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New ADHD medication a promising option

When atomoxetine reaches pharmacies next month, it will be the first noncontrolled drug in 30 years approved by the FDA for treating the disorder.

By Susan J. Landers, amednews staff. Dec. 23/30, 2002.

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Washington -- Physicians are awaiting with interest the arrival of a newly approved drug to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

On Nov. 26 the Food and Drug Administration approved atomoxetine, which will be marketed as Strattera, as the first new drug in 30 years to treat the disorder that affects 3% to 7% of children and 4% of adults in the United States.

"It certainly is helpful to have a variety of medications available to treat conditions such as ADHD," said David Fassler, MD, a child and adolescent psychiatrist in Burlington, Vt.

Atomoxetine appears to be both safe and effective in the studies that have been presented and published, said Dr. Fassler. But the new drug will be in competition with medications that are backed by decades of experience and hundreds of studies, he noted.

However, atomoxetine does enter the market with one possible advantage over the other drugs now prescribed to treat ADHD. It will be the first noncontrolled option for the treatment of the disorder.

The more traditional treatment options, methylphenidate, dextroamphetamine and amphetamine (marketed as Ritalin, Dexedrine and Adderall) are stimulants and are classified as controlled substances.

Since atomoxetine is not controlled, physicians will be able to write prescriptions for longer than a month at a time, and they will also be able to distribute samples.

Lengthier prescribing periods are an advantage for physicians and for families, said James Perrin, MD, professor of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School, "especially for the child who is pretty stable, who is doing fine and needs to be seen and monitored maybe two or three times a year." [...]