Weathering the ADHD Shortage: Implications for Care
You’ve probably heard the buzz about stimulant shortages in the U.S. and the subsequent consequences.
However, we have likely only seen the beginning of those consequences.
For example, providers are having to field MANY calls everyday as their clients’ prescriptions cannot be transferred due to Drug Enforcement Agency rules. Let me show you how this goes down:
See your provider.
Provider sends an encrypted prescription to your selected pharmacy.
Pharmacy says they do not have the med. It cannot be transferred.
Client calls provider and reports that their pharmacy does not have the med and they do not know what to do.
Provider cannot call all pharmacies to see who might have it. Client is informed to call around.
Client finds a pharmacy that *might* have it as supplies are inconsistent and ever-changing.
Provider sends the prescription again to XYZ pharmacies.
This creates a lot of undue stress on the client who already may have trouble from not having meds and providers and staff cannot keep up either.
That is only the short-term issue. Long-term, what can this mean for clients with ADHD?
One consideration is that persons with ADHD are more likely to be in a car accident (1). Given our reliance on vehicles due to American infrastructure, most people have to be able to drive and do so safely. If people cannot get their meds and thus cannot function enough to drive safely, let alone perform their daily work, what are the alternatives?
What are the consequences of not being able to get important medications in terms of impact on other mental health areas? Increased anxiety, depression, and more would be expected in these circumstances. It is common knowledge that those symptoms have negative effects on many parts of a person’s life and the community as a whole.
If the meds in question were for, let’s see, high blood pressure, infections, or a chronic condition, the American medical community would be outraged.
The shortage is a prime example of how mental health is undermined and undervalued in American medicine. Some entities want to blame over-prescribing instead of holding modern medicine and other players in this game accountable.
What can you do in the meantime?
The gold standard in ADHD is stimulant therapy. There are non-stimulant options that are effective for a lot of people. Examples are Strattera, Qelbree, Guanfacine, Clonidine, and more. A non-amphetamine drug named modafinil has been used off-label in ADHD treatment as well.
While these may not be a replacement for some clients, they deserve some consideration until this mess is sorted out.
Further insight and information can be found in this article https://www.additudemag.com/adderall-shortage-update-adhd-medication-tips/
Follow us for more information as we will soon discuss the stimulant prescribing rules in Ohio and how they gate-keep qualified providers from providing quality care to clients.
Contact Spectrum Mental Health Care today to see how we can support you.
We offer telehealth and in-person care for psychiatry and therapy in Ohio with minimal wait times.
