Short on Adderall? Blame DEA Production Caps

Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, prescriptions for Adderall, the stimulant medication used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), skyrocketed. There were two main reasons. Due to social distancing, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) allowed physicians to prescribe Schedule II controlled substances via telehealth appointments. And second, parents noticed that their children, suddenly relegated to Zoom schooling, were struggling to pay attention.

But easier access and more users were not the only culprits in the Adderall shortage that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officially recognized in October 2022. While the FDA blamed “manufacturing delays” at Teva Pharmaceuticals (the main source for both branded and generic versions of the drug), federal and state officials also played a major role.

Each year, the DEA sets production limits for the ingredients of Schedule I and II drugs, and manufacturers apply for pieces of the quotas. Total production of a drug cannot exceed the DEA’s ceiling.

The DEA says it determines the quotas based on the amount that is annually prescribed. But even after t