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ADHD medication shortage gets worse; What went wrong?

The limited supply of ADHD medication not only causes stress in people who cannot obtain it, but it has also generated supply concerns for other treatments.

It’s been five months, according to today’s Health Alert, yet the Adderall shortage persists.

ADHD Medicine Shortage

The number of ADHD diagnoses has risen unexpectedly. ADHD is an abbreviation for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Those who have it frequently experience difficulty paying attention and focusing. They are frequently impulsive and hyperactive.

ADHD diagnoses had now continuously increased, more than doubling between 2007 and 2016. Then came the pandemic, which completely turned our life upside down. Suddenly, the majority of adults were working from home, and children were studying online.

That’s when some people found they couldn’t concentrate, and parents noticed their children struggle to sit still and pay attention. Prescriptions for Adderall increased by 15.1%, nearly doubling the previous year’s figures.

When Adderall became more difficult to obtain, patients shifted to alternative ADHD drugs such as Ritalin and Concerta. These are now in low supply.

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Increased Demand

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The limited supply of ADHD medication not only causes stress in people who cannot obtain it, but it has also generated supply concerns for other ADHD treatments.

The majority of ADHD drugs are classified as central nervous system stimulants, a type of prohibited chemical.

Because the drugs have a well-documented history of abuse and addiction, the FDA and Drug Enforcement Administration restrict the number of pills a pharmacy can administer at once and the frequency with which patients can refill their prescriptions.

Each year, the DEA also establishes limitations on the active chemicals used by pharmaceutical companies to manufacture these medications. The quotas have been difficult for companies such as Novartis-owned Sandoz, which manufactures generic Adderall and Concerta.

According to Michael Ganio, ASHP’s senior director of pharmacy practice and quality, the DEA is often prepared to boost quotas if there is actual patient demand.

However, measuring an increase in demand while it is occurring is challenging. There is no nationwide real-time coordinated system for recording ADHD diagnoses, as there is for COVID-19 or the flu.

Doctors are unable to provide specific figures, but several reported a significant rise in patients seeking ADHD treatment since pandemic lockdowns began.

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