The College Fix

Experts predict the nationwide shortage of Adderall, a controlled substance that treats attention deficit hyperactive disorder, will continue unabated for the foreseeable future. Adderall is frequently consumed by college students, many of whom do not have ADHD but believe the drug boosts their test-taking abilities. Some say the DEA’s quota is to blame:

The DEA sets its aggregate quota at the beginning of each year, taking into account past quota levels, inventory levels and company sales forecasts. But the DEA’s assessment of what a company needs may not be the same as the company’s own estimates. It is an ongoing process of negotiation.

“DEA can come back and say, ‘we agree with your forecast and issue everything you want,’ or they may come back and say ‘we don’t think you need that much,’ and they give you 75 percent,” said Matt Cabrey, a spokesman for Shire.

Early last year, Shire suffered shortages of Adderall XR. “It was directly related to the API quota,” Cabrey said. In June 2010, Shire calculated that API was running too low. It applied to the DEA for more, but did not receive the additional supply until December. It typically takes Shire three months to then make the product and get it to customers.

The news story also noted the drug’s popularity–and illegal use– among college students and even high school students:

“In every suburban high school and in colleges there is a significant underground economy around stimulants,” said Harry Tracy, a psychologist and publisher of NeuroPerspective, a monthly publication focusing on central nervous system disorders. “Adderall can go for $5 to $10 a pop.”

Physicians say it can be challenging to sort out who is a legitimate patient and who might seek the drug simply to enhance performance.

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