- Prescribing Advice for GPs - https://www.prescriber.org.uk -

Safety review on methylphenidate

The European Medicines Agency has completed a safety review and made on several recommendations to ensure safer use of methylphenidate.

According to the press release safety concerns have been raised in recent years in terms of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular risks. A question and answer document provides more details about the review.

The review concludes that the benefits of methylphenidate continue to outweigh the risks but that prescribing information needs to be made more consistent across the European Union. It is also recommended that the product information for all methylphenidate products contain the following:

Action: Clinicians should be aware of these recommendations and ensure that screening and monitoring checks are completed as suggested.