[Image courtesy of Patrick Mallahan III via the Creative Commons Attribution]
A central supplier of the drug in the U.S., Teva (NYSE:TEVA), says labor shortages related to packaging of the drug are partly to blame for the shortage. Novartis subsidiary Sandoz is also has experienced manufacturing shortages related to the drug.
During the pandemic, the federal government loosened rules calling for an in-person visit to obtain Adderall and generic equivalents. The government made it possible to prescribe the drug via telehealth.
An August pharmacists’ survey revealed that approximately 64% of U.S. pharmacies encountered difficulties obtaining adequate supplies of branded and generic Adderall.
A total of 79% of pharmacists reported that their business had been impacted by general supply chain disruptions.
Adderall shortages could resolve soon. Teva anticipates that its inventory of the drug should recover in the coming weeks. The company produces branded and generic versions of the drug.
Amneal Pharmaceuticals and Rhodes Pharmaceuticals LP also have had the drug on backorder.
Another factor constraining to the Adderall shortages are constraints from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Because Adderall is a Schedule II drug, manufacturers can only produce limited quantities of the drug set by the U.S. government.
Adderall can be habit forming. The prescription drug is among the most widely abused drugs in the U.S.
While the FDA doesn’t currently list a shortage of Adderall or the generic versions of the drug on its drug shortage website, the agency did note that the drug was in short supply from September 2019 through May 2022.
Bloomberg reported that CVS and Walgreens have struggled to obtain the drug for months.
In recent years, the U.S. has seen a growth in sales of counterfeit Adderall on the black market. Some of those counterfeit drugs are laced with the powerful synthetic opioid fentanyl
They need to get these medications to Pharmacies ASAP because millions are suffering tremendously and getting by day to day is exceptionally difficult and the suffering is immense.
Yes! It’s been over 3 weeks w/o it for me and now I’m worried about losing my job bc I can’t function.
I have adhd and have been on adderall for about 15 years. I literally can NOT function in day to day life without it. The DEA needs to allow more to be manufactured to keep up with the increase in demand. Doctors are writing more Rx’s for it so it would make sense to produce more. Somebody needs to do something because I need my medication . . .NOW!!
Some people really need this medication..they literally cannot function properly without it. ADHD is caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain, medication is necessary. Changing medications is often not an option because of the side effects when starting which makes the change counterproductive. Psychiatrists have been denying medication changes which leave people completely unmedicated. This is a HUGE problem and is affecting the people who actually need it. I’m sure that people who abuse it will find other ways to get it while those who need it to function sit there with restrictions and are unable to receive their medication for MONTHS.
I’ve been going through a forced detox due to this lol. It’s horrible and have resorted to not so legal things to get by day to day. Thanks y’all . Its everyone’s fault even our doctors for not helping us get alternatives easily.
This medication is also used to treat narcolepsy. Which is what I’m prescribed it for (as well as for ADHD – but especially narcolepsy). Without it, I’m prone to falling asleep behind the wheel of a car. However, I’m also a single mother who has to provide for my child (which includes going to work, grocery shopping, etc).
So my question is: what are people who suffer from narcolepsy supposed to do? Of course people with ADHD need their medication… But without this medication, a person with narcolepsy puts other people’s lives in jeopardy every time they get behind the wheel of a car, operate heavy machinery, or literally anything else. And it’s not like we can just stop our entire lives simply because we’re out of our medication…
When I run out, I’m forced to ask family members to go pick up my prescription out of fear that I’ll have a cataplexi episode (triggered by stress – which I’m always under. Duh. single mom). Sufferers of narcolepsy have [the potential for] cataplexi triggered by an array of emotions. For instance, I have a friend who is triggered by happiness/excitement – so she will randomly pass out after laughing (and usually gets injured by this. In high school she bashed her skull on some bleachers – bleeding everywhere). Although not all those who have narcolepsy also have cataplexi… There are still many who do.
While there are alternative medications for treating narcolepsy, none of these alternatives work for me. I assume I’m not the only one. And on that note, I’m assuming the number of wrecks and other accidents worldwide have also increased along with this shortage.
Maybe this will get the FDA moving, but I doubt it. No one cares about sufferers of ADHD, much less narcoleptics.
Thanks so much for sharing. Very interesting (and troubling) information. Hope things get better for you soon!
Literally feels like no one cares. They think we’re just overprescribed and don’t really need it. They have no idea what it’s like.