J499 Blog: October 2009

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

More Adderall info

all the DEA information
http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/pubs/brochures/stimulant/stimulant_abuse.htm

ADCAPS Web site has a section devoted to prescription drugs, on which Adderall is not mentioned
ADCAPS campaign last fall to bring awareness to prescription drug abuse, on Web site, says it is not a big problem but the trend is increasing (25% on college campuses from http://www.drugabuse.gov/DrugPages/PrescripDrugsChart.html)

questions to ask ADCAPS: Is this a problem you are seeing? If so, in what ways? What inspired your prescription drug campaign last fall? more about the campaign?

"Ongoing FDA Review:
The FDA is continuing its review of the strengths and limitations of this and other epidemiological studies that evaluate the risks of stimulant medications used to treat ADHD in children. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and the FDA are sponsoring a large epidemiological study that will provide further information about the potential risks associated with stimulant medication use in children. The data collection for this study will be complete later in 2009. "

label info:
http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cder/drugsatfda/index.cfm?fuseaction=Search.Label_ApprovalHistory

label: (page 10 for abuse and scheduled drug info)
http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2007/011522s040lbl.pdf

black box warning:
http://drugs.about.com/od/bdrugandmedicalterms/g/blackboxdef.htm

NIDA Web site
injecting and blocking blood vessels
increase norepinephrine and dopamine-producing a high and possible addiction
usually doses start low and increase
ritalin use decreased over 2001-2008
1.1 million using stimulants nonmedically
but use is up in 18-25 year olds where use is highest over all the pop
only .5 % getting prescriptions online
http://www.drugabuse.gov/infofacts/PainMed.html

Drug Enforcement Agency prescription drug abuse fact sheet:
http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/concern/prescription_drug_fact_sheet.html
DEA Internet drug trafficking initiatives over the past 3 years have identified and dismantled organizations based both in the U.S. and overseas, and arrested dozens of conspirators. tens of millions of dosage units of prescription drugs and tens of millions of dollars in assets have been seized.
DEA info on internet pharmacies:
http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/pubs/cngrtest/ct051607.html
schedule II means:
• The drug or other substance has a high potential for abuse.
• The drug or other substance has a currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States or a currently accepted medical use with severe restrictions.
• Abuse of the drug or other substance may lead to severe psychological or physical dependence.
• Examples of Schedule II substances include morphine, phencyclidine (PCP), cocaine, methadone, and methamphetamine.

on all websites it seems to be listed as an additional but not main source of concern. it is a schedule II, on the same level as cocaine and meth

addction and high information: http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/pubs/abuse/chart.htm

data on ADHD med use in college students

http://jad.sagepub.com/cgi/rapidpdf/1087054708320399v1

diagnosing info: using caution in diagnosing because ppl are trying to get diagnosis without having ADHD

http://www.acha.org/prof_dev/ADHD_docs/Use_Misuse_of_Stimulants.pdf

huff post article on ADHD med abuse rise:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/08/24/86-percent-rise-in-adhd-m_n_266818.html

226 pg article answering all questions: online, adderall etc

http://www.casacolumbia.org/absolutenm/articlefiles/380-Under%20the%20Counter%20-%20Diversion.pdf

drug sharing:

http://www.jointogether.org/news/research/summaries/2009/one-in-five-teens-share-their.html

1/5 adults misusuing alertness drugs:

http://www.jointogether.org/news/research/summaries/2008/survey-shows-one-in-five.html

the problem is starting earlier:

http://cmif.pictco.org/default.asp?PageNum=583 (among other sources)

drug deaths/overdose:

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/theblotter/2009518118_pharmaceutical_opiates_leading.html

awesome neuro-enhancers article in the New Yorker:

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2009/04/27/090427fa_fact_talbot

Monday, October 12, 2009

Adderall 500 Word

Background

Adderall IR was originally introduced by Shire Pharmaceuticals Inc. in 1996. Adderall IR is an instant-release amphetamine intended to treat Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder, which is diagnosed in about four to ten percent of children in the U.S., according to the FDA Web site. Adderall IR is now produced by Teva Pharmaceuticals. Shire created and currently produces Adderall XR, an extended-release version of the original medicine. Adderall XR is also available in a generic form.

FDA

Health Canada banned Adderall for six months in 2005 after associations of the drug with Sudden Unexplained Death or SUD. The FDA conducted a study and is currently conducting another study to research the connection between SUD and Adderall use, according to its Web site. So far, however, the FDA has found no causal relationship. The FDA does recommend caution for users with heart conditions because Adderall seems to exacerbate these problems, possibly leading to death.

Even without a heart condition self-prescribing Adderall may have health consequences. Some of the risks listed on the FDA Web site include psychotic episodes, growth suppression, depression, headache, insomnia, loss of appetite and weightloss and general anxious feelings. The overdosage risks included more severe anxiety, heart problems and gastrointestinal problems.

The Adderall information on the FDA Web site even comes with a warning for prescribers about higher possibility of dependency, abuse and illegal distribution.

Young people may be abusing Adderall in part because of an ad campaign by Shire Development Inc., the creator and developer of Adderall XR. The FDA wrote a warning letter to the company in September 2008 about a campaign including a webpage and online video that overstate the impacts of Adderall and omit its negative side effects.

The webpage implied that Adderall helped school performance and decreased unhealthy sexual beahvior, among other impacts, none of which have been approved by the FDA. The video, featuring celebrity Ty Pennington, claimed that Adderall was a "life-changing" drug, with social effects like increased confidence.

Adderall's Web site now has a correction letter from Shire Vice President Michael Yasik.

Online Pharmacies

Another facet to the Aderrall problem is how easy it is to get the drug without a prescription. Search "buy Adderall" on Google.com and, first, the fill-in feature creates several options, including "buy Adderall XR online," "buy Adderall without prescription," "buy Adderall Mexico," and "buy Adderall online no prescription."

Then, Google finds almost nine hundred thousand results for "buy Adderall." The online pharmacy business is booming, according to a Sep. 28 Reuters article citing the Spring 2009 MarkMonitor Brandjacking Index. The MarkMonitor study found four certified online pharmacies among almost 3,000 drug sites, according to Reuters.

These non-certified pharmacies can discount their drugs up to 90 percent, and 64 percent of the pharmacies are based outside of the United States, two facts leading MarkMonitor to the conclusion that many of the drugs are of low or suspicious quality. Traffic on these sites is more than 40,000 hits per day, so even with deep discounts, online pharmacies generate $11 billion each year, according to Reuters.

Other
I found no information on state-wide laws or regulations for Adderall. Calls to the Pullman School District nurse have not been returned yet, but a Pullman High School counselor stated she has not seen Adderall abuse "at all".