Where Has All the Adderall Gone?

Adderall, a drug used by millions (including a person in my household) to help them deal with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, is for some reason in short supply.  And the shortage has been going since before  Halloween.

I first noticed the shortage in early November, when our local Rite Aid reported it was out of our usual dosage.    They did, however, have a smaller dosage, which prompted me to contact the doctor to get a revised prescription.

Six weeks later, Rite Aid is still out of the standard 20mg tablet.  A pharmacist told me there might be one Rite Aid in the entire city that has that dose of Adderall in stock.

What's causing the shortage?  The answer isn't clear.  Some doctors are blaming the fact that more people, at least 5 million, are using Adderall, and the numbers are growing by five percent a year.  Manufacturers blame a shortage of Adderall's active ingredient, amphetamine, which is controlled by the Food and Drug Administration.

Another possibility:  drug abusers.  Adderall is said to be a favorite for students studying for exams.  It's also said to be a replacement drug for oxycodone addicts.   

One article I found suggested there was a shortage of generic Adderall but that the name-brand drug was available.  I found just the opposite at my local drug stores:  they were out of Adderall but had the generic version.

Whatever the reason for the shortage, no one seems to know when it will end.  I've read that pharmaceutical companies will sometimes make 12 to 36 months worth of a single drug at once and then re-tool for a different drug, so it may be a while before Adderall supplies catch up with demand.  Until it does end, expect to see me calling around to various pharmacies every couple of months, trying to refill a prescription.