More than 15 million adults in the US have been diagnosed with Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder or ADHD, and nearly three-quarters of those taking medication for treatment say drug shortages are obstructing their ability to get help, a new report has found.

According to experts, ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects a person's behaviour, memory, motor skills, or ability to learn. A national survey conducted by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last fall found that 6 per cent of adults have a current diagnosis of the disorder – which is common and can affect people of all ages with symptoms usually starting in early life - and just over half (about 56 per cent) received that diagnosis in adulthood. Even though there is no cure, treatment options for ADHD help manage its symptoms, which can sometimes include violent outbursts, inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity.

Doctors say treatment often includes a combination of therapy and medication.

"Approximately one-half of adults (50.4 per cent) with ADHD were prescribed medications to treat their ADHD during the previous 12 months," noted a team led by Dr. Brooke Staley of the CDC's National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, in a study published in the journal Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

The vast majority of drug treatments involved simulant medications Ritalin, Vyanse, Concerta, or Adderall. But recent shortages of these medicines are affecting most adult ADHD patients, the study also found. "Among adults who reported taking a stimulant medication, 71.5 per cent reported difficulty getting their ADHD prescription filled during the previous 12 months because their medication was not available," the CDC team said.

That can lead to real problems for patients because proper medication is tied to "reduced social and emotional impairment, unintentional injuries, substance use disorders, and the risk of death to unnatural causes," the report's authors said.

Folks who can't get their ADHD medications through usual means might also try to buy them off the Internet or elsewhere, "increasing their risk for overdose because of the prevalence of counterfeit pills in the illegal drug market, which might contain unexpected substances such as fentanyl," the team added.

According to the FDA, ADHD drug shortages have always plagued US patients for years. The FDA had first warned of a short supply of Adderall in October 2022, as its manufacturing company grappled with delays. However, the US Drug Enforcement Administration had given Takeda - the maker of Vyvanse, approval for making more of the medication as a shortage of ADHD drugs continues.

The new report noted that close to half (46 per cent ) of ADHD patients said they had used telehealth services, including nearly 1 in 10 patients who said they received their ADHD diagnosis via telehealth services. About 30 per cent said they had gotten help accessing ADHD meds and/or counseling in this way, as well.

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