Study Finds Decrease in Prescription Drugs Dispensed to Children During Pandemic

The number of prescriptions dispensed to U.S. children during April-December 2020 was 27.1% lower compared with April-December of 2019. Prescription drug dispensing decreased 51.3% for drug classes prescribed for acute infections (for instance, antibiotics), compared with 17.4% for drug classes prescribed for chronic diseases (including asthma). Antidepressants were one of the only chronic disease drug classes that did not exhibit declines in dispensing. The study, “Prescription Drug Dispensing to U.S. Children During the COVID-19 Pandemic,” which will be published in the August 2021 issue of Pediatrics (published online July 20), used a national, all-payer database that captures the vast majority of U.S. drug dispensing. The authors note that the sharp decline in antibiotic dispensing likely reflects reductions in infections because of COVID-19 mitigation measures, such as social distancing and face masks. They also note that the decrease in dispensing of many chronic disease drugs is potentially concerning and warrants further research.

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The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 67,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults.