March 13, 2023
During the COVID-19 pandemic, diagnoses for ADHD and related prescription rates exploded, due in part to prescriptions from telehealth providers who helped meet the need for care. This growth sent demand for ADHD medication skyrocketing. However, the supply has not yet increased accordingly, due to recent supply chain issues, and the maintenance of the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA)’s aggregate production quotas for these medications.
Consumers and manufacturers have reported that prescriptions have been unfilled for months and have called on the DEA to respond. The shortage has created difficult situations for patients as they have been forced to navigate delayed care, alternate prescriptions, potential lapses in medication stock, and dosage rationing to conserve medication.
“For months, millions of Americans, especially teenagers and young adults, have struggled to fill their ADHD prescriptions because of supply chain issues and DEA’s red tape,” said Congresswoman Sara Jacobs. “As a result, many have been forced to go weeks without their medication, affecting their performance at school and at work. That’s why I’m pushing the DEA for answers with Congresswoman Velázquez – so we can ensure that all relevant agencies and industries are working together efficiently and effectively to get the American people the medication they need.”
“In recent weeks, my office has consistently heard from constituents that can’t properly treat their ADHD due to the ongoing medication shortage. This lack of access to medication has very real consequences for the people I represent and has severe implications for peoples’ professional and personal lives,” said Congresswoman Velázquez. “It’s vital that the federal government is doing all we can to ensure that the millions of Americans with ADHD have access to the medication they need. That’s why I’m working to ensure the DEA is doing all it can to address this issue.”
The signatory list of Members includes Reps. Velázquez (NY-7), Jacobs (CA-51), Beyer (VA-8), Bowman (NY-16), Clarke (NY-11), Cleaver (MO-5), Cohen (TN-9), Espaillat (NY-13), Higgins (NY-26), Larson (CT-1), Meng (NY-6), Morelle (NY-25), Nadler (NY-12), Pocan (WI-2), Raskin (MD-8), Ryan (NY-19), Smith (WA-9), Soto (FL-9), Torres (NY-15), and Trone (MD-6).
In the letter, the lawmakers requested updates from the DEA on the following topics:
1) How the DEA remains updated on consumer demand for ADHD medication, and maintains responsiveness to this demand in setting aggregate production quotas,
2) Any existing or new mitigation plans to respond to any future economic, supply chain, or other disruptions to ADHD medication,
3) How the DEA considered consumer demand for ADHD medication in formulating new telemedicine and prescription rules.
Click here, for a copy of the full letter.
Reps. Jacobs and Velázquez Call on DEA to Act to Mitigate ADHD Medication Shortage
Rep. Sara Jacobs (D-CA)Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY) led 20 members of Congress seeking information from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) on agency plans to alleviate the nationwide shortages of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) medication.During the COVID-19 pandemic, diagnoses for ADHD and related prescription rates exploded, due in part to prescriptions from telehealth providers who helped meet the need for care. This growth sent demand for ADHD medication skyrocketing. However, the supply has not yet increased accordingly, due to recent supply chain issues, and the maintenance of the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA)’s aggregate production quotas for these medications.
Consumers and manufacturers have reported that prescriptions have been unfilled for months and have called on the DEA to respond. The shortage has created difficult situations for patients as they have been forced to navigate delayed care, alternate prescriptions, potential lapses in medication stock, and dosage rationing to conserve medication.
“For months, millions of Americans, especially teenagers and young adults, have struggled to fill their ADHD prescriptions because of supply chain issues and DEA’s red tape,” said Congresswoman Sara Jacobs. “As a result, many have been forced to go weeks without their medication, affecting their performance at school and at work. That’s why I’m pushing the DEA for answers with Congresswoman Velázquez – so we can ensure that all relevant agencies and industries are working together efficiently and effectively to get the American people the medication they need.”
“In recent weeks, my office has consistently heard from constituents that can’t properly treat their ADHD due to the ongoing medication shortage. This lack of access to medication has very real consequences for the people I represent and has severe implications for peoples’ professional and personal lives,” said Congresswoman Velázquez. “It’s vital that the federal government is doing all we can to ensure that the millions of Americans with ADHD have access to the medication they need. That’s why I’m working to ensure the DEA is doing all it can to address this issue.”
The signatory list of Members includes Reps. Velázquez (NY-7), Jacobs (CA-51), Beyer (VA-8), Bowman (NY-16), Clarke (NY-11), Cleaver (MO-5), Cohen (TN-9), Espaillat (NY-13), Higgins (NY-26), Larson (CT-1), Meng (NY-6), Morelle (NY-25), Nadler (NY-12), Pocan (WI-2), Raskin (MD-8), Ryan (NY-19), Smith (WA-9), Soto (FL-9), Torres (NY-15), and Trone (MD-6).
In the letter, the lawmakers requested updates from the DEA on the following topics:
1) How the DEA remains updated on consumer demand for ADHD medication, and maintains responsiveness to this demand in setting aggregate production quotas,
2) Any existing or new mitigation plans to respond to any future economic, supply chain, or other disruptions to ADHD medication,
3) How the DEA considered consumer demand for ADHD medication in formulating new telemedicine and prescription rules.
Click here, for a copy of the full letter.