Editorial. Stimulant medications have been used to treat symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) for over 80 years, longer than the use of antibiotics to treat infection (1). Based on data from over 6 million individuals in an insurance database, the 2008 annual prevalence for filled stimulant prescriptions was found to be 4.6% for children ages 6–12 years, 3.7% for adolescents (13–18 years), and 1.6% for young adults (19–24 years) (2). These figures are in line with data from other studies (3) and are below the estimated 7% 1-year prevalence of childhood ADHD (4). The short-term efficacy of stimulants in ADHD is well established (5), yet despite eight decades of clinical use, there continues to be angst over it. Reviews call attention to the fact that there have been no long-term studies of stimulant use beyond 1 year (6), and this fact is often brought up by the lay media in discussions of the treatment of ADHD (7).. To read the full article, log in using your MPFT NHS OpenAthens details.