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CNN
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Prescriptions for stimulants, commonly used to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, surged during the pandemic, especially among adults, a new study finds.
The findings stem from months of shortages of Adderall, one of the popular ADHD medications, due in part to high demand.
Diagnosis of ADHD has become more common in recent decades, and prescriptions for the most commonly used stimulants to treat neurodevelopmental disorders have also increased. But a new report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention highlights the recent surge in demand for this and similar drugs.
From 2016 to 2020, the proportion of the population filling stimulant prescriptions remained relatively stable. However, 2021 saw a significant increase, with prescriptions for most age groups increasing by more than 10%.
Overall, a CDC analysis of private insurance records shows that more than 4% of people ages 5 to 64 filled prescriptions for methamphetamine in 2021, up from 3.8% in 2020. . Have an ADHD diagnosis or are being treated for symptoms of the disorder.
ADHD is usually identified in childhood and is more common in boys. A CDC analysis found that stimulant prescriptions were consistently most common in boys from age 5 to age 19.
However, the largest annual increase in 2021 was in adults, especially women in their 20s and 30s.
There are well-established clinical guidelines for ADHD care in children and adolescents, with an overview of symptoms indicative of persistent patterns of inattention or hyperactive impulsivity. There is growing awareness of her ADHD in adults, but no equivalent playbook exists for adults.
Guidance gaps for adults are one of public health concerns, researchers say, due to “general inadequate access to mental health providers trained in diagnosing and managing ADHD.” is.
“The development of clinical recommendations for the diagnosis and management of ADHD in adults may help guide safe and appropriate stimulant prescribing,” they wrote.
While stimulants can provide “substantial benefits” for people with ADHD, they also have potential harms such as misuse and overdose. Died of a stimulant overdose. Deaths from methamphetamine, the leading drug implicated, have nearly doubled since 2019.
The sharp rise in methamphetamine prescriptions during the pandemic has also cast doubt on the role of telemedicine.
Expanding access to telemedicine during the pandemic could have removed barriers and encouraged more people to seek care.
However, according to researchers, it may also increase the likelihood of improper evaluation and inappropriate stimulant prescription.
“Evaluation of policies enacted during the pandemic may identify the benefits and harms of those policies,” they wrote.
Some people using stimulants for ADHD struggle for months to fill their prescriptions.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced an Adderall shortage on October 12, 2022. The agency said it is in contact with all manufacturers of amphetamine mixed salts, one of which is “experiencing ongoing and intermittent production delays.” Other manufacturers continue to make the drug, but “there is not enough supply to continue to meet the demand of the U.S. market through these manufacturers,” the agency said.
Agency spokesperson Jim McKinney told CNN last month that manufacturing delays have been resolved and the shortage is now “demand-driven.”
On its website, the FDA lists eight manufacturers who have reported shortages of Adderall to the FDA. The website lists reasons for shortages for some versions of the drug, such as ‘increased demand’ and ‘lack of active ingredient’, while other versions are listed as ‘other’ or No reason given at all.
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