Skip to main content

Young People (Medication)

Volume 410: debated on Friday 19 September 2003

The text on this page has been created from Hansard archive content, it may contain typographical errors.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many persons aged 18 years and younger are receiving (a) antidepressants, (b) antipsychotics and (c) amphetamines. [130264]

Information on the numbers of children and young aged 18 and younger receiving antidepressants, antipsychotics and amphetamines is not collected. However an estimate is available on the number of prescriptions dispensed for young people in England aged under 15 and those under 19 in full-time education. This information is in the table.

Estimated number of prescription items (Thousand) of antidepressants, antipsychotics and amphetamines dispensed in the community in England in 2002 for children under 15 and those under 19 in full-time education1
Number of prescription items (Thousand)
Antipsychotics50
Antidepressants260
Amphetamines2240
1 This does not include private prescriptions or prescriptions dispensed in hospitals, for which information is not available.
2 This is all central nervous system stimulants, as defined by the British National Formulary, which includes amphetamines and related drugs such as methylphenidate.