FILE IMAGE - Adderall is pictured in a pharmacy on Sept. 19, 2012 (Photo by Vince Talotta/Toronto Star via Getty Images) WASHINGTON - The U.S.
Food and Drug Administration this week declared a nationwide shortage of Adderall, a prescription medication used primarily to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).The FDA on Wednesday posted a shortage of the immediate-release version of amphetamine-mixed salts.
Adderall is the common trade name for the FDA-approved combination drug, which is also used to treat sleep disorder narcolepsy.The largest Adderall manufacturer in the U.S., Teva Pharmaceuticals, has been experiencing "ongoing intermittent manufacturing delays," the FDA said.
Other manufacturers have continued to produce alternative versions, but not at the level "to meet U.S. market demand," the agency added.The FDA said that until supply is restored, patients can seek alternative treatments, including the extended-release version of the drug.