbH<br /> Zum Ehrenhain 34<br /> 22885 Barsbüttel, Germany</div></div><div class="footer-contact-block"><div class="fa fa-phone fa-lg"></div><div class="details">+49 40 670882-0</div></div><div class="footer-contact-block"><div class="fa fa-envelope fa-lg"></div><div class="more-link"><a href="mailto:adhd2023@cpo-hanser.de">adhd2023@cpo-hanser.de</a></div></div><div class="footer-contact-block"><div class="fa fa-globe fa-lg"></div><div class="more-link"><a href="https://www.adhd-congress.org/" target="_blank">www.adhd-congress.org</a></div></div></aside></div></div></div><div class="footer-area-bottom text-center"><html xmlns:f="http://typo3.org/ns/TYPO3/Fluid/ViewHelpers" xmlns:neos="http://typo3.org/ns/Neos/Neos/ViewHelpers" xmlns:media="http://typo3.org/ns/Neos/Media/ViewHelpers"> © 2024 ADHD Federation </div></div></div><script src="https://libs.globit.com/cdnjs/ajax/libs/bootstrap/4.6.2/js/bootstrap.bundle.min.js" crossorigin="anonymous" referrerpolicy="no-referrer"></script><script src="https://www.adhd-federation.org/_Resources/Static/Packages/Globit.DefaultSite/js/main.min.js?bust=39ac0025"></script><script data-neos-node="/sites/site/node-3lq64k0p36juc/node-v28rqa28vyls7@live" src="https://www.adhd-federation.org/_Resources/Static/Packages/Neos.Neos/JavaScript/LastVisitedNode.js?bust=45f0ece1" async></script></body></html>