A new report finds that more than 15 million adults in the U.S. have been diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, and nearly three-quarters of those taking medication for treatment say the medication lacks help. Their ability to achieve is being hindered.

According to experts, ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder Which affects a person’s behavior, memory, motor skills, or ability to learn. A national survey conducted last year by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that 6 percent of adults have a current diagnosis of the disorder — which is common and can affect people of all ages, with symptoms typically beginning in early life. are—and just over half (about 56 percent) received this diagnosis in adulthood. Even though there is no cure, treatment options for ADHD help manage its symptoms, which can sometimes include violent outbursts, inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity.

Doctors say treatment often involves a combination of therapy and medication.

“Nearly half (50.4 percent) of adults with ADHD were prescribed medications to treat their ADHD during the past 12 months,” said a team led by Dr. Brooke Staley of CDC’s National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities. ” A study published in the journal Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

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Most drug treatments included the simulant drugs Ritalin, Vyvanse, Concerta, or Adderall. But the study also found that recent shortages of these medications are affecting most adult ADHD patients. “Among adults who reported taking a stimulant medication, 71.5 percent reported difficulty filling their ADHD prescription during the past 12 months because their medication was not available,” the CDC team said.

This can cause real problems for patients, the report’s authors said, because appropriate medication is linked to “reducing the risk of social and emotional harm, unintentional injuries, substance use disorders, and death from unnatural causes.”

People who cannot obtain their ADHD medications through normal means may attempt to purchase them over the Internet or elsewhere, “increasing their risk of overdose due to the proliferation of counterfeit pills in the illicit drug market, which contain unpredictable substances.” “May contain substances such as fentanyl,” the team added.

ADHD medications are always in short supply

According to the FDA, ADHD medication shortages have plagued American patients for years. The FDA first warned of a short supply of Adderall in October 2022 as its manufacturing company grappled with delays. However, the US Drug Enforcement Administration gave Takeda, the maker of Vyvanse, approval to make more of the drug as shortages of ADHD drugs continue.

The new report notes that nearly half (46 percent) of ADHD patients said they have used telehealth services, including nearly 1 in 10 patients who said they received their ADHD diagnosis through telehealth services. have received. About 30 percent said they also found it helpful to access ADHD medications and/or counseling this way.

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