- ian hamilton
- BBC Scotland
Angela Kirkpatrick says her symptoms returned after her prescription ran out.
People with ADHD say they are struggling to access their medication since shortages were announced across the UK in September.
Angela Kirkpatrick had only been taking the medication for six months, but her symptoms returned after her prescription expired.
Since then, her anxiety has been out of control.
“I can only describe it as a voice in the back of my head. Even if I can pretend I’m not focused on it, I’ll go to sleep and wake up at 3 a.m. thinking about it.”
The 41-year-old from Edinburgh has struggled with anxiety all his life.
The aerial acrobatics instructor said he turned to the sport as a way to switch things up.
Angela says aerial acrobatics helps her switch off
After a private diagnosis, she was diagnosed with ADHD. The medication she was given was transformative.
“It stops the overthinking part of your brain and allows you to focus,” she said.
Angela says the drug has made her more productive, more alert, and less anxious.
But she, along with thousands of others, has been feeling stranded due to recent talent shortages.
After taking the medication for 6 months, my prescription expired because I neglected to see my doctor.
The shortage worsened the situation, leaving her stressed and without access to medication for several weeks.
Angela’s concerns go beyond her own situation.
”[The medicine] My life is better, but I know I’ve lived without it,” she said.
“It makes me feel even worse when I think of people who have been on medication their whole lives and can’t afford it.”
What is ADHD?
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a behavioral disorder that is often identified in childhood, usually before the age of 12, but can also be diagnosed in adulthood.
Symptoms include restlessness, difficulty concentrating, and impulsivity, and symptoms may worsen with age.
Treatments for ADHD vary. Children receive educational support and sometimes medication, while adults often start with medication and may benefit from cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).
Effective management of ADHD includes addressing challenges in organization, time management, stress, and social interactions.
big gap
Scotland is currently facing a severe shortage of ADHD medicines, affecting around 26,000 people who take ADHD medicines.
The shortage is expected to last until the end of the year, forcing patients to ration existing drugs.
Doctors have been told to stop prescribing the drug to new patients until supply issues are resolved.
Adam Osprey from Community Pharmacy Scotland said the large gap between supply and demand was mainly due to supply chain issues and a significant increase in demand in recent years.
“This situation has caused tremendous difficulties for our pharmacy teams, who are currently unable to fill many prescriptions,” he said.
The shortage could force some patients to go without medication, which could have a negative impact on their lives.
Adam Osprey said demand had increased significantly in recent years.
In response to the question of why more medicines cannot be produced quickly, Osprey said: [manufacturing] The process involves international raw materials and a just-in-time supply model, making it difficult to ramp up production quickly. ”
Pharmacists advised patients to talk to their prescribers about alternative treatments.
supply issues
The pharmaceutical company Takeda Pharmaceutical manufactures the ADHD treatment drug Elvanase.
It acknowledges that UK demand has increased significantly over the past two years, contributing to supply issues.
The company cited intermittent production issues at one of its contract manufacturing partners as the cause.
Takeda said it would work to resolve the situation quickly.
Arlene McCainsh is the mother of a 20-year-old son with autism, ADHD, and anxiety disorders
Families and people with ADHD say they are distressed by the need to ration or stop medications.
Arlene McCainsh is the mother of a 20-year-old son with autism, ADHD, and anxiety.
He is currently taking a drug called guanfacine.
“Unlike some drugs that you can start and stop at will, it’s specifically recommended that you don’t stop,” McAnish said. [Guanfacine] suddenly. “
Now, McAnish has been taking half the medication for two weeks.
She worries about what will happen if this goes away.
Ms Makanshish pointed out how efforts are being made to ensure the continued supply of essential medicines such as insulin for diabetes.
She said similar measures should be taken for all important medications, like the ADHD medication her son takes.
McAnish’s son, Jason, takes a drug called guanfacine.
Data from Public Health Scotland reveals that around 26,000 NHS patients were prescribed ADHD medication in 2022/23.
Current drug shortages reflect this growing demand.
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “A national patient safety alert has been issued regarding disruptions to the supply of a range of medicines used to treat ADHD.”
The Scottish Government said the shortage was caused by a number of factors, including post-Brexit manufacturing issues and increased global demand.
They hope the shortage will be resolved by the end of December. The spokesperson added that anyone affected should speak to their clinical team.
