Drugs to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and attention deficit disorder (ADD) are in short supply. Because these drugs are considered Schedule IV controlled substances, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has to decide how much is manufactured. Recently, the DEA announced it will have manufacturers increase production of methylphenidate drugs such as Ritalin by 12 percent to make up for the shortfall. In addition, production of amphetamine drugs such as Adderall to treat ADHD/ADD will be increased by more than 30 percent, according to the DEA.

Experts believe the shortage is being caused by both the number of prescriptions written for these drugs and the illegal use among people who have become addicted.  According to the DEA, controlled substances are assigned a schedule number based on the likelihood of potential abuse and addiction. Schedule I has the most potential for abuse and schedule V has the lowest potential. In addition to ADHD drugs, other examples of Schedule IV controlled substances include diazepam (Valium), alprazolam (Xanax) and lorazepam (Ativan).

There is no question that ADHD/ADD drugs have become big business. IMS Health, a drug information company, reports that 51.5 million prescriptions for these drugs were written in 2010, with total sales of $7.42 billion—an increase of 83 percent from 2006. It is not known whether this recent increase in manufacturing will take care of the shortage.

DEA spokesperson Barbara Carreno explains, “The DEA is tasked with making sure there is enough for legitimate need without making so much it is diverted for illicit purposes. So we try to ascertain the legitimate medical need in America and make sure there is enough out there to meet it.” The DEA has reported an increase in  the number of students who “abuse [these drugs] in college and then continue to abuse [them] nonmedically once they leave,” according to a January New York Times report.

Methylphenidate drugs are stimulants. The Natural Standard Research Collaboration, a Wellness Times resource partner, states that because central-nervous stimulants are “highly addictive and have euphoric effects on the brain, they are often abused and taken as recreational drugs. Long-term abuse of stimulants can cause changes in the brain and lead to serious health problems, including severe mental illness and memory loss.”

To listen to an interview about non-drug solutions for ADHD with pediatric expert Matthew Baral, MD, click here.

For more information about the new guidelines associated with methylphenidate use among preschoolers, click here.