Methylphenidate Brand names: Metadate, Relexxii, Ritalin, Jornay, Quillivant

What is methylphenidate used for?

From the label: indications and usage

Methylphenidate HCl Extended-Release Capsules CD is indicated for the treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in pediatric patients 6 to 15 years of age. Limitations of Use The use of Methylphenidate HCl Extended-Release Capsules CD is not recommended in pediatric patients younger than 6 years of age because they had higher plasma exposure and a higher incidence of adverse reactions (e.g. weight loss) than patients 6 years and older at the same dosage [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.7 ), Use in Specific Populations ( 8.4 )]. […]

Conditions named in the indications of methylphenidate's FDA labels, with every medicine labeled for each:

• ADHD

FDA pharmacologic class: Central Nervous System Stimulant.

What does the patient leaflet for methylphenidate say first?

The FDA-approved Medication Guide or Patient Information that comes with the medicine, in its own words.

From the patient leaflet: What is the most important information I should know about Methylphenidate HCl Extended-Release Capsules CD?

Methylphenidate HCl Extended-Release Capsules CD may cause serious side effects, including: Abuse, misuse, and addiction. Methylphenidate HCl Extended-Release Capsules CD has a high chance for abuse and misuse and may lead to substance use problems, including addiction. Misuse and abuse of Methylphenidate HCl Extended-Release Capsules CD, other methylphenidate medicines, and amphetamine medicines, can lead to overdose and death. The risk of overdose and death is increased with higher doses of Methylphenidate HCl Extended-Release Capsules CD or when it is used in ways that are not approved, such as snorting or injection. Your healthcare provider should check your child’s risk for abuse, misuse, and addiction before starting treatment with Methylphenidate HCl Extended-Release Capsules CD and will monitor your child during treatment. Methylphenidate HCl Extended-Release Capsules CD may lead to physical dependence after prolonged use, even if taken as directed by your healthcare provider. Do not give Methylphenidate HCl Extended-Release Capsules CD to anyone else because it may cause death or harm them. Keep Methylphenidate HCl Extended-Release Capsules CD in a safe place and properly dispose of any unused medicine. See “ How should I store Methylphenidate HCl Extended-Release Capsules CD? ” for more information. Tell your healthcare provider if your child has ever abused or been dependent on alcohol, prescription medicines, or street drugs. Risks for people with serious heart disease. Sudden death has happened in people who have heart defects or other serious heart disease. Your healthcare provider should check your child carefully for heart problems before starting treatment with Methylphenidate HCl Extended-Release Capsules CD. […]

From the patient leaflet: What should be avoided during treatment with Methylphenidate HCl Extended-Release Capsules CD?

Avoid drinking alcohol during treatment with Methylphenidate HCl Extended-Release Capsules CD. This may cause a faster release of the Methylphenidate HCl Extended-Release Capsules CD medicine.

From the patient leaflet: How should I store Methylphenidate HCl Extended-Release Capsules CD?

Store Methylphenidate HCl Extended-Release Capsules CD at room temperature between 68°F to 77°F (20°C to 25°C). Store Methylphenidate HCl Extended-Release Capsules CD in a safe place, like a locked cabinet. Protect from light and moisture. Dispose of remaining, unused, or expired Methylphenidate HCl Extended-Release Capsules CD by a medicine take-back program at a U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) authorized collection site. If no take-back program or DEA authorized collector is available, mix Methylphenidate HCl Extended-Release Capsules CD with an undesirable, nontoxic substance such as dirt, cat litter, or used coffee grounds to make it less appealing to children and pets. Place the mixture in a container such as a sealed plastic bag and throw away Methylphenidate HCl Extended-Release Capsules CD in the household trash. […]

Is there a generic for methylphenidate (Ritalin)?

The FDA approved the first generic methylphenidate on December 23, 1977. 74 generic applications are approved; 46 of them carry a current (not discontinued) marketing status in Drugs@FDA; that status is not evidence that the generic is on sale. Drugs@FDA also holds 3 tentative approvals: the FDA found the generic approvable, but patents or exclusivity keep it from final approval for now.

FDA's NDC Directory lists methylphenidate from 31 labelers under a generic (ANDA) application and from 11 brand labelers. A listing means the company has registered the product for sale; it does not show that every pharmacy stocks it.

The Orange Book lists no patent for Ritalin LA capsules; a patent listed only for Adhansia XR capsules runs to November 19, 2038. A patent or exclusivity date is not the date a generic goes on sale: court cases and settlements move it either way.

What do pharmacies pay for methylphenidate (Ritalin)?

In CMS's NADAC survey of October 7, 2026, pharmacies paid $0.158 per Methylphenidate 10 mg tablet, down 14% from $0.184 on October 8, 2025. Prices per unit in the table differ many-fold by strength, form and brand, so compare like with like. The chart's scale runs from the lowest to the highest price shown, not from zero. NADAC is what retail pharmacies paid their wholesalers, per unit, in CMS's monthly survey; what a patient pays depends on insurance and the pharmacy.

Is methylphenidate in shortage?

The FDA Drug Shortage Database lists 15 of 38 methylphenidate presentations as limited or unavailable (updated October 1, 2026); the first entry was posted on July 26, 2023. 23 more presentations are on the list as available.

Every methylphenidate presentation in the FDA shortage database

Has methylphenidate been recalled?

The FDA's Enforcement Report lists 55 recalls naming methylphenidate since 2011: 0 Class I (the most serious), 50 Class II, 5 Class III; 10 still ongoing. A recall names products and lots, not every product of the medicine.

What does the methylphenidate label say about other medicines?

The methylphenidate label names 1 other medicine in its interaction, contraindication or warning sections. The labels of 13 other medicines name methylphenidate. The sentences are the labels' own; a label lists what its studies and reports found, not every interaction.

Other labels that name methylphenidate

• Clomipramine
• Dexmethylphenidate
• Esketamine
• Isocarboxazid
• Phenelzine
• Pimozide

Check methylphenidate against other medicines

What do FAERS reports show for methylphenidate?

The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System holds 73,102 reports that list methylphenidate among the medicines taken, through July 30, 2026, each a report of something that happened, not proof the medicine caused it; 2,733 are coded as a death and 12,315 as a hospital stay. Counts follow how widely a medicine is used and watched, and they are not a measure of how risky it is.

Reports received each year

• 7,255
• 6,322
• 4,486
• 3,969
• 3,213
• 2,854
• 3,512
• 4,055
• 3,831
• 3,896
• 1,820

• 2016
• 2017
• 2018
• 2019
• 2020
• 2021
• 2022
• 2023
• 2024
• 2025
• 2026

The most reported reactions

• Off Label Use (a use or a product term, not a reaction)7,799
• Drug Ineffective (a use or a product term, not a reaction)7,512
• No Adverse Event (a use or a product term, not a reaction)7,043
• Product Quality Issue (a use or a product term, not a reaction)5,591
• Fatigue (named in the label)3,318
• Headache (named in the label)3,169
• Nausea (named in the label)3,101
• Anxiety (named in the label)2,957

Side effects: the label's list and every FAERS reaction

What else is labeled for the same conditions as methylphenidate?

10 other medicines are given the same way (oral) and in the same FDA class as methylphenidate or labeled mainly for the same use (ADHD), the same class first. ADHD lists all 12 medicines labeled for it, by any route. The first 8 are below. They are listed as records, not as substitutes: whether one can replace another is a prescriber's decision.

Every medicine labeled for the same conditions as methylphenidate

How does methylphenidate compare with medicines for the same use?

7 side-by-side pages set methylphenidate beside a medicine whose label shares a use: approvals, generics, pharmacy cost, warnings and supply.

• Amphetamine
• Atomoxetine
• Clonidine
• Dexmethylphenidate
• Dextroamphetamine
• Guanfacine
• Lisdexamfetamine

What next?

Alternatives to methylphenidate

10 medicines for the same use

Other stimulants

the pharmacologic class, with prices and generics

Methylphenidate side effects

the label's list beside FAERS reports

Methylphenidate shortage record

every presentation, company and date

Check an interaction

what two or more labels say about each other