The DEA helps drug companies gouge unsuspecting consumers for obscene profits

Red flags flying

Every day, millions of people use a type of prescription drug that also happens to be in high demand as a recreational drug — it produces a cocaine-like high when it’s crushed and snorted.

That’s a huge red flag that these drugs are loaded with problems. But most of the prescriptions are written for people who can’t recognize a red flag warning because they’re just kids — some as young as two-years old.

Of course, I’m talking about ADHD drugs — widely used, but also widely abused.

This disastrous situation is far from a disaster for drug companies. They’re raking in profits that would make any South American drug lord happy.

But here’s what’s most disturbing: These insane profits would not be possible without the assistance of the Drug Enforcement Administration.

A constant worry

In 2010, more than 51 million prescriptions were written for ADHD drugs, producing sales of $7.42 billion. And yet, according to the New York Times, hundreds of frantic people contact the FDA every day to report ADHD drug shortages.

Truth is, there are plenty of these drugs available.

In a paltry effort to control ADHD drug abuse, the DEA sets yearly maximum quotas that drug companies are not allowed to exceed. Most of these companies produce name brand ADHD drugs, as well as generics. The DEA doesn’t care which drugs they produce to meet their quota, and the FDA doesn’t interfere on this point, so you can imagine what happens.

The name brand is produced. The generic…not so much.

Hilariously, the Times reports that the DEA “questions whether there really are shortages or whether manufacturers are simply choosing to make more of the expensive pills.”

That’s ridiculous. They’re not that clueless. One DEA official says, “We believe there is plenty of supply,” and he’s right — plenty of name brand supply.

This puts quite a few adult ADHD patients and parents of ADHD kids in a bind. An adult patient told the Times that after calling dozens of pharmacies looking for a generic, she threw in the towel and purchased a name brand, boosting her co-pay from $10 to $200.

The Times adds that “some patients say they worry almost constantly about availability.”

Change one or two details in these stories and they sound like desperate addicts, always worried, and willing to pay outrageously high prices to score their drugs.

The CEO of an ADHD patient advocacy organization told the Times that the shortage of generics is so common that many patients are going untreated.

This is the saddest point about the Times piece — the idea that ADHD patients have only three choices: expensive drugs, inexpensive drugs, or no treatment at all.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

Tomorrow I’ll share with you some invaluable information from Dr. Spreen about the true nature of ADHD and why it rarely needs to be treated with drugs.

Sources: 
F.D.A. Is Finding Attention Drugs in Short Supply” Gardiner Harris, New York Times, 12/31/11, nytimes.com