The ongoing national shortage of Attention-Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder drugs such as Ritalin and Adderall is leaving parents worried with the start of the new school year. Local pharmacies are struggling to keep the meds in stock.
Westside Pharmacy told Central Oregon Daily News they’ve heard from concerned parents who worry how their kids can function without the correct dose.
“It could be extremely stressful trying to make it through a workday or a school day,” Westside Pharmacy Owner Kristen Erickson said. “We have parents coming in that are distraught because they don’t know how they’re going to send their kid to school and have them be successful.”
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According to the CDC, ADHD impacts more than 6 million kids nationwide, 62% of which are taking medication.
Erickson says she hasn’t been able to keep the meds people rely on stocked for nearly a year.
“People in town are calling every pharmacy they can to try and find it,” she said. “We unfortunately have to say no to taking on new patients who are just needing, you know, an Adderall or a Ritalin, we’ve had to tell people it’s not available.”
There’s no clear answer on when the stress will be alleviated. Erickson says the supply chain is backed up to manufacturers, who are struggling with DEA approval to buy raw materials.
“They’ve sort of been telling us we might have it resolved in three months, but they’ve been saying three months for a long time,” she said. “We keep pushing it out, hoping that in three months it’ll be resolved.”
Part of the shortage has been curbed in recent months, with many immediate-release medications back to hitting their shelves but extended-release medications remain in very short supply.
