Adderall shortage hits Baton Rouge

A nationwide shortage of a prescription drug commonly used to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is affecting Baton Rouge, with pharmacies across the city having to turn people away. “I have not seen any shortage to any degree like this before,” says Claud Derbes, pharmacist and owner of Central Drug Store. “We’ve had some sporadic shipments, but we can’t get anything right now. It’s a real problem.” Derbes says he’s getting upwards of 10 calls a day from people looking to get Adderall prescriptions filled. The only thing he can tell them, he says, is to consult their doctor to get their prescription changed from tablets to extended-release capsules, which are more readily available. Most patients have prescriptions for the tablets, he says, which cost less than half as much as the capsules. Of approximately a dozen pharmacies called in the Baton Rouge area, none reported having any Adderall. The case is the same in communities across the country. Read the full story here. —Steve Sanoski