Focalin Shortage (Page 3)

My son has been on Focaling regular release for two years, we have never had a problem getting his medicine filled until this past month. Since he was diagnosed at 4 we have tried EVERY other medicine out there but nothing works for him but Focalin. He is finally where he needs to be and is doing well at home and in school. I am not sure what to do, is there any idea when this shortage will be over? He takes 20MG in the monring 15 at lunch and 10 in the afternoon. So our prescription is fairly large. He cannot take the XR because it has to many ups and downs. It is sad that because of the drug abusers that my child who cannot function without this medication cannot get what they need. It makes me SICK that some of these comments are from adults just using this drug to have energy or to get their housework done. Our son needs this to be a normal child, to be able to go to school, to be able to play with his friends, to be able to play baseball. If you are using this drug just for the fun of it please go and find something else to catch a buzz with. Do not take the drugs little kids need away from them for your selfishness.

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REPORT

Everybody who gets a form letter from the FDA stating that a national shortage does not exist can send an email requesting a review to the FDA ombudsman. The email address is [email protected]. I was also told by the legislative liaison at the American Association of Pharmaceutical Professionals that contacting your local federal congressperson is probably the most effective way to help solve this issue. If Congress intervenes to the FDA then the FDA will approach Teva and Novartis and request an action plan even if, for whatever reason, the drug is not listed on the National Shortages list. Anyway, please email the ombudsman and your congress person. This is a national shame and I feel so bad for the children and parents on here, especially the ones with serious illnesses that make my son's ADD seem rather minor. God Bless all of you that are suffering big time. I have asked a couple of national reporters to review this issue but none have "bitten" on it yet. Maybe one will and it will get some national press.

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I have the exact same issue with my 12 yr old daughter , mild Aspergers and ADHD . We've been through every rx on the planet and finally had the right dosage. Now we have her 20 mg Xr in the morning and can't find her 5mg IR anywhere. I found out the hard way at the pharmacy today! What are we to do??? I have less than a weeks supply and am terrified she could relapse and end up back in the hospital like before! Any ideas or help would be greatly appreciated.

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I see that they are telling ppl 6-8 wks but I couldn't get it last month and now I'm dealing with it again this month. I can't afford to keep getting the brand name. My son has been on everything . He is finally on the right dose and is doing so good in school. I can't rock his world by stopping it. This isn't right and they know it these poor kids!

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I can't be more upset about this stupid shortage. Only four days off the Focalin and my son has scratched three times. I didn't realize how well the meds were working until he got off of them. I dread what will happen if he causes a serious injury to someone. And all of this could be avoided if he could only have the medicine that was helping him.

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I was told by a pharmacist that the DEA, not the FDA, controls one of the key ingredients/components of Focalin and its generic equivalent. I was stunned by that disclosure. There is a govt website that confirms it is a shortage of one of the ingredients and says it will be on back order till mid-March by all manufacturers. fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/DrugShortages/ucm314739.htm

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People having problems with the shortage should contact their local news station. I did and in only a matter of minutes I got a reply from an investigator wanting to do the story. If we raise awareness then maybe we can make a change.

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I have tried to get the NY Times and the WSJ to pick up the article but I was told a story had already been done about a year or so ago. I checked and there is an older story about the fight between the DEA and FDA over overall drug allotments of ADHD medicine. Something different is going on now because even Teva will tell you that they are on hold and it has nothing to do with the quotas (but that want say what it has to do with). I have spoken to an FDA rep and they BELIEVE it is due to a shortage of some raw materials but that is unconfirmed. Novartis will ship again in March so some will be available at brand name prices in mid March. As for the generic, Teva says