The FDA posted a national drug shortage warning of Adderall generics Oct. 12, confirming reports from pharmacy organizations that have struggled to access the product since mid-August.
A majority of local pharmacy leaders said in August poll they were facing supply issues with the attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder treatment. A few weeks later, the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists identified four drugmakers with the generic on back-order.
That list has swelled to 28 products of immediate-release and extended-release tablets across six drug companies.
Teva Pharmaceuticals, the largest Adderall supplier in the U.S., originally said it expected supply levels to normalize in weeks, but the FDA's drug shortage site forecasts five of Teva's seven back-ordered products not recovering until March.
A Teva spokesperson told Becker's the issue is the result of a previous labor shortage but said the drugmaker is "fully committed to uninterrupted supply and continuing to manufacture and distribute as much product as possible each day."
Multiple hospital pharmacy directors have told Becker's the shortage is mainly affecting retail pharmacies. Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Duke Health, a Durham, N.C.-based system, said some of its outpatient pediatric patients have felt the shortage.
"The Duke Children's Outpatient Pharmacy has not had any interruptions in related therapies," the spokesperson said. "We are monitoring the shortage and coordinating closely with patients and their caregivers to make sure therapy continues. This includes adjusting a patient's prescription to align with what is available on the market, if needed."
Editor's note: This story was updated Oct. 19 to include a response from Teva Pharmaceuticals.