ADHD drug prices rise as Adderall shortage leaves patients scrimping to fill prescriptions

Amid a nationwide ADHD drug shortage, patients are paying significantly more for medication to help them direct their focus at school, work and home.

The shortage has placed financial pressure on families, forcing them to search for alternatives. Often, the only options they can find are expensive brand-name drugs.

The upward trend can be seen in the prices retail community pharmacies pay for several popular ADHD drugs, which a USA TODAY analysis found have outpaced inflation – and in some cases doubled or tripled in price – since Adderall fell into short supply starting in October 2022.

One mother from Delaware diagnosed with ADHD, whose husband and 17-year-old daughter also have attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, told USA TODAY that when the Adderall shortage was announced, their doctor switched her daughter to the only alternative they could find, Vyvanse.

As a result, the amount they pay each month after insurance for her medication skyrocketed from under $20 to $300. The medication is too expensive for more than one person in the household, and she said her priority is her daughter’s health and education.

“With medication and accommodations at school, my daughter is a straight-A student. Without the medication, she’s failing,” said the mother, who asked to be identified only by her first name, Sam, because her husband doesn’t want his employer to know about his diagnosis. “It’s that stark of a difference.”

Many drugs used to treat ADHD are rising in price, as reflected in National Average Drug Acquisition Cost data. As of mid-December, the amount pharmacies paid for certain dosages of both brand-name and generic Adderall rose faster than inflation. For some versions of methylphenidate, sold under the brand names Ritalin and Concerta, the average price paid by small- to mid-size independent and chain pharmacies has nearly doubled since last year. The average cost of dexmethylphenidate, sold under the brand name Focalin, more than doubled.

Sam went unmedicated for weeks after the remaining Focalin she was rationing ran out, leading to challenges such as forgetting to eat, difficulty maintaining focus at work and struggling to keep up with housework. Much like a person with a broken leg moving around without a crutch, everyday tasks are more difficult and take more energy. Unlike someone with a cast, though, many ADHD symptoms are internal and invisible to others.

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