Aug 28, 2023 - Health

Adderall shortage could worsen ahead of back to school

Jason Millman

Illustration of an hourglass full of pills that have almost run out. — Illustration: Victoria Ellis/Axios

Back-t0-school season is sparking renewed concern about the long-running shortage of Adderall and other medicines prescribed for ADHD.

Why it matters: It's hard to predict how long drug shortages may last due to limited transparency in the supply chain, but experts note that prescriptions for Adderall historically pick up as students head back to the classroom.

"Unfortunately, we might see the shortage worsen. We are heading into back-to-school time, so I am worried about it worsening as we go into that season," Erin Fox, a University of Utah pharmacist and expert on drug shortages, told CNBC.

Catch up quick: Federal drug regulators earlier this month called on manufacturers of prescription stimulants like Adderall to increase production, saying that they were well short of meeting federal quotas.

In a survey of community pharmacists earlier this year, 97% said they were experiencing an Adderall shortage.

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Adderall shortage could worsen ahead of back to school

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