Emily Chan
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has just confirmed that the nation is experiencing an Adderall shortage after many manufacturers have reported ongoing delays.
Adderall, also known as amphetamine mixed salts, is approved by the FDA for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and narcolepsy.
One of the largest sellers of Adderall in the United States, Teva Pharmaceuticals, has not been able to keep up with market demand due to labor shortages.
Although other manufacturers are continuing to produce amphetamine mixed salts, there is still not enough to go around, especially with the increase in ADHD diagnoses over recent years.
Furthermore, many of Teva’s generic brand options won’t be fully available until March 2023.
The FDA is keeping an eye on the supply and working to assist manufacturers in getting this shortage under control.
However, until the supply of Adderall is back up to standard, patients are being forced to turn to alternative medications, including the extended-release version of amphetamine mixed salts.
This version of the medication is called Adderall XR. The main difference between regular Adderall and Adderall XR is that the active ingredients in Adderall XR are more slowly released over time.
As a result, some patients are choosing to forgo this option because, unfortunately, it doesn’t work for everyone.
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