ADHD drug shortages have sent patients and their families desperately seeking out pharmacies with drugs in stock, reports the WSJ.
Some families are paying more for pricey alternatives, or cutting back usage to make supplies go the distance.
Erin Fox, manager of the drug-information service at the University of Utah Hospital & Clinics, said it’s “a huge inconvenience.”
Recent shortages of Adderall XR and its generic equivalents -- also known as amphetamine mixed salts -- have been reported in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Minnesota, Washington state and elsewhere.
According to data provided by IMS Health, the shortages affect drugs that generated a combined 24.2 million prescriptions in 2010.
Matt Cabrey, spokesman for Shire PLC, the maker of Adderall and generic versions, said rising demand for the drugs is due to increased diagnoses of ADHD, reports the WSJ.
This, in turn, may be fueled by greater awareness of the disorder and can make it difficult to determine ingredient needs.
But Mr. Cabrey said the current shortage is due to a delay last year at the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration in releasing extra supplies of the drug's active ingredients.
He said increased supplies are expected this month.
Because of the potential for abuse, the DEA regulates the active ingredients of some ADHD drugs as controlled substances, the WSJ reports.
DEA spokesman Lawrence Payne said the agency has approved enough supply to allow for uninterrupted distribution of the drugs.
He added that the onus is on manufacturers to allocate the ingredients among their various products.
UCB SA, a manufacturer of generic methylphenidate, attributed its shortages to increased customer demand earlier this year.
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, known as ADHD, causes children and adults to have difficulty focusing, controlling their actions and remaining still or quiet.
ADHD drugs generally act as a stimulant to alleviate symptoms but can be habit-forming and associated with side effects such as increased heart rate and loss of appetite.
Valerie Jensen is the associate director of the FDA's drug shortages program.
She said the Food and Drug Administration learned about the shortage in March from patients reporting they were unable to obtain their ADHD medications, reports the WSJ.
The agency contacted ADHD drug makers, who reported problems getting hold of the active pharmaceutical ingredients.
Novartis AG, whose Sandoz unit sells generic versions of methylphenidate (Ritalin), said it is manufacturing at capacity and trying to up its supply, the WSJ reports.
