Дослідження ставить під сумнів довгострокову безпеку ліків від СДУГ у дітей

A study conducted by the University of Turku and the University of Helsinki, alongside the Finnish Social Insurance Institution Kela, raises red flags about the long-term safety of ADHD medication in children. Findings indicate that children and adolescents are receiving ADHD treatment for an average of over three years, yet reliable safety data is limited to just one year of follow-up.

Päivi Ruokoniemi, a specialist in Child Psychiatry, emphasized the importance of this research, stating, “We are talking about children at a very sensitive stage of development.” The increase in ADHD medication use among youth has been significant in recent years, but the long-term implications of these medications remain largely unexplored.

The study analyzed data from nearly 41,000 Finnish children and adolescents who began ADHD treatment from 2008 to 2019. It revealed that a quarter of these children were on medication for more than seven years. Boys were found to be treated more frequently and for longer durations than girls, with boys starting treatment between ages 6 and 8 having a median treatment duration of 6.3 years, and some receiving medication for over nine years.

Ruokoniemi noted that reliable evidence on the safety of ADHD medications typically comes from controlled clinical trials that span at least one year. However, the current regulatory standards, as per the European Medicines Agency, fail to address the long-term effects that extend beyond this timeframe. While observational studies have explored these medications’ effects, they often lack the rigor needed to establish clear cause-and-effect relationships.

Due to these uncertainties, Ruokoniemi recommends initiating ADHD medication only when non-pharmacological treatments have proven insufficient. Furthermore, she advocates for annual reviews by medical professionals to assess the ongoing need for medication. The study’s findings, published in the journal European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, highlight an urgent need for further research into the long-term safety of ADHD medications in children, especially as usage rates continue to climb in Finland and globally.