What ADHD medications are available in the UK?

Five medicines are licensed for ADHD in the UK. Three are stimulants: methylphenidate (immediate-release tablets and 15 modified-release brands such as Concerta XL, Medikinet XL and Equasym XL), lisdexamfetamine (Elvanse) and dexamfetamine (Amfexa). Two are non-stimulants: atomoxetine and guanfacine (Intuniv and generic guanfacine). Every one of them has a guide on this site.

What is the difference between stimulant and non-stimulant ADHD medication?

Stimulants (methylphenidate, lisdexamfetamine and dexamfetamine) start working within an hour or two and wear off the same day, so you notice them switch on and off. They are Schedule 2 controlled drugs. Non-stimulants (atomoxetine and guanfacine) are taken every day, build up over several weeks and then work around the clock with no on-off effect. They are not controlled drugs. NICE recommends a stimulant first for most people and a non-stimulant when stimulants are not tolerated or have not worked.

How long does each ADHD medication last?

Immediate-release methylphenidate lasts about 3 to 5 hours per dose and dexamfetamine about 3 to 6 hours, so both are taken two or three times a day. Modified-release methylphenidate lasts 8 hours (capsule brands and the Tuzulby chewable tablet) or up to 12 hours (tablet brands) from one morning dose. Elvanse lasts about 12 to 14 hours. Atomoxetine and guanfacine are taken once a day and, once the dose is established, cover the whole day and night.

Which ADHD medications are controlled drugs?

All the stimulants are Schedule 2 controlled drugs: methylphenidate (every brand), lisdexamfetamine (Elvanse) and dexamfetamine (Amfexa). Prescriptions are usually for 30 days, cannot be repeated without a new prescription, and the medicine must be stored securely and never shared. Atomoxetine and guanfacine are not controlled drugs and can be issued on a standard repeat prescription once a specialist has set the dose.

What does NICE recommend first for adults and for children?

For adults, NICE guideline NG87 says offer lisdexamfetamine or methylphenidate first; if one does not work after a 6-week trial at an adequate dose, consider switching to the other; offer atomoxetine if neither is tolerated or effective. Guanfacine is not offered to adults without advice from a tertiary ADHD service. For children aged 5 and over, NICE says offer methylphenidate first, then lisdexamfetamine, then atomoxetine or guanfacine when both stimulants are not tolerated or have not worked after separate 6-week trials.

Which ADHD medications need to be taken with food?

Only Medikinet XL must be taken with or after food, because food is part of how its capsule releases the dose. Equasym XL is taken in the morning before breakfast. Guanfacine can be taken with or without food but not with a high-fat meal, which increases the amount absorbed. The other medicines can be taken with or without food. Apart from Equasym XL, breakfast before a morning stimulant dose is a good habit because appetite falls once the dose is working, and taking atomoxetine with food eases early nausea.

Can I switch between methylphenidate brands?

Not all brands can be swapped for each other. Brands that release methylphenidate the same way are grouped on the NHS list of equivalent brands: seven prolonged-release tablets are bioequivalent to Concerta XL, and four 50:50 capsules are bioequivalent to Ritalin XL. Your prescriber can switch you within your group at the same dose if a brand is out of stock. Medikinet XL, Equasym XL, Kixel XL and Tuzulby sit outside those groups. The MHRA advises caution with any switch, so never change brand without your prescriber.

What should I do if my pharmacy cannot get my ADHD medication?

Ask the pharmacy to order it and to check other local pharmacies. Do not accept a different brand of modified-release methylphenidate without speaking to your prescriber, even if the pharmacy offers one. Contact your prescriber if supply will run out: they can prescribe an equivalent brand from the same group on the NHS list of equivalent brands, a different strength, or an immediate-release alternative. Never stop guanfacine suddenly because of a supply gap; your prescriber will advise how to taper or bridge it.

Can adults take guanfacine?

In the UK guanfacine (Intuniv and generic guanfacine prolonged-release tablets) is licensed for children and young people aged 6 to 17. Both SmPCs say its safety and effectiveness in adults have not been established, and NICE guideline NG87 says it should not be offered to adults without advice from a tertiary ADHD service. Adult prescribing is therefore off-label and specialist-led. Atomoxetine is the non-stimulant NICE recommends for adults.

UK Prescribing Reference

ADHD medications in the UK

Every ADHD medicine licensed in the UK, compared: three stimulants (methylphenidate, lisdexamfetamine and dexamfetamine) and two non-stimulants (atomoxetine and guanfacine), with a guide for every brand, for adults and for children.

