I'm glad there's no obvious shortage in Canada, this stuff has a tendency to spill over from America. I finally I was to get prescribed and it definitely works for me. 20mg of Sandoz XR, it's like magic.
We had a significant increase in ADHD diagnosis during the pandemic, because telehealth is much more approachable for people with untreated ADHD.
Despite that increase, the DEA refused to increase the arbitrary limit for how much Adderall can be manufactured in the US. So we have an entirely avoidable shortage on our hands.
And, in typical fashion, the DEA responds to the problem in nearly the worst way possible: they announced new regulations to stop telehealth providers from writing new prescriptions for ADHD meds. I suppose this keeps the shortage from getting worse, but that’s about it.
Its bad because the pre-existing rules were bad and should have been changed instead of merely suspended based on the pandemic.
It really is a super frustrating situation. Because of the tight controls on the drug, prescriptions are almost always sent electronically from provider to pharmacy, and any changes or transfers must go through the provider. Most providers aren't going to play whack-a-mole by continuing to transfer the script, and as the article implies, changing medication type (Ritalin/Adderall/Vyvanse) or IR/XR can have significant impact on the effectiveness and potential side-effects. Responsible providers aren't just going to flip/flop medications without at least a consultation.
Very different from where I live in Canada. I just get a written script and can take it wherever I like. The pharmacy submits the info to the provincial drug tracking program to make sure it's all kosher and when it is I'm on my way.
If a pharmacy every refused to fill it I could just take the script elsewhere.
Anecdotally, this definitely rings true. I recently moved from Dallas-Fort Worth to a VERY rural part of west Texas (population >2000). The only pharmacy within an hours drive, which is 30 minutes away in a town of ~20,000 has filled my prescription regularly. Back in DFW I know of three different people who have been unable to get their Adderall filled for months. And there's a pharmacy practically on every corner out there.