State officials are worried about the impact of a shortage of prescription stimulant medication used to manage conditions such as ADHD.
A number of factors have fueled the year-long shortage, including the COVID-19 pandemic.
COVID shutdowns prompted a sharp increase in the diagnosis of ADHD and prescribing of ADHD treatment medications.
“In addition, there were obviously manufacturing delays as we saw throughout COVID with many different companies. So Teva, which is one of the number one producing companies for Adderall, had a manufacturing shortage. So this was a rippling effect,” said Division of Public Health epidemiologist Katie Capelli.
Some struggling to access the medication they need to get through the day are turning to alternative and possibly dangerous sources.
Capelli says their biggest worry is college-aged students who are away from home and have limited access to pharmacies.
“They already can't get over a 30-day supply of Adderall. So when they're out after 30 days they might be desperate to study or just to maintain focus and look to get that medication from a friend or family, which we know that's where most misuse does happen.”
Students may turn to online sources to buy counterfeit medication. In 2022 alone, over 50.6 million fake pills were seized by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
“6 out of 10 pills that were laced with fentanyl had very high amounts of fentanyl that could cause an overdose. So we have a counterfeit drug problem, an abundance of counterfeit drugs, we don't know what's in these counterfeit drugs, and they look exactly like Adderall.”
Nationwide, 44% of overdose deaths last year were from substances containing stimulants like cocaine and methamphetamine.
DPH is working with colleges to distribute harm reduction tools, like Narcan and fentanyl testing strips, to help combat potential overdoses from counterfeit stimulant use.
They also want to remind Delawareans that the only safe source of prescription medications is from official providers, like pharmacies.
According to the DEA, approximately 56-80% of the population reported that they obtained stimulants from friends or family members.
Providers are being asked to educate patients and their family members on the potential risks of misuse of prescription stimulants, and on how to safely store and dispose of them.
It is also important to screen patients for stimulant use disorders before prescribing stimulants.
The 18-25 age group is particularly vulnerable to misuse of this medication, but youth aged 14-19 have been increasingly exposed to illicit drug use.
Overdose deaths among that groupincreased significantly from 2019 to 2021, with over 25% of the deaths caused by counterfeit pills mimicking prescription medications.
Social media pages and other online sources selling these fake pills are actively targeting youth.
Parents should stay vigilant, especially if their child is being affected by the prescription stimulant shortage.
Capelli points to HelpIsHereDE.com as a source for parents, youth, and anyone struggling with substance abuse or their mental health.
