Shortage of ADHD Drugs Leaves Families Struggling to Find Medication for Their Children

Kristin Coronado, a resident of Redwood City in Northern California, is facing challenges in obtaining the ADHD medication for her son, Dom. "I'm a mother looking for my son's medication," Coronado expressed to CBS News. "I'm not a drug dealer. That's how they make you feel. I tried another pharmacy, and that led to like, pharmacy to pharmacy…You're on your own, deal with it."

Struggle for Medication

Dom, who is 6 years old, requires a generic version of the drug dexmethylphenidate, under the brand name Focalin XR, manufactured by Lannett. This drug, like other ADHD medications, contains a controlled substance tightly regulated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. Despite U.S. drugmakers' claims of maximum production, patients and doctor's offices are still facing challenges in obtaining the medication, leading to a practice known as pharmacy shopping.

"As soon as they're without medication, you see a return of untreated ADHD symptoms," said Dr. Jennifer Holten, a child psychiatrist at Emory University. "…They take an action that can harm them, or even take their lives."

Pharmacy Search

Coronado shared her struggle, revealing that she regularly contacts 25 local pharmacies in pursuit of her son's prescription. "Tomorrow, I have to count the pills that I have left, you know, see what day that ends on, and then start the process all over again," Coronado explained. The ongoing shortages are related to increased prescribing, potentially due to the growth in telemedicine, supply chain issues, manufacturing and quality issues, and business decisions of manufacturers, according to the Food and Drug Administration.

Regulatory Issues

The DEA sets caps on the production of ADHD treatments each year, and the ongoing issue is attributed to the need for the DEA to release more of the controlled substances, as stated by drugmakers. However, the DEA claims that drugmakers have not utilized their supply. Lannett and the DEA chose not to comment on this matter.

Impact on Children

Dr. Holten emphasized the necessity of addressing this issue, emphasizing that the affected children and families deserve better. After a prolonged search, Coronado finally succeeded in obtaining a refill for Dom's medication, providing temporary relief for at least another month.