The nationwide Adderall shortage that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) first recognized in October is expected to linger, with many pharmacists reporting they still can't access the drug.
The drug is commonly used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that an estimated six million children aged 3-17 years old had an ADHD diagnosis between 2016-2019, and that 62 percent of that group take medicine for ADHD. While Adderall isn't the only treatment, it is one of the most popular.
The official reason cited by the FDA for the shortage is "demand increase," though the company that manufactures the drug, Alvogen, has provided few specifics.
The FDA says supply of 5mg Adderall pills will recover by early March, while upply of 30mg will recover by mid-March, and supplies of 10mg, 15mg, and 20mg by mid-April.
"Until supply is restored, there are alternative therapies including the extended-release version of amphetamine mixed salts available to health care professionals and their patients for amphetamine mixed salts’ approved indications," the agency wrote in October. "Patients should work with their health care professionals to determine their best treatment option"
