Written by Lisa O’Mary
June 14, 2024 – The process of finding stimulant medications that treat conditions such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder just got even more difficult for tens of thousands of people who rely on the drugs.
On Thursday, two people who operated the California-based telehealth company Done Global were arrested, accused of a $100 million scheme that provided the stimulant drugs to people for no medical purpose, the Justice Department alleged.
The move prompted the CDC to issue a nationwide alert to medical and public health professionals. The CDC warned that the move may prompt people to turn to the illegal drug market and use counterfeit pills that could contain dangerous substances like fentanyl. The CDC notice said that between 30,000 and 50,000 adults across all 50 states may be impacted by a disruption in care due to the legal action against Done Global.
Stimulant medicines such as Adderall have been on a federal shortage list since 2022. This sometimes meant that people had to drive hours to find the drugs in stock at pharmacies.