National Adderall shortage impacts Lowcountry pharmacies

MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. (WCSC) - One Lowcountry pharmacist says less than 20% of the normal number of tablets that one Adderall wholesaler provides is currently in stock. This comes after months of pharmacists across the country experiencing a major shortage in Adderall.

The Food and Drug Administration first declared an Adderall shortage last October and some Lowcountry pharmacies say now it’s at its worst.

Tidewater Pharmacy and Compounding in Mount Pleasant says 50% of their phone calls coming in are people looking for Adderall.

“I haven’t seen it this bad in the eight years that we’ve been open,” Chad Straughan, pharmacist at Tidewater Pharmacy and Compounding, said.

Although Tidewater has a short supply, others like Delta Pharmacy, the only pharmacy in all of Isle of Palms, says they are completely out of stock and keep having to turn people away.

“Just in the last two to three weeks it’s gotten big time,” Joe Gandy, pharmacist in charge at Delta Pharmacy, said. “We’ve not been able to get anything here for a while.”

Both pharmacists say they receive Adderall from a few wholesalers that also serve grocery stores and drug stores, not just in South Carolina.

“Generic Adderall, you know, the actual drug cost isn’t that high, but some of the other brand name ones can cost over $1,000 a bottle,” Gandy said.

With limited availability, some people are having to switch to taking a different amount of pills to get the prescribed amount of milligrams. However, Straughan says the more tablets there are, the higher your insurance costs could go.

“Especially in the younger population, you know, they’ve zoned in with a physician or a psychiatrist that’s prescribing it to make it work for that child,” Straughan said. “But now, the parents are having to go back to the drawing board with a physician and try different things.”

Straughan says Adderall isn’t the only shortage. It’s also happening with children’s antibiotics like Tylenol and Advil.

“Schools back in session coming off the holidays, kids are being snotty and everything else,” Straughan said. “You can’t get antibiotics right now.”

As far as Adderall, Gandy says it’s important to be patient.

“Try and keep in touch with your doctor or whoever is prescribing for you, and they may have to get a little creative with what you’re taking,” Gandy said.

Both pharmacists say they know on a day-by-day basis what will be in stock and to keep calling around to different pharmacies to see what is available.

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