Balancing care with compliance: Medicolegal issues for general practitioners treating attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

BACKGROUND

As demand for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) treatments increases, Australian governments are relaxing the requirements for general practitioners (GPs) to prescribe Schedule 8 psychostimulants. Depending on state or territory legislation, GPs will likely increase their involvement in the assessment and management of children and adults with ADHD.

OBJECTIVE

This article summarises the medicolegal issues that might affect GPs when initiating, continuing and monitoring ADHD medications in children and/or adults.

DISCUSSION: Psychostimulants are restricted medications that carry risks of misuse and dependence. GPs must comply with state and territory prescribing laws and the requirements of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). Patients must be carefully assessed and warned of risks. Treatment via telehealth can raise medicolegal issues, given inherent limitations of the online environment, the requirement to verify patients' identity and to ensure that a genuine therapeutic need exists. Treatment in children can be especially complex when separated parents disagree. GPs need to understand how to manage these challenging and emotive situations.