A nationwide shortage of medication that treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has forced some patients to shell out a whole lot more for pricey, brand-name alternatives.
A latest evaluation from USA Today found that the costs that retail community pharmacies pay for common ADHD medications have outpaced inflation, and in some cases, have doubled or tripled within the last 12 months.
The Food and Drug Administration announced a shortage of Adderall in October 2022 as a result of “ongoing intermittent manufacturing delays” at corporations that make the drug.
In line with recent studies, an estimated 6 million children and 11 million adults suffer from ADHD. Adderall is a well-liked stimulant prescribed to enhance focus and a focus.
The Adderall shortage spurred patients to hunt down alternatives — in turn, those ADHD meds became hard to search out and costs increased.
A Delaware mom — whose husband and 17-year-old daughter even have ADHD — told USA Today that the Adderall shortage prompted their doctor to modify her daughter’s prescription to Vyvanse, the one option they may find.
The mom — whom USA Today only identified by her first name, Sam — shared that the monthly amount they pay after insurance rose from lower than $20 to $300.
Without insurance, a supply of 100 capsules of Vyvanse costs around $1,306, in response to Drugs.com.
GoodRx, which provides coupons for medications, says generic Vyvanse costs $100, while the brand-name Vyvanse starts at $369, which is barely higher than the cost of brand-name Adderall.
Sam told USA Today that ADHD medication is now too expensive for herself and her husband — their daughter’s health and education are the highest priorities.
“With medication and accommodations in school, my daughter is a straight-A student. Without the medication, she’s failing,” Sam explained. “It’s that stark of a difference.”
Along with the value surge, Sam said there finally ends up being an “additional ADHD tax” since they need to travel far distances to pharmacies which have the drugs in stock.
“You’ll be able to’t really compare it, but when there was a shortage of cancer drugs, there could be loads more uproar than there may be with the shortage of ADHD medication because people don’t seem to appreciate it is a disability,” Sam said. “It is rather debilitating. It does have quite an impact in your quality of life.”
So far as the ADHD drug shortage goes, USA Today reports that the Drug Enforcement Administration said it has been adjusting its quota restrictions to extend production of ADHD stimulants.
“DEA has been in communication with the relevant manufacturers, and 17 out of 18 manufacturers have informed us that they’ll use their allotted quota amounts and increase production of stimulant medications,” the agency wrote in a letter early last month.
A nationwide shortage of medication that treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has forced some patients to shell out a whole lot more for pricey, brand-name alternatives.
A latest evaluation from USA Today found that the costs that retail community pharmacies pay for common ADHD medications have outpaced inflation, and in some cases, have doubled or tripled within the last 12 months.
The Food and Drug Administration announced a shortage of Adderall in October 2022 as a result of “ongoing intermittent manufacturing delays” at corporations that make the drug.
In line with recent studies, an estimated 6 million children and 11 million adults suffer from ADHD. Adderall is a well-liked stimulant prescribed to enhance focus and a focus.
The Adderall shortage spurred patients to hunt down alternatives — in turn, those ADHD meds became hard to search out and costs increased.
A Delaware mom — whose husband and 17-year-old daughter even have ADHD — told USA Today that the Adderall shortage prompted their doctor to modify her daughter’s prescription to Vyvanse, the one option they may find.
The mom — whom USA Today only identified by her first name, Sam — shared that the monthly amount they pay after insurance rose from lower than $20 to $300.
Without insurance, a supply of 100 capsules of Vyvanse costs around $1,306, in response to Drugs.com.
GoodRx, which provides coupons for medications, says generic Vyvanse costs $100, while the brand-name Vyvanse starts at $369, which is barely higher than the cost of brand-name Adderall.
Sam told USA Today that ADHD medication is now too expensive for herself and her husband — their daughter’s health and education are the highest priorities.
“With medication and accommodations in school, my daughter is a straight-A student. Without the medication, she’s failing,” Sam explained. “It’s that stark of a difference.”
Along with the value surge, Sam said there finally ends up being an “additional ADHD tax” since they need to travel far distances to pharmacies which have the drugs in stock.
“You’ll be able to’t really compare it, but when there was a shortage of cancer drugs, there could be loads more uproar than there may be with the shortage of ADHD medication because people don’t seem to appreciate it is a disability,” Sam said. “It is rather debilitating. It does have quite an impact in your quality of life.”
So far as the ADHD drug shortage goes, USA Today reports that the Drug Enforcement Administration said it has been adjusting its quota restrictions to extend production of ADHD stimulants.
“DEA has been in communication with the relevant manufacturers, and 17 out of 18 manufacturers have informed us that they’ll use their allotted quota amounts and increase production of stimulant medications,” the agency wrote in a letter early last month.
