Drug manufacturers have agreed to increase their production of stimulant medications like Adderall to help address the ongoing shortage in the U.S., with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) making changes to its quota process.
The U.S. is experiencing a shortage of several stimulant drugs, including Adderall, Ritalin and Vyvanse. The Adderall shortage has gone on for more than a year now, impacting the thousands who rely on it for school or work.
Outside of work or school, stimulant drugs also help children regulate their mood and sleep, both of which can be affected if they suddenly stop taking their medication.
In a Friday letter addressed to the public, DEA Administrator Anne Milgram stated her agency and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recognize the "important role that prescription stimulants play in the treatment of conditions such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), binge eating disorder, and narcolepsy."
She emphasized that the DEA does not itself manufacture drugs and cannot compel a pharmaceutical company to make a drug, make more of a drug or change its distribution.
She further noted that manufacturers in 2022 did not produce the complete amount of stimulants they were permitted to produce, leading to a shortfall of 1 billion doses not made. Data from this year has indicated a similar trend.
After communicating with 18 relevant manufacturers, Milgram said 17 had agreed to use their given quota amounts and increase the production of stimulants. A time frame of when these substances will become available at pharmacies is still being determined.
Along with this action, Milgram shared steps the DEA was taking to increase transparency among drugmakers including requiring them to submit anticipated production timelines to the DEA before they receive their quota allotments; requiring manufacturers to apply for such allotments on a quarterly basis as opposed to annually; requiring digital reporting on how much of a drug is being produced and shipped; specifying whether a company's quota allotment is for domestic production or export.
"These changes are designed to help us see shortages coming and adjust more quickly over the long run," Milgram wrote. "We are also taking steps to reduce the burden on patients."
"DEA is committed to ensuring that patients who need stimulant medications have access to them and to ensuring that these drugs are being prescribed thoughtfully and responsibly, and we will continue working with our partners inside and outside of government to do so."
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