McALLEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — An pandemic-era shortage of a popular ADHD medication continues due to supply-chain issues and a spike in demand, experts say.
Adderall, a controlled substance, is highly regulated by the U.S. government and is produced under strict rules to avoid patient abuse. ValleyCentral spoke to a Rio Grande Valley pharmacist about how difficult it has been to get the medication.
“Some will try to get their doctors to switch to a different medication that will do the same type of activity for the patient,” said Carlos Salina, a pharmacist at Apple Pharmacy. “But in some cases, there’s not really much choice but to stay with what they’ve been on because that was what works.”
If possible, talk to your doctor about a different prescription until the shortage ends.
The Food and Drug Administration told ValleyCentral that it’s working closely with manufacturers and suppliers to increase the availability of certain products.
According to the CDC, About 6 million American children aged 3 to 17 years have been diagnosed with ADHD, and 62% take medication to help them focus and control their behavior.
Are ADHD medicines available in Mexico?
The current Adderall shortage Is forcing some parents to seek other options.
But health officials, including the FDA, warn that medicine purchased outside the United States could have different effects.
“We have certain standards in this country for producing our prescription medications,” Salinas said. “Other countries don’t have the same standards. So that you do run the risk of if you go to Mexico to get a prescription that’s either identical to the one in the United States or similar. You may not get the same results. So it can be a negative impact on the patient.”
