Why Can’t I Get My ADHD Medications?
Are you struggling to get your stimulant prescription medicine filled? Particularly in the case of prescriptions for mixed salts of amphetamine (the Adderall generics), or, more recently, instant-release methylphenidate (Ritalin generics) and you’ll find the pharmacy you are using is not in and is unable to inform you when they’ll receive more.
In the previous blog post, Tim MacGeorge from CHADD MacGeorge provided some advice regarding what to do if you find yourself in this type of situation. This blog will discuss what’s causing the problem as well as how CHADD will do to solve the issue.
The shortages started last spring and everybody believed that it would be only a temporary issue. Now, it’s six months later, and the problem has grown, not smaller. To fully understand the problem it is helpful to know the steps involved:
Stimulant drugs are classified as Schedule II controlled substances and their production falls under supervision of Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA). The mission of the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) is to make sure that prescribed drugs are not used for medical reasons.
Pharmaceutical companies that produce stimulants can apply to the DEA for approval to purchase a specific quantity of “active pharmaceutical ingredient” (API). This is the substance that is controlled that is found in the stimulant medicines.
At the start of every calendar year, the DEA gives each business approval for an amount of API. The amount is usually lower than the amount requested by each company, and the total award is DEA’s best estimate of the need that is legitimate for the year.
After approval The company then purchases the API and then begins the process of manufacturing drugs. It typically takes between 8 and 12 weeks for drugs to be produced.
Then they go to the market.
Where Does It Go Wrong?
It’s only a matter of one company with problems delivering its own portion of market share to cause the dominoes in the game to begin to fall. Since each company is restricted to a particular percentage of active ingredients they are not able to assist when a competitor has issues. In the event that the DEA has a mistake in its estimations of the amount of valid prescriptions that are written there is a chance that a shortfall could be observed. The amount of medicine could be accurate, but the distribution of drugs by the various firms involved could not be able to produce an equal distribution across the nation. The problem continues to exist until the issue is resolved.
Businesses can return to the DEA to request more of the API However, the process of applying for API is lengthy and laborious. If the shortage happens at the close in the year’s calendar, firms tend to hold off until the next annual award of API.
If all goes as planned the pharmaceutical manufacturers have enough inventory to carry to the new year. This will continue until spring, when the production that began in January actually makes it to the market. The inventories this year are either very small or not even present and there is a risk that there won’t be enough medicines available to be used until spring.
If the shortage lasts for a period of time, like it has been for buy adderall online medication, then different issues begin to manifest. As time passes, doctors begin to shift their prescribing practices to other drugs which are more easily accessible for use, like the quick-acting methylphenidate drugs. The production of these drugs is limited by DEA. In the end, the shortage spreads to a different group of medicines.
Some chain stores and pharmacies distribution centers might begin to store medications to prepare for shortages. This can lead to a worsening of the shortages in other locations.
Sadly, no single agency or manufacturer is responsible for the issue. It is the Food and Drug Administration has the responsibility of addressing shortages in medication however, it is not able to do so to do so with that of the Drug Enforcement Agency. The DEA believes that it has only a small role in ensuring that only the quantity of medicine legally required is produced and the opportunities for diverting drugs are limited. The manufacturers are unable to react quickly to shortages triggered by internal problems or other manufacturers as their production is restricted through the DEA. In the end, there’s a lot of finger-pointing, but not much problem solution.
What Is the Short-Term Outlook?
Not the best. The majority of companies that make the stimulant medications that are short-acting report they are out of stock or have the inventory is limited. Due to the time-lag for manufacturing between 8 and 12 weeks, it’s unlikely for the approved 2012 DEA drugs will be available for sale before March, at the earliest. Nobody seems to have a way to determine the number of drugs available being sold in pharmacies across the nation. It is likely that filling your prescriptions for short-acting stimulants, in particular, as well as all stimulant drugs in general, could become harder as we progress to the start of a new. Therefore, be prepared.
Be in close contact with your doctor and ensure that you have enough time prior to the time the expiration date of your prescription to search for a drugstore that stocks the medication you require. Physicians and patients who prescribe medications may be required to look at long-acting time-release drugs instead of shorter-acting drugs. If you’ve been buying the generic medications that are cheaper it is possible to look at the more expensive generic medication. It is also possible to
look at alternative delivery methods like the patches on the skin or liquid medications. Another option could be to consider one of the medications that are nonstimulant to help treat buying adderall online.
What Is CHADD Doing?
With the manufacturing time lag the current shortage is to be set to run its course. However, we can ensure that this doesn’t occur again. CHADD has been bringing up the issues in the media to increase awareness of the problem. Nearly every day we are approached by major media outlets who are covering the issue. We’ve been in contact with the major and a number of smaller pharmaceutical companies that make stimulant medicines to grasp the magnitude of the issue and what can be done to improve the situation. We’re also organizing an alliance of concerned groups together with the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Other groups that have joined in our coalition include patient advocacy as well as clinician and associations that deal with pharmacies. The bigger our group has, the more power we’ll be able to exert influence on the organizations involved as well as Congress.
In the beginning of 2012, we’ll be having a second meeting with officials who work for both the FDA along with the DEA and, ultimately, with the key congressmen and senators who are able to influence the policy that these two agencies implement. We will ensure that this issue is addressed. CHADD will keep you informed of the issues and how is possible to do help us tackle this problem. While we’ll need to get through this storm, we’ll make every effort to ensure that it doesn’t repeat itself.
