Adderall shortage costing family $280 more a month it can’t afford

A nationwide shortage of drugs that treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has forced some patients to shell out hundreds more for pricey, brand-name alternatives.

A new analysis from USA Today found that the prices that retail community pharmacies pay for common ADHD medications have outpaced inflation, and in some cases, have doubled or tripled in the last year.

The Food and Drug Administration announced a shortage of Adderall in October 2022 due to “ongoing intermittent manufacturing delays” at companies that make the drug.

According to recent studies, an estimated 6 million children and 11 million adults suffer from ADHD. Adderall is a popular stimulant prescribed to improve focus and attention.

The Adderall shortage spurred patients to seek out alternatives — in turn, those ADHD meds became hard to find and prices increased.

A Delaware mom — whose husband and 17-year-old daughter also have ADHD — told USA Today that the Adderall shortage prompted their doctor to switch her daughter’s prescription to Vyvanse, the only option they could find.

The mom — whom USA Today only identified by her first name, Sam — shared that the monthly amount they pay after insurance rose from less than $20 to $300.

Without insurance, a supply of 100 capsules of Vyvanse costs around $1,306, according to Drugs.com.

GoodRx, which provides coupons for medications, says generic Vyvanse costs $100, while the brand-name Vyvanse starts at $369, which is slightly higher than the cost of brand-name Adderall.

Sam told USA Today that ADHD medication is now too expensive for herself and her husband — their daughter’s health and education are the top priorities.

“With medication and accommodations at school, my daughter is a straight-A student. Without the medication, she’s failing,” Sam explained. “It’s that stark of a difference.”

In addition to the price surge, Sam said there ends up being an “additional ADHD tax” since they have to travel far distances to pharmacies that have the drugs in stock.

“You can’t really compare it, but if there was a shortage of cancer drugs, there would be a lot more uproar than there is with the shortage of ADHD medication because people don’t seem to realize this is a disability,” Sam said. “It is very debilitating. It does have quite an impact on your quality of life.”

As far as the ADHD drug shortage goes, USA Today reports that the Drug Enforcement Administration said it has been adjusting its quota restrictions to increase production of ADHD stimulants.  

“DEA has been in communication with the relevant manufacturers, and 17 out of 18 manufacturers have informed us that they will use their allotted quota amounts and increase production of stimulant medications,” the agency wrote in a letter early last month.