Adderall usage so high post-lockdown, there’s a shortage: CDC alert

As the US Adderall shortage continues, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a report Thursday that noted a boom in prescriptions for the stimulant between 2020 and 2021.

The CDC found that prescriptions for stimulants like Adderall – a drug made from amphetamine salts, used to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder – increased among American adults by over 10% during the pandemic.

Using market data, the CDC analyzed claims from unidentifiable patients enrolled in employer-sponsored insurance to look at the number of people taking stimulants.

Specifically, they found that women ages 20 to 24 saw a nearly 20% spike in prescriptions between 2020 and 2021, while the percentage of men in the same age group only jumped about 4%.

The results coincide with a startling trend of women who are self-diagnosing ADHD, as others continue to share their symptoms online. Meanwhile, medical professionals have warned not to rely on social media to receive a diagnosis and urged people to seek a clinician’s advice.

“The large increase in the percentage of adults receiving prescription stimulants during the COVID-19 pandemic draws attention to the need for clinical practice guidelines for ADHD in adults,” the CDC study authors wrote, urging for more comprehensive diagnostic guidelines for clinicians.

The authors surmised that the pandemic’s negative effects on mental health might have spurred the trend and “exacerbated ADHD symptoms.”

Their report comes amid a nationwide Adderall shortage, as suppliers struggle to keep up with increased demand. While the Food and Drug Administration no longer notes a true “shortage” of the brand-name medication, generic versions remain impacted by purported manufacturing delays that began last fall.

The authors of the CDC study also noted the lack of procedural guidance for treating adults with ADHD, while there are “well-established” ones for children and adolescents already.

ADHD is considered one of the most common disorders in childhood neurodevelopment, per the agency, and is most often diagnosed at a young age — although some experts have suggested that girls are more often overlooked for diagnosis as symptoms tend to appear more overtly in boys.

Currently, 8 million American adults are estimated to have the disorder.

“This gap in guidance for adult ADHD care is a public health concern because of challenges associated with the differential diagnosis of ADHD and general inadequate access to mental health providers trained to diagnose and manage ADHD,” the authors continued.

They argued that stimulants are just one avenue of treatment for people with ADHD, whose symptoms include difficulty focusing, holding attention, controlling impulses and sitting still. The array of stimulant medications used to treat the disorder – Vyvanse, Adderall, Concerta and Ritalin, to name a few – may be accompanied by adverse side effects.

Stimulants can cause appetite loss, difficulty sleeping, anxiety, blood pressure and heart rate changes and more. Drug misuse was also suggested among other “potential harms” noted by the CDC.

It’s estimated that 5 million Americans are using prescription stimulants off-label.

“Clinical guidelines similar to those developed for children and adolescents by pediatric medical associations could help clinicians provide best practice care for adult ADHD and support their patients to achieve better outcomes,” the authors concluded.

Their plea follows the reinstatement of tightened requirements on painkillers and other drugs, such as Adderall. Last month, the Biden administration announced its plan to restrict access to controlled substances, or drugs that are most likely to be abused, which includes stimulants.

The Drug Enforcement Administration said the new guidelines will force patients to see a doctor in-person at least one time to receive a prescription — a blow to the convenience of telehealth popularized by the pandemic.