CDC Warns ADHD Drug Shortage Could Intensify Following Telehealth Execs' Arrests

 The arrests of two executives of a large telehealth medication company may worsen an almost two-year ADHD medication shortage and disrupt the care of upwards of 50,000 patients across the country, but the CDC warns against seeking treatment from the illegal drug market as an alternative.

 Following the Thursday arrests of two telehealth executives who were working with the company Done Global Inc., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a health advisory warning the U.S. attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medication shortage may worsen.

The arrests could disrupt the care not only of patients who use Done Global, but patients who use other subscription-based telehealth services as well.

Several ADHD medications have been in a shortage for almost two years, including Adderall, Zenzedi, Ritalin, Focalin and Vyvanse, according to the Food and Drug Administration’s drug shortage database.

A disruption involving such a telehealth company could impact between 30,000 and 50,000 Americans aged 18 years and older across all 50 states, according to the CDC’s health advisory.

The agency warned patients seeking medical care outside regulated health systems due to the shortage “significantly increases their risk” of overdosing from counterfeit pills mixed with substances like fentanyl sold on the illegal drug market.

Untreated ADHD is also associated with adverse outcomes—including drug abuse, alcohol abuse, unintentional injuries, suicide and gambling issues—so the CDC advises healthcare providers to communicate these risks to patients and provide further assistance.

8.7 million. That’s how many American adults are estimated to have ADHD, according to a 2021 study published in the Journal of Managed Care & Specialty Pharmacy.

Ruthia He, the founder and CEO of Done Global, and David Brody, the clinical president of the company, were both arrested Thursday in connection to their “alleged participation in a scheme to distribute Adderall over the internet, conspire to commit healthcare fraud in connection with the submission of false and fraudulent claims for reimbursement for Adderall and other stimulants and obstruct justice,” according to the Department of Justice. The DOJ alleges He and Brody exploited the COVID-19 pandemic to develop a $100 million scheme to provide easy access to Adderall for no “legitimate medical purpose,” and defraud taxpayers. Done allegedly prescribed over 40 million pills of Adderall and other stimulants, according to the DOJ. If convicted, He and Brody each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on counts of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and distribution of controlled substances. Prescriptions for medications used to treat ADHD increased between 2016 and 2021, with the largest increase of 10% across all age groups between 2020 and 2021—according to a 2023 study conducted by the CDC. Forbes has reached out to Done Global for comment.

The CDC’s warning comes after the FDA said the ADHD medication supply had improved in May. Adderall was the first drug to be listed as being in a shortage in October 2022. The FDA blamed "increased prescribing potentially related to the growth in telemedicine, supply chain issues, manufacturing and quality issues and business decisions of manufacturers" for contributing to the ongoing shortages. It also blamed manufacturers like Teva Pharmaceuticals’—the maker of Adderall—inability to meet market demand. That demand may continue to increase: the FDA predicts medical use of Adderall, Ritalin, Vyvanse and other drugs to treat ADHD and other diagnoses in the U.S. will climb 3.1% in 2024.