Increasing Adderall shortage across U.S. creates concern

Stinnett O’Colly Contributor

The shortage of Adderall in the United States shows few signs of stopping soon.

In October, the Food and Drug Administration announced a national shortage of mixed amphetamine salts, the active ingredient in medications that treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. This shortage includes Adderall, one of the most commonly prescribed stimulant medications.

Seven months have passed since the shortage was announced, yet little has changed.

In an update from May 6, experts stated they expect some medications to restock early-to-mid-May.

“There is not sufficient supply to continue to meet U.S. market demand through those producers,” the FDA said in a statement.

“We will continue to monitor supply and assist manufacturers with anything needed to resolve the shortage and will update our website with new supply information as it becomes available.”

41.2 million Americans were prescribed Adderall in 2021, according to IQVIA, a health research firm. The shortage has resulted in people not receiving the correct amount of prescriptions filled, being told to wait until the pharmacy restocks their medications or being offered different ADHD medications.

Medication shortages are not uncommon. The FDA has a database of medications currently in short supply. What makes the Adderall shortage a prominent topic of concern is the large number of people who rely on the drug to function.

The shortage is frustrating for ADHD patients who are prescribed Adderall. Elizabeth Chandler, a junior at Oklahoma State University, expressed how hard it has been to get her prescription filled over the past seven months.

“Every time I go to the pharmacy, I am disappointed,” Chandler said. “It takes days to get my meds, and then when the prescription is finally ready, it’s not what I expect. Sometimes I go to the pharmacy and only get half of the pills I am supposed to.”

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OSU coach Josh Holliday said the process for McLean is to take it day-by-day after Friday’s outing. Holliday said he’s not wanting to rush McLean back into a role he is not ready for, which is why he started at designated hitter instead of in the field. Holliday said it is important to have McLean back.

“Nolan’s a freakin’ two-way All-American,” Holliday said. “Take that off any sports team, it leaves a void. He was leading the nation in saves at the time he got hurt and he’s been an All-American offensively. So, he’s a very unique player, to get him back and reintroduced into the team will be invaluable to us.”

Being out wasn’t the easiest thing for McLean. Aside from the joystick and messing around with his teammates, he channeled a different perspective on the bench. He said he did whatever he could to support his team while he was out.

“It was tough. It’s gonna be tough for anybody stepping away from something you love,” McLean said. “I guess, even in baseball, it was a short time, only about a month or so. But, I just did whatever I could, I tried to be the best teammate I could be. Even though I couldn’t contribute on the field, I was trying to contribute in the dugout and clubhouse and anywhere else I could.” sports.ed@ocolly.com

Bedlam...

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“I think we need to make quicker adjustments at the plate for sure,” OSU pitcher Lexi Kilfoyl said.

“Just picking each other up at the plate, letting each other know, ‘Hey, this is what I saw.’”

The Cowgirls’ issues were on display as soon as the first pitch was thrown. OSU went hitless in the first inning. The Cowgirls were able to get two hits in the second, but neither was able to get home, and OSU remained scoreless until the sixth inning when first baseman Micaela Wark doubled and batted in OSU’s only run.

The Cowgirls are a lock to get into the postsea- son, but they want to take advantage of their time in the Big 12 Championship to figure out the offense. sports.ed@ocolly.com

“I think we can look at, not only the bad stuff but the good stuff and realize what we did and take that forward as well,” Kilfoyl said.

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Chase Adkison didn’t start OSU’s offensive surge with a big hit. After a scoreless first inning, OSU catcher Chase Adkison picked up the first of 13 Cowboy walks, which was followed with two more walks and five hits. And everyone got in on it.

That was the case all night for OSU in its 17-7 win against East Tennessee State at O’Brate Stadium on Saturday night. Lots of hits. Lots of walks. The 13 walks were the most for the Cowboys in a game this season.

“You walk because you’re a good hitter and they’re afraid to pitch to you, and you have the discipline to not swing at the ball,” OSU coach Josh Holliday said.

David Mendham, Marcus Brown and Roc Riggio all had RBI singles, and center fielder Zach Ehrhard walked in a run. Right fielder Carson Benge closed the inning with a two-RBI double that gave the Cowboys (32-14, 11-7 Big 12) a 6-1 lead.

Benge finished with three RBI and two doubles – his first doubles in 19 games, dating back to Texas on March 31.

“Carson Benge was more like himself,” Holliday said. On the mound, Nolan McLean entered in the fifth inning – his first appearance since March 24. McLean went three innings, allowing five hits and three runs.

OSU only outhit ETSU 15-12, but the Cowboys’ walks helped stretch the lead. Designated hitter Colin Brueggemann, the only Cowboy in the starting lineup to not record a hit, made five plate appearances and was walked four times, crossing home plate twice.

“(Brueggemann’s) unique,” Holliday said. “He’s 6-foot-7, and he’s got skill to hit. He doesn’t chase the zone, hits liners all over the field. Home runs will come, and when they come, they may come in bunches.” sports.ed@ocolly.com

It wasn’t all just singles and walks, though. Adkison hit a grand slam in the sixth inning – just his fifth homer of the season. Adkison finished with a game-high six RBI.

“Just a lot of guys reaching base, doing good things that a team needs to do to win,” Holliday said.

Adderall...

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Many people affected by the shortage claim that when they receive their prescriptions, they don’t work like they are supposed to because they cannot take their medication consistently.

“I finally felt like I was getting some relief from my ADHD by taking Adderall,” Chandler said. “I feel like a lot of that progress has been ruined because there are times when I go days or even weeks without being able to get my meds from the pharmacy because of the shortage. It really has been a bummer.”

The Adderall shortage has made ADHD a significant topic of discussion in the news, on social media and in the scientific community. The disorder seems to be more prevalent than ever before. A study from the Centers for Disease Control found there has been a recent increase in recognition of ADHD in adults, resulting in more stimulant medications being prescribed.

“The percentages of females aged 15–44 years and males aged 25–44 years with prescription stimulant fills increased by more than 10% during 2020–2021,” the study states. “Across all years, the percentages of male and female enrollees with one or more prescription stimulant fills were highest among those aged 5–19 and 15–24 years, respectively.”

The study also showed there has been a significant increase in the number of females prescribed stimulant medications. Since the diagnosis was formally adopted in 1987, women have been less likely to be diagnosed with ADHD.

“Studies suggest that females with ADHD present with differences in their profile of symptoms, comorbidity and associated functioning compared with males,” a study from

Psychiatry at Bostom Medical Center said.

The CDC study showed that in recent years, women have been diagnosed with ADHD and prescribed stimulant medications at a much higher rate than before.

Improved methods of diagnosis, increased healthcare opportunities and social media have led to more people seeking treatment for their ADHD symptoms. Social media seems to have the largest impact on women.

TikTok has become a platform where women diagnosed with ADHD share symptoms and ways they cope with the disorder. This, in turn, helps other women who may also identify with those symptoms seek a diagnosis. #adhd and #adhdinwomen have been popular on TikTok since it was released in 2019. news.ed@ocolly.com

Men are more likely than women to be diagnosed with ADHD in childhood. But gender is not the only factor that could increase a child’s likelihood of being diagnosed with ADHD.

A 2018 New England Journal of Medicine study found that children born in August are 30% more likely to receive an ADHD diagnosis.