ADD Drug Adderall's Mysterious Disappearance

by John M. Curtis
(310) 204-8700

Copyright Janaury 2, 2012
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                Endangering countless numbers of patients afflicted with Attention Deficit Disorder, the Food and Drug Administration announced widespread shortages of its popular drug Adderall, blaming drug companies marketing and distribution channels.  Unable to get their meds, the consequences in real terms, especially lost performance and dollars to patients and society as a whole is incalculable.  One of psychiatry’s most popular drugs, Adderall was introduced in 1996 by Shire Pharmaceuticals for treating Attention Deficit Disorder.  Now manufactured by Teva and Barr Pharmaceuticals, Adderall is made from dextro- and levo-amphetamine salts, both substances tightly controlled by Drug Enforcement Agency, the main government department responsible for controlled substances.  Adderrall’s properties parallel the common abused drug called methamphetamine or “crystal meth.”

            Adderall, a powerful stimulant, has a calming and focusing effect on the human nervous system afflicted with Attention Deficit Disorder, with or without hyperactivity.  Patients with ADD, otherwise unable to focus and concentrate, are capable of remarkable cognitive feats while on Adderall.  “Our production facilities are currently running at maximum capacity for Adderall utilizing all API,” sad Teva’s Neurscience spokeswoman Denise Bradley, refuting an FDA statement that marketing and production problems caused the shortage.  “Any shortage of these products in therefore a result of decisions made by industry regarding manufacturing and distribution,” said DEA spokeswoman Barbara Carreno.  DEA officials carefully dole out what’s called Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients [API}, especially the tightly controlled dextro-and levo-amphetamine salts needed to make Adderall.

            Considered a Schedule II narcotic, Adderall is tightly controlled for pharmaceutical manufacture and distribution, leaving Teva and Barr Pharmaceuticals without enough dextro- and levo-amphetamine to make the product.  While Carreno says otherwise, Teva Pharamaceuticals can’t get enough dextro- and levo-amphetamine to meet growing product demands.  Today’s shortages reflect the DEA’s ongoing paranoia about restricting controlled substances in the name of the Drug War.  It’s not rocket science to figure out that the DEA’s current API for Adderrall is insufficient, leaving countless patients scrambling to find the product.  “DEA can come back and say, ‘we agree with your forecast and issue everything you want,’ or they may come back and say, ‘we don’t think you need that much,’ and then give you 75%,” said Shire Pharmaceutical spokesman  Matt Cabrey.

            Explaining the disconnect between the drug makers and DEA, it’s obvious that mushrooming demand has drained the nation’s supply of Adderall.  Commonly used in high schools and colleges as a “cognitive enhancer,” untold numbers of students try to gain any advantage possible on standardized testing or even ordinary exams.  “I have gone to the biggest medical centers in the Los Angeles area.  I’ve called countless pharmacies and they have no pills,” said 47-year-old syndicated columnist Amy Alkon who suffers from ADD.  Without her meds, Alkon’s ability to organize her thoughts and perform her work is greatly compromised.  DEA officials can’t keep denying the role they play in not filling current prescription demands.  Whether there’s abuse of Adderall or not, the DEA can’t deny the fact that their current API to Adderall drug makers is inadequate.

            Whether it’s dealing with medical marijuana or commonly prescribed drugs like Adderall, the DEA acts independently of the consumer marketplace.  Notified about widespread shortages, the DEA has done nothing to supply Teva more amphetamine salts to make more product.  “We increase the aggregate so that we will have enough to respond to specific companies if their requests for more amphetamine salts are justified and needed,” said Carreno, admitting that the DEA has caused the shortage.  Product manufacturing and distribution have not kept pace with growing public demand.  “In every suburban high school and in colleges there is a significant underground economy around stimulants,” sad Henry Tracy, a psychologist and publisher of NeuroPerspective, a monthly publication on neurobehavioral disorders.  Tracy points out that Adderall sells on the street for about $5 to $10 a pop.

            Exploding demand for cognitive-enhancing drugs, like Adderall, have vanquished existing inventories, leading to today’s widespread shortages.  DEA officials have been negligent to afford drug makers enough amphetamine salts to keep products on the shelves.  Whether or not there’s ongoing abuse, there’s no responsible rationale to deny drug makers enough product to get legitimate drugs to market.  Adderall provides invaluable treatment for millions of patients suffering from ADD.  Instead of blaming the drug makers or lecturing about the evils of drug abuse, the DEA should supply enough API to meet current market demands.  Dealing with moral questions of potential abuse is not a valid reason to deny drug-makers enough chemicals to make FDA-approved drugs that have legitimate medical treatments.  DEA officials need to stop making excuses and get controlled chemicals to drug makers.

About the Author

John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He's editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.

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