As with any drug shortages in the country, the reasons can vary, from manufacturing problems to more patients using the medication. Manufacturers are required to notify the FDA of a shortage, but not the cause of the interruption. What fueled the ADHD medication shortage? That year, the company’s analysis found that 53 percent of the 63 million prescriptions written for ADHD medications were for adults.īut while increasing demand is one reason for the shortage, it is not the only cause. Since 2015, more adults have been receiving pharmaceutical treatment for the disorder, according to Shire PLC, the former maker of popular medication Vyvanse. That’s millions who use medication to help them concentrate or manage their schoolwork, employment and relationships.Įxact figures for how many people have ADHD is the subject of debate. have been diagnosed with ADHD, with about 4.1 percent of them being treated with medication. More than 6 million children have been diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, according to 2016 data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and 60 percent were being treated with medication. You can’t even pay cash for a longer supply if you want to.” “Patients need a new prescription every 30 days. “These are really frustrating shortages because you can only get a 30-day supply at a time,” Ganio said. For many people, the latest inconsistency in supply is nearly as vexing as the original shortage. Michael Ganio, ASHP’s senior director of pharmacy practice and quality. While Adderall has been consistently hard to get, these other ADHD drugs that patients have turned to as alternatives have only been “intermittently available” themselves, said Dr. WATCH: Adderall shortage raises questions about widespread dependency on the drug According to a watchlist from the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, some extended-release doses of methylphenidate have been in short supply since May. In addition to Adderall, variations of methylphenidate, commonly known under brand names Ritalin or Concerta, are affected.

After nine months of difficulty finding and filling prescriptions for Adderall, ADHD patients are now facing shortages of other medications, leaving millions who rely on the drugs with uncertainty, frustration and bureaucratic hassles.

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