Adderall Shortage in the US
Implications of the Adderall Shortage for Law Enforcement and the Rise of Fake Pharmaceuticals
Bottom line up front: There is an Adderall shortage in the US at the same time we have seen a massive increase in the numbers of fake pharmaceutical pills being manufactured by Mexican DTO’s (drug trafficking organizations/drug cartels). We profile the shortage of pills and a recent study about the increase in prescriptions for ADHD medications.
The Adderall Shortage in the United States
The Adderall shortage in the United States has now entered its fifth month, affecting people who rely on the medication to manage attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The shortage has also impacted alternative medications like generic Concerta and Vyvanse. Experts believe the shortage is due to an unexpected increase in demand rather than manufacturing issues. ADHD medication prescriptions have risen more than predicted, with Adderall prescriptions for adults rising 15.1% during 2020, double the rise seen in the previous year. The DEA limits how much of these controlled substances can be produced, leading to a mismatch between quotas and prescription numbers. Some drug companies predict the supply problems could last into the spring. Experts suggest that addressing the shortage will require more transparency from drug companies and better, coordinated systems for forecasting drug demand. (1)
So How Did We Get to an Adderall Shortage?
There was a great study that outlined how we have more people being prescribed Adderall and other ADHD medications titled, “Trends in Stimulant Prescription Fills Among Commercially Insured Children and Adults — United States, 2016–2021.”
Below is a synopsis of that long study:
Prescriptions for stimulants, mainly used for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), increased for adults before the COVID-19 pandemic, and policies during the pandemic expanded access via telehealth. This report shows that the percentage of adolescent and adult females and adult males receiving prescription stimulant fills increased during 2016–2021, especially during 2020–2021.
Growing concerns
The increase in ADHD recognition in adults and prescription stimulant fills raises questions about current adult ADHD care. Developing clinical recommendations for diagnosing and managing adult ADHD could help guide safe and appropriate stimulant prescribing. Evaluating policies enacted during the pandemic could identify benefits and harms of those policies.
Main takeaways:
Prescription stimulant fills increased during 2016–2021, especially during 2020–2021.
Adolescent and adult females and adult males experienced the most significant increase.
There is a need for clinical recommendations for adult ADHD diagnosis and management. (2)