The authors respond to letters on using prescribed psychostimulants to treat stimulant use disorder

Direct patient care is within the scope of practice for prescribers who have an opportunity to make immediate impacts on their patients’ lives by providing interventions. The persistent inequities in access to broader medical care, psychosocial treatment and housing further reinforce the imperative to provide interventions for psychostimulant use disorder. Attention to all possible interventions that may provide benefit to such patients (including prescription psychostimulants) is needed in the context of widening inequities, where people needing interventions are most often the ones left behind.

Looking ahead, development of much needed evidence, and clinical protocols to outline where and how it may or may not be suitable to provide prescription psychostimulants, would help to advance care and minimize harm for a population already facing poor outcomes.