Five medicines are licensed for ADHD in the UK. The stimulants are methylphenidate (immediate-release and 15 modified-release brands), lisdexamfetamine (Elvanse) and dexamfetamine (Amfexa). The non-stimulants are atomoxetine and guanfacine. They differ in how quickly they work, how long they last, how they are taken, whether they are controlled drugs and who they are licensed for. The table below compares them; each name opens a full guide with doses, side effects and brand details.

Which ADHD medication is best?

There isn’t one ADHD medication that works best for everyone. For adults, NICE recommends lisdexamfetamine or methylphenidate as the first medicines to try. For children aged 5 and over, methylphenidate is usually tried first. The best option for an individual depends on factors such as symptom response, side effects, how long coverage is needed and other health considerations. Your prescriber will recommend where to start and may adjust or change medication depending on how you respond.

Written and clinically reviewed by Adam OdusholaADHD Advanced Practitioner and Clinical Prescribing Pharmacist

Last updated: 13 October 2026Last reviewed: October 2026Next review: April 2027

At a glance

Every ADHD medicine licensed in the UK, compared

Six medicines, two classes. The stimulants work the same day and wear off; the non-stimulants build up over weeks and run all day. Open a guide for doses, side effects and brand details.

ADHD medicines licensed in the UK: class, how taken, onset, duration, food, controlled-drug status, licensed ages and NICE position
Medicine	Class	How it is taken	Starts working	How long it lasts	Food	Controlled drug	Licensed ages	NICE position
Methylphenidate IRmethylphenidate, immediate-release	Stimulant	Tablet, 2 to 3 times a day	20 to 30 minutes	3 to 5 hours per dose	With or without food	Schedule 2	Children 6 and over; adults under NICE guidance (licence varies by product)	First choice for children 5 and over. First choice for adults, alongside lisdexamfetamine
Methylphenidate MRmethylphenidate, modified-release: 15 UK brands	Stimulant	Tablet, capsule or chewable tablet, once each morning	30 to 60 minutes	8 to 12 hours, by brand	Medikinet XL with food; Equasym XL before breakfast; the others with or without	Schedule 2	Children 6 and over; adults for most brands (Matoride XL and Tuzulby: children and young people only)	As methylphenidate IR: first choice for children 5 and over and for adults
Elvanselisdexamfetamine	Stimulant	Capsule, once each morning	1 to 2 hours, gradual	12 to 14 hours	With or without food	Schedule 2	Children 6 and over; adults	First choice for adults, alongside methylphenidate. For children, usually after methylphenidate
Dexamfetamine (Amfexa)dexamfetamine sulfate	Stimulant	Tablet, 2 to 3 times a day	30 to 60 minutes	3 to 6 hours per dose	With or without food	Schedule 2	Children and young people 6 to 17 (licence); adults off-label	For people who respond to lisdexamfetamine but cannot tolerate its longer effect
Atomoxetineatomoxetine (Strattera and generics)	Non-stimulant	Capsule or liquid, once a day	Builds over weeks: first changes around weeks 3 to 4	All day, once at a steady level	With or without food; food eases early nausea	Not a controlled drug	Children 6 and over; adults	When stimulants are not tolerated or have not worked: children 5 and over, and adults
Guanfacineguanfacine, prolonged-release (Intuniv and generic)	Non-stimulant	Tablet, once a day, morning or evening	Builds over weeks as the dose is increased	All day, once a day	With or without food, but not a high-fat meal	Not a controlled drug	Children and young people 6 to 17. Adults: only with tertiary ADHD service advice	When stimulants are not tolerated or have not worked (children 5 and over). Adults: tertiary advice only

Sources: NICE guideline NG87, recommendations 1.7.7 to 1.7.17 (medication choice); Summaries of Product Characteristics on the electronic medicines compendium (eMC); NHS Specialist Pharmacy Service: prescribing and switching between modified-release methylphenidate (August 2025). Onset and duration are typical figures from each guide; they vary between people.

Compare ADHD medicines

Side-by-side comparisons of medicines people often ask about.

Questions about treatment

Practical answers to common problems during treatment.

Tools

Interactive tools for methylphenidate brands and doses. They help you prepare for a conversation with your prescriber.

Stimulants

Lisdexamfetamine

Elvanse

lisdexamfetamine dimesylate

Stimulant

Once-daily stimulant with smooth, consistent duration and lower misuse potential.

1 brand

Dexamfetamine

dexamfetamine sulfate · Amfexa

Stimulant

Short-acting stimulant offering flexible, fine-tuned dosing throughout the day.

1 brand

Non-stimulants

Atomoxetine

atomoxetine

Non-stimulant

Non-stimulant SNRI that builds gradually over weeks: no controlled drug classification.

Guanfacine

Intuniv · generic guanfacine

guanfacine hydrochloride

Non-stimulant

Non-stimulant alpha-2A agonist, once daily. Licensed for ages 6 to 17 when stimulants are unsuitable; adults only with specialist advice.

UK brands

15 licensed UK brands, by release group

Brands in the same group release methylphenidate in a similar way. Brands in different groups do not. Your prescription names one brand: only change brand with your prescriber.

Licensed UK modified-release methylphenidate brands, grouped by bioequivalence
Brand	Lasts	Guide
Prolonged-release tablets: ~12-hourConcerta XL and its NHS-listed equivalents · ~12-hour profile · Kixel XL not listed
Concerta XLTablet (OROS) · Reference product	Up to 12 h	Read guide: Concerta XL
Affenid XLTablet	Up to 12 h	Read guide: Affenid XL
Xaggitin XLTablet	Up to 12 h	Read guide: Xaggitin XL
Xenidate XLTablet	Up to 12 h	Read guide: Xenidate XL
DelmosartTablet	Up to 12 h	Read guide: Delmosart
Atenza XLTablet	Up to 12 h	Read guide: Atenza XL
Matoride XLTablet · Children and young people only	Up to 12 h	Read guide: Matoride XL
Kixel XLTablet · Licensed 2023; not on the NHS list of equivalent brands	Up to 12 h	Read guide: Kixel XL
50:50 capsules: 8-hour50:50 · can be sprinkled on food · on the NHS list of equivalent capsules
Ritalin XLCapsule	Up to 8 h	Read guide: Ritalin XL
Meflynate XLCapsule	Up to 8 h	Read guide: Meflynate XL
Focusim XLCapsule	Up to 8 h	Read guide: Focusim XL
Metyrol XLCapsule	Up to 8 h	Read guide: Metyrol XL
Medikinet XL: standalone50:50 · take with food · not with acid-reducing medicines such as omeprazole
Medikinet XLCapsule · Must be taken with food	Up to 8 h	Read guide: Medikinet XL
30:70 products: 8-hour30% immediate, 70% delayed · no match on the NHS list of equivalent brands · cannot be switched for each other or any other brand
Equasym XLCapsule · No match on the NHS list of equivalent brands: specialist review to switch	Up to 8 h	Read guide: Equasym XL
TuzulbyChewable tablet · ages 6 to 17 · Licensed 2025; not on the NHS list of equivalent brands	About 8 h	Read guide: Tuzulby

Kixel XL and Tuzulby are licensed but are not on the NHS list of equivalent brands, so no equivalence is assumed for either. Addepta XL is also licensed in the UK but had not been launched when the list was last updated. Source: NHS Specialist Pharmacy Service, Prescribing and switching between modified-release methylphenidate, updated 28 August 2025.

How do prescribers choose between ADHD medications?

Prescribers start from the NICE sequence and then adjust for the person: how long the medicine needs to last, how it is taken, what else they take, other health conditions and their age. These are the factors that come up most often.

NICE’s sequence: For adults, lisdexamfetamine or methylphenidate first, then the other, then atomoxetine. For children aged 5 and over, methylphenidate first, then lisdexamfetamine, then atomoxetine or guanfacine (NG87 1.7.7 to 1.7.17).
How long cover is needed: A school day suits an 8-hour brand; a working day or evening study suits a 12-hour tablet or Elvanse; split-dose immediate-release suits people who want control over timing.
Swallowing: Capsule brands (and Elvanse) can be opened and sprinkled; Tuzulby is chewed; prolonged-release tablets must be swallowed whole.
Food and other medicines: Medikinet XL needs food and cannot be used with acid-reducing medicines; guanfacine is not taken with high-fat meals; some antidepressants change atomoxetine or guanfacine doses.
Other conditions: Tics, anxiety, heart conditions, substance use and a wish to avoid a controlled drug all push the choice one way or another; the non-stimulants are not controlled drugs.
Age and licence: Most brands are licensed from age 6. Matoride XL and Tuzulby are for children and young people only; guanfacine is licensed for ages 6 to 17 and used in adults only with tertiary advice.

Frequently asked questions about ADHD medications in the UK

Which ADHD medication is best?: There isn’t one ADHD medication that works best for everyone. For adults, NICE recommends lisdexamfetamine or methylphenidate as the first medicines to try. For children aged 5 and over, methylphenidate is usually tried first. The best option for an individual depends on factors such as symptom response, side effects, how long coverage is needed and other health considerations. Your prescriber will recommend where to start and may adjust or change medication depending on how you respond.
What ADHD medications are available in the UK?: Five medicines are licensed for ADHD in the UK. Three are stimulants: methylphenidate (immediate-release tablets and 15 modified-release brands such as Concerta XL, Medikinet XL and Equasym XL), lisdexamfetamine (Elvanse) and dexamfetamine (Amfexa). Two are non-stimulants: atomoxetine and guanfacine (Intuniv and generic guanfacine). Every one of them has a guide on this site.
What is the difference between stimulant and non-stimulant ADHD medication?: Stimulants (methylphenidate, lisdexamfetamine and dexamfetamine) start working within an hour or two and wear off the same day, so you notice them switch on and off. They are Schedule 2 controlled drugs. Non-stimulants (atomoxetine and guanfacine) are taken every day, build up over several weeks and then work around the clock with no on-off effect. They are not controlled drugs. NICE recommends a stimulant first for most people and a non-stimulant when stimulants are not tolerated or have not worked.
How long does each ADHD medication last?: Immediate-release methylphenidate lasts about 3 to 5 hours per dose and dexamfetamine about 3 to 6 hours, so both are taken two or three times a day. Modified-release methylphenidate lasts 8 hours (capsule brands and the Tuzulby chewable tablet) or up to 12 hours (tablet brands) from one morning dose. Elvanse lasts about 12 to 14 hours. Atomoxetine and guanfacine are taken once a day and, once the dose is established, cover the whole day and night.
Which ADHD medications are controlled drugs?: All the stimulants are Schedule 2 controlled drugs: methylphenidate (every brand), lisdexamfetamine (Elvanse) and dexamfetamine (Amfexa). Prescriptions are usually for 30 days, cannot be repeated without a new prescription, and the medicine must be stored securely and never shared. Atomoxetine and guanfacine are not controlled drugs and can be issued on a standard repeat prescription once a specialist has set the dose.
What does NICE recommend first for adults and for children?: For adults, NICE guideline NG87 says offer lisdexamfetamine or methylphenidate first; if one does not work after a 6-week trial at an adequate dose, consider switching to the other; offer atomoxetine if neither is tolerated or effective. Guanfacine is not offered to adults without advice from a tertiary ADHD service. For children aged 5 and over, NICE says offer methylphenidate first, then lisdexamfetamine, then atomoxetine or guanfacine when both stimulants are not tolerated or have not worked after separate 6-week trials.
Which ADHD medications need to be taken with food?: Only Medikinet XL must be taken with or after food, because food is part of how its capsule releases the dose. Equasym XL is taken in the morning before breakfast. Guanfacine can be taken with or without food but not with a high-fat meal, which increases the amount absorbed. The other medicines can be taken with or without food. Apart from Equasym XL, breakfast before a morning stimulant dose is a good habit because appetite falls once the dose is working, and taking atomoxetine with food eases early nausea.
Can I switch between methylphenidate brands?: Not all brands can be swapped for each other. Brands that release methylphenidate the same way are grouped on the NHS list of equivalent brands: seven prolonged-release tablets are bioequivalent to Concerta XL, and four 50:50 capsules are bioequivalent to Ritalin XL. Your prescriber can switch you within your group at the same dose if a brand is out of stock. Medikinet XL, Equasym XL, Kixel XL and Tuzulby sit outside those groups. The MHRA advises caution with any switch, so never change brand without your prescriber.
What should I do if my pharmacy cannot get my ADHD medication?: Ask the pharmacy to order it and to check other local pharmacies. Do not accept a different brand of modified-release methylphenidate without speaking to your prescriber, even if the pharmacy offers one. Contact your prescriber if supply will run out: they can prescribe an equivalent brand from the same group on the NHS list of equivalent brands, a different strength, or an immediate-release alternative. Never stop guanfacine suddenly because of a supply gap; your prescriber will advise how to taper or bridge it.
Can adults take guanfacine?: In the UK guanfacine (Intuniv and generic guanfacine prolonged-release tablets) is licensed for children and young people aged 6 to 17. Both SmPCs say its safety and effectiveness in adults have not been established, and NICE guideline NG87 says it should not be offered to adults without advice from a tertiary ADHD service. Adult prescribing is therefore off-label and specialist-led. Atomoxetine is the non-stimulant NICE recommends for adults.

About this library

All guides are written and clinically reviewed by an ADHD specialist prescriber with a UK clinical perspective. Content is evidence-informed and reviewed every 6 months. New medication guides are added over time: check back for updates.