Methylphenidate was first made in 1944 and was approved for medical use in the United States in 1955. It was originally sold by CIBA, now Novartis Corporation. Methylphenidate, brand name Ritalin, is an amphetamine-like central nervous system stimulant used to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in ... It is estimated that in 2013 2.4 billion doses of methylphenidate were taken worldwide. About 80% of this was taken by people in the United States making it the 47th most prescribed medication in that country. Modafinil, sold under the brand name Provigil among others, is a medication to treat sleepiness due to narcolepsy, shift work sleep disorder