(Mis)use of prescribed stimulants in the medical student community: Motives and behaviors. A population-based cross-sectional study

Reply to ‘Overuse or underuse of methylphenidate in adults in France: commentary on Pauly et al. 2018’ by Weibel et al.

“…The proportion of 42% of students has to be related to the overall proportion of students in France, and it is not an estimation of the proportion of MPH users among students given that of the selection of our population. Consequently, we cannot compare our 42% of proportion of students among the 18-to 25-year-old group incident users of MPH in our study with the 1.5% of proportion of MPH users among students in the French survey by Fond et al [2].…”

“…Consequently, we cannot compare our 42% of proportion of students among the 18‐ to 25‐year‐old group incident users of MPH in our study with the 1.5% of proportion of MPH users among students in the French survey by Fond et al . .…”

Developing a professionalism curriculum on the nonmedical use of prescription stimulants among medical students

“…In the United States, these medications include amphetamines and methylphenidate, both of which have a high potential for abuse that may lead to severe psychological or physical dependence. However, these stimulants are often used by college students 1,2 and even medical students 3,4,5,6 for nonmedical purposes, such as to stay awake before taking an exam or for recreational use. This problem has been accompanied by numerous calls to action from those within the medical education community, 7,8,9,10 and there is general agreement that non-prescribed stimulant (NPS) use among medical students not only represents an ongoing crisis in students' academic integrity and general well-being, 7,11 but may also modify future physicians' beliefs and conduct as they relate to professionalism and substance use.…”

Overuse or underuse of methylphenidate in adults in France: commentary on Pauly et al. 2018

“…The authors mentioned that 42% of 18‐ to 24‐year‐old users were students, reflecting a potential high frequency of misuse by non‐ADHD students, for cognitive enhancement or partying. However, a recent French survey indicated that only 1.5% of French medical students reported consuming at least once methylphenidate . It also can be hypothesized that ADHD can lead to a greater functional impairment in students, a condition that increase the need for medication in this population in comparison with nonstudents.…”