CLEVELAND — The FDA announced a nationwide shortage of the immediate-release formulation of amphetamine mixed salts, commonly referred to by the brand name Adderall.
The drug is the most common and effective treatment for people diagnosed with attention deficit disorder, better known as ADD.
But is the shortage affecting patients here in Northeast Ohio? Dr. Ryan Marino of University Hospitals said he hasn’t seen an issue here at home, but expects it could be coming.
“This is something that people have been reporting or noticing for weeks now, maybe longer,” said Marino. “I have heard, anecdotally, from people I know and also from patients that they have had trouble getting it throughout the country. It is a nationwide shortage and would be expected to affect us here in northeast Ohio, too.”
Marino said it is something that is concerning to him.
“These medications can really be life-changing and, in some cases, life-saving,” he said.
The problem is simple: supply and demand. Right now, there’s more demand for the drug than ever before.
It is estimated that total prescriptions rose by 16% from 35.5 million last year to 41.2 million this year.
Part of the rise in prescriptions is because of new Telehealth companies that allow patients to get diagnosed and prescribed easier, said Juscelino Colares, law and business professor at Case Western Reserve University.
“Since the pandemic, we saw that entry into the market of Telehealth start-ups,” Colares said.
But more diagnoses don’t mean more drug production. Adderall is an amphetamine that is a federally regulated controlled substance, so only so much can be made at a time.
“They are highly controlled. They’re not easy to get and not easy to process orders normally,” Colares said.
He said when you add those issues to an already strained supply chain, it’s the perfect storm for a shortage.
Seven out of the nine companies that make Adderall have announced shortages, so far.
“If a certain manufacturer who has a license to make this drug runs into supply chain issues, then that part of the supply is essentially taken out until it’s back,” said Marino.
This may mean more children struggling with attention issues at school and less productivity at work and disconnect in other areas of life for adults.
Marino said there’s no telling when this shortage will be resolved, but to talk to your doctor if you’re concerned about your prescription as there are other options.
Experts warn people from buying Adderall from third-party sources as it could contain dangerous and deadly ingredients, like fentanyl.
