MOSCOW, Pa. — Allyson Favuzza normally wouldn't bat an eye at a request to refill a prescription of Adderall for one of her patients.
But recently, she knows that typically routine request might come with some complications.
"It's odd. This isn't something we used to deal with five, six, seven years ago. If I sent a prescription, the pharmacy had it[...]unless it was some very rare drug. But even if that was the case, the pharmacist could get it from the manufacturer and overnight it the next day," Favuzza said.
Favuzza owns Hometown Health Care of NEPA in Covington Township.
She started having trouble finding Adderall for her patients a few months ago, long before the FDA officially confirmed the shortage in mid-October.
"There's so much of a demand right now and such a short supply that maybe I would send a prescription to one pharmacy, and by the time you got there, the pharmacy already dispensed it to another patient, and then we would be kind of chasing the medication around the city or the area."
Drug manufacturers are seeing supply delays, thanks, in part, to labor shortages.
But there's also been a steadily growing demand for Adderall in recent years. ADHD is now higher on the radar for parents and schools, and more children are getting diagnosed. Recreational use of the stimulant may also be contributing to the high demand.
Since it's a controlled substance, switching to an alternative isn't always simple. And it can be expensive too. Insurance companies might not cover the switch.
"It means a lot for my patients. I mean, if they're on a medication that they're well controlled on for a while, and all of a sudden you can't get it, obviously stopping the medication abruptly for chronic illnesses is not advised," Favuzza said.
Favuzza is also now worrying about what's next. She had a hard time finding amoxicillin the other day, a medicine commonly used to treat ear and sinus infections in kids.
"I was a little taken aback when I got a call from a pharmacy that said we don't have amoxicillin. I mean, that's a pretty basic medication."
Sure enough, manufacturers are reporting supply concerns.
The FDA says it is working with pharmaceutical companies to address the problem before it gets worse.
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