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Supply And Demand Of Adderall Term Paper

Adderall presence on the U.S. market With between 3% and 5% of individuals in the U.S. having been diagnosed with ADHD, there is high demand for drugs that can make it possible for these respective individuals to cope with their condition. While there is much controversy regarding such drugs, some are considered especially effective and there is a strong consumer base for these products. During the last two decades Adderall experienced significant progress in the health care industry as people acknowledged the benefits that the drug had on ADHD patients.

During the late 1990s and early 2000s the masses started to express more support with regard to stimulants, with individuals from a wide range of backgrounds being able to improve their lives as a result of using them. To a certain degree, it would be safe to say that ADHD becoming more popular played an important role in helping a great deal of pharmaceutical companies experience progress.

Adderall was created in 1996 as a consequence of Shire acquiring Rexar Pharmaceuticals and rebranding one of its diet drugs, Obetrol. The company immediately got the product onto the market as a consequence of having it FDA-approved. "Overnight, Adderall catapulted Shire from a small-time drug company into a major pharmaceutical giant." (Mayes, Bagwell, & Erkulwater 154) Adderall is currently one of the most popular drugs prescribed in cases involving individuals with ADHD and a series of other related disorders. From its emergence in 1996 and until 2006, doctors wrote around 50 million prescriptions...

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The company has claimed that the Drug Enforcement Administration has implemented strategies meant to limit the drug's production. As a consequence, individuals who are accustomed to taking it in order to be able to live somewhat normal lives are embarking on scavenger hunts in an attempt to get it. Many visit numerous pharmacies only to find that the drug is either unavailable or that it sold as soon as it got to the drug store. Adderall is a controlled substance and the DEA is apparently concerned with the fact that in some cases it can become widely available. As a consequence, the institution has installed tougher legislations meant to limit its presence in drug stores and to discourage individuals who might be inclined to take it in spite of the fact that they do not actually need the substance (Edwards).
While ADHD sufferers experience significant issues as a consequence of having trouble getting their hands on Adderall, Shire profits significantly from the exploit. This is especially surprising considering the fact that there are a series of generic drugs using the same recipe as Adderall. "Usually, branded sales collapse almost immediately as insurers and pharmacists switch all their patients to the cheap, identical version of the drug." (Edwards)

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Edwards, J. "How a "Shortage" of Adderall Actually Increased Sales of the ADHD Drug." Retrieved August 17, 2015, from http://www.cbsnews.com/news/how-a-shortage-of-adderall-actually-increased-sales-of-the-adhd-drug/

Mayes, R., Bagwell, C., & Erkulwater, J.L. "Medicating Children: ADHD and Pediatric Mental Health." (Harvard University Press, 1 Jan 2009)
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