Because of the Adderallshortage, prescriptions for other types of stimulant drugs used in ADHD treatment increased, according to study results. Adobe Stock/HealthDay Adderall shortages have prompted doctors to switch kids with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder to other forms of stimulant medication.
Adderall prescription fills for children and teens plunged after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced a shortage of the drug in October 2022, researchers reported in a new study published Monday in the journal Pediatrics.
But at the same time, prescriptions for other types of stimulant drugs used in ADHD treatment increased, according to study results.
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"Our findings suggest that the Adderall shortage did not cause many children to stop stimulant therapy altogether, but it did force some to switch to alternative stimulants," lead investigator Sijia He , a researcher at the Susan B. Meister Child Health Evaluation and Research Center in the University of Michigan, said in a news release.
It’s too soon to tell whether these alternative stimulants wound up being a good or bad thing for children with ADHD, He noted.
"This would be potentially concerning if the switches may have resulted in worsened ADHD control," He said. "We need more research to evaluate whether any switches led to adverse outcomes."
More than 11% of children will be diagnosed with ADHD at some point during their lives, and prescription stimulants are considered a first-line treatment when drugs are required, researchers said in background notes.
AdvertisementStimulants are the most widely used ADHD medication, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As many as 80% of children have fewer ADHD symptoms when taking these meds.For the study, researchers analyzed trends in stimulant prescriptions among children between the ages of 5 and 17, using national data that captures 92% of U.S. prescriptions.Results showed that the monthly stimulant dispensing rate to children declined by nearly 19% in March 2020, at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, compared to January 2017.After that, the rate slowly edged up every month until the Adderall shortage was announced in October 2022, researchers said.AdvertisementAfter that, dispensing rates for Adderall decreased while rates for a substitute drug called dexmethylphenidate ( […]
Adderall shortage sparks scramble for ADHD medication alternatives
