Leucovorin prescriptions rose over 2,000 percent from 2022 to 2025

A study published Monday in JAMA Network Open found that leucovorin prescriptions increased by more than 2,000 percent over three years. Rates stayed stable until early 2025, then rose after a widely viewed news story described language improvements in a child who received the drug.

Interest increased further after the Trump administration promoted leucovorin in September 2025. By November 2025, prescriptions reached more than 835 per 100,000 outpatient hospital encounters, more than double the rate recorded a few months earlier.

Study findings and prior research Study author Dr.

Joshua Rothman said the data show how quickly news coverage, social media, and public figures can influence prescribing patterns. He noted that the increase occurred even before large clinical trials establish whether the treatment is safe and effective for broad use.

A 2012 clinical trial found that about one-third of young participants with autism who took leucovorin twice daily showed significant improvements in speech and language. Side effects such as hyperactivity resolved quickly, and no serious adverse events were reported.

Supply and alternative use Pediatric neurologist Dr.

Richard Frye said his clinic has seen a large influx of patients seeking the drug. He stated that new appointments cannot be scheduled until 2028. With leucovorin in short supply, some parents have substituted over-the-counter folic acid. Frye warned that folic acid may do more harm than good for children who need higher doses of folate.

He noted that the body can activate only about 400 micrograms of folic acid per day, while leucovorin doses are measured in milligrams. Leucovorin was approved by the FDA for cerebral folate deficiency in March but remains unapproved for autism spectrum disorder.