Shortage of ADHD medication continues

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) - Starting January first, ADHD medication manufacturers could ramp up following a shortage of the drug last year.

All ADHD stimulant medications are schedule 2 drugs and are limited by the FDA on how much can be made each year. Pharmacists last year said a shortage started after there was an increase in prescriptions and usage of the drugs, and it has continued into this year as the manufacturers tried to handle the backlog.

“It’s hard to admit in words that I rely on this medication to focus, but I do,” said Beth Nipper, a Junior at the University of Iowa.

Nipper said she’s had issues focusing as long as she can remember and started taking the drug at the start of her college career. She has been able to get her prescription for Vyvanse from back home in Nebraska. Reutzel Pharmacy Technician Roger Thompson said the shortage of ADHD medicines is seen across the country.

“We have 8 different pharmacies from Scott County to the Amana pharmacy and everything in between, unfortunately, we all pull from the one distributor,” said Thompson.

Thompson said they’ve had to go to enormous lengths to try and get any available medication. That included workers continually refreshing computers to see what the supplier was able to get in stock.

“We don’t know when they do receive a shipment,” he said. “Typically, once they receive the shipment, it’s gone within about 30 seconds or so.”

Thompson said last week they couldn’t get a single brand of the 200 different ADHD medications.

“Adderall could come back into full swing in early February, but as of right now, the generics have been hit or miss,” said Thompson.

Thompson said there was no date for manufacturing to catch up with demand. That worried people like Nipper, who rely on them.

“It’s a medication that we need to achieve a level of normalcy,” said Nipper. “It’s difficult without it.”

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