ARKANSAS, USA — The nationwide Adderall shortage has people scrambling to find their needed medication. This doesn’t just affect patients as pharmacies are having trouble as well.
"We can't fill a full prescription," said Medical Arts Pharmacist Julie Stewart while showing nearly empty bottles of Adderall.
Stewart says they've been dealing with this problem for months.
"Pretty much everything across the board, all the generic combinations and everything is out of order," said Stewart. "We try every day to order and every day the medications are out of stock."
Medical Arts Pharmacy isn't the only pharmacy dealing with the shortage.
"It's nationwide, it's not just our pharmacy," Stewart said.
"I'm incredibly frustrated," said Laila Mullen. She has prescribed Adderall in November whenever she began to feel the impact of the shortage.
"I've called probably 50 pharmacies between Bentonville and Fort Smith," Mullin said.
In October, the Federal Drug Administration announced Teva Pharmaceuticals—which manufactures about half of the U.S. supply of the drug commonly used to treat ADHD—is having "intermittent manufacturing issues."
"While it is not a lifesaving medication, it is a life-altering medication," said Fayetteville Health Officer & Pediatrician Dr. Marti Sharkey.
Sharkey says this can impact kids at school and adults and teens at work.
"It makes it harder to do my job," Mullin said. "It makes it harder to live day-to-day."
Dr. Sharkey recommends that if you can't find any Adderall, ask your doctor for an alternative. But even that may not be possible.
Other companies also make generic Adderall, but the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists says they can't produce enough to make up for the shortfall from Teva.
"Adderall isn't available and some of these other medications are being prescribed," Stewart said.
"Now, some of those are becoming unavailable because the supply can't keep up with the demand," says Stewart
Dr. Sharkey says to help ration some of the medication, you can just take it during the week. "For some people that is a safe and effective way to manage their ADHD," Sharkey said.
Pharmacies also told 5NEWS that there is still some supply of the name brand Adderall. However, many can't afford it and their insurance doesn't cover it.
They also tell 5NEWS, it's just not Adderall that some pharmacies are in short supply. They're also looking for cold and cough medicine and Amoxicillin.
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