Health
Arrests of telehealth executives could worsen ADHD drug shortage, CDC warns
Topline
The arrests of two executives from a major telehealth drug company could worsen a nearly two-year shortage of ADHD drugs and disrupt care for more than 50,000 patients nationwide, but the CDC warns against turning to the illicit drug market as an alternative to search.
The drug Adderall on a table.
Key facts
Following Thursday’s arrests of two telehealth executives who worked with the company Done Global Inc., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a health advice warning that America’s drug shortage for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) could worsen.
The arrests could disrupt the care not only of patients using Done Global, but also of patients using other subscription-based telehealth services.
Several ADHD medications are in one shortage for nearly two years, including Adderall, Zenzedi, Ritalin, Focalin and Vyvanse, according to the Food and Drug Administration’s drug shortage database.
According to the CDC’s health advisory, a disruption involving such a telehealth company could impact between 30,000 and 50,000 Americans ages 18 and older in all 50 states.
The agency warned patients seeking medical care outside regulated health care systems that the shortage “significantly increases their risk” of overdose from counterfeit pills laced with substances such as fentanyl sold on the illicit drug market.
Untreated ADHD is also associated with unfavorable outcomes– including drug abuse, alcohol abuse, unintentional injuries, suicide and gambling problems – which is why the CDC advises health care providers to communicate these risks to patients and provide further assistance.
Large number
8.7 million. That’s the number of American adults estimated to have ADHD in 2021 study published in the Journal of Managed Care & Specialty Pharmacy.
Important background
Ruthia He, the founder and CEO of Done Global, and David Brody, the company’s clinical president, were both arrested Thursday in connection with their “alleged participation in a scheme to distribute Adderall over the Internet, conspiring to commit health care fraud in connection with submitting false and fraudulent claims for reimbursement of Adderall and other stimulants and obstruction of justice,” according to to the Ministry of Justice. The DOJ alleges that He and Brody exploited the COVID-19 pandemic to develop a $100 million scheme to provide easy access to Adderall without a “legitimate medical purpose,” and to defraud taxpayers. Done allegedly prescribed more than 40 million pills of Adderall and other stimulants, according to the DOJ. If convicted, he and Brody each face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison on charges of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and distribution of a controlled substance. Prescriptions for medications to treat ADHD increased between 2016 and 2021, with the largest increase of 10% across all age groups between 2020 and 2021 – according to a 2023 study. study conducted by the CDC. Forbes has reached out to Done Global for comment.
Tangent
The CDC’s warning comes after the FDA said the ADHD medication range had improved in May. Adderall was the first drug listed as being in a shortage in October 2022. The FDA accused “increased prescribing that may be related to the growth of telemedicine, supply chain issues, manufacturing and quality issues, and manufacturers’ business decisions” as contributing to the ongoing shortages. It also accused manufacturers such as Teva Pharmaceuticals – the maker of Adderall – of failing to meet market demand. That demand may continue to increase: the FDA predicts Medical use of Adderall, Ritalin, Vyvanse and other medications to treat ADHD and other diagnoses will increase 3.1% in the US by 2024.
Read further
Ritalin Drug Shortage Explained: Low Adderall Stock and Prescription Startups Fueled the Crisis (Forbes)
The shortage of ADHD drugs is showing signs of easing, but some patients are still struggling (NBC News)
