As you probably know, there is currently a shortage of medications used to treat ADHD (e.g., Adderall and Ritalin). This shortage is affecting many pharmacies across the country. The shortage involves several drug companies that make generic versions of the medications. It has been going on since last fall. The reasons given by the drug companies for the shortage are vague, like “regulatory delays” or “increased demand.” It's unclear when pharmacy shelves will be restocked.
Plus, here in the US, the DEA sets limits on how much of these controlled drugs companies can make each year. But in 2022, the companies made way less than they were allowed to. They also didn't meet the full limits in 2020 and 2021. The DEA won't give specifics on which companies are not meeting the quotas or why.
Add to that, a recent legal settlement related to prescription painkillers has also made drug companies more cautious about filling orders for controlled substances like ADHD meds. This has led to many orders being canceled.
Awful news. I was aware there were government quotas and regulations preventing pharmaceutical companies from meeting the ever-growing demand for stimulant medication, but why aren't companies even meeting these quotas?
And there are Vyvanse shortages too, right?
Sounds like we (disability and public health advocates) need to make the public health and economics case for stimulants. With access to prescription stimulants, people with ADHD will increase immensely in employment rates, mental health, and other health and productivity indicators. Even pharmaceutical companies can benefit, from having people with ADHD as reliable customers. Frustrating.
There is an element of geopolitics involved. The Western countries do not make the pills or even the ingredients. These come largely from India and China. As the West alienates these countries, and even flirts with war, there will be serious implications to the global supply chain as far as the West is concern.
BRICS, for example, is said to largely have come about over India's frustration at being barred by the West from sharing the HIV/AIDS drugs that it manufactures with South Africa, who was in dire need but lacked access to dollars to buy. India wanted to just ship the drugs there for free. The "rights holders" in the West said no.
Thus, as BRICS looks to create their own currency and trading block, if the West does not begin to manufacture it's own products and produce it's own resources, it will quickly devolve into a nightmare for those on the margins - like us.
Awful news. I was aware there were government quotas and regulations preventing pharmaceutical companies from meeting the ever-growing demand for stimulant medication, but why aren't companies even meeting these quotas?
And there are Vyvanse shortages too, right?
Sounds like we (disability and public health advocates) need to make the public health and economics case for stimulants. With access to prescription stimulants, people with ADHD will increase immensely in employment rates, mental health, and other health and productivity indicators. Even pharmaceutical companies can benefit, from having people with ADHD as reliable customers. Frustrating.
There is an element of geopolitics involved. The Western countries do not make the pills or even the ingredients. These come largely from India and China. As the West alienates these countries, and even flirts with war, there will be serious implications to the global supply chain as far as the West is concern.
BRICS, for example, is said to largely have come about over India's frustration at being barred by the West from sharing the HIV/AIDS drugs that it manufactures with South Africa, who was in dire need but lacked access to dollars to buy. India wanted to just ship the drugs there for free. The "rights holders" in the West said no.
Thus, as BRICS looks to create their own currency and trading block, if the West does not begin to manufacture it's own products and produce it's own resources, it will quickly devolve into a nightmare for those on the margins - like us.