Shortage of ADHD meds causing concern before back-to-school season
3 Min Read
Experts state that it is quite common for Adderall prescriptions to be on the rise as students go back to school.
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Adderall XR capsules on display on February 24, 2023. (AP)
With the back-to-school season around the corner and students returning to classrooms, an unresolved shortage of Adderall, a medicine prescribed for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), as well as other medicines for the condition, has been worrying both students and parents alike.
Experts state that it is quite common for Adderall prescriptions to be on the rise as students go back to school.
Erin Fox, a University of Utah pharmacist and expert on drug shortages, told CNBC, "Unfortunately, we might see the shortage worsen. We are heading into back-to-school time, so I am worried about it worsening as we go into that season".
Earlier this month, federal drug regulators urged manufacturers of prescription stimulants such as Adderall to up their production, since federal quotas were not being met with the shortage.
A survey of community pharmacists conducted earlier this year demonstrated that 97% were experiencing an Adderall shortage.
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The shortage could, on the plus side, aid against those who use the medicine for non-medicinal purposes.
Back in April, a CDC report revealed that 1 in 4 teens in US high schools report that they have abused ADHD prescriptions for non-medical reasons.
As clarified by pediatrician Dr. Deepa Camenga, associate director of pediatric programs at the Yale Program in Addiction Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut, teens often overuse the medication that "someone gave them due to a sense of stress around academics — they are trying to stay up late and study or finish papers," adding that it is clearly a phenomenon in colleges, but the major breakthrough in research is that it is occurring in schools among teens.
Experts reveal that improper use of the drugs can lead to potential anxiety, depression, psychosis, and seizures. However, if combined with alcohol or other substances, side effects may include "paranoia, dangerously high body temperatures, and an irregular heartbeat, especially if stimulants are taken in large doses or in ways other than swallowing a pill," according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
In June, a study revealed that persons who use Ritalin, another ADHD drug, without having disorders really lower their mental capabilities. The study indicated that those who take so-called "smart drugs" to increase their mental ability do worse on complicated tasks while approaching them with greater zeal.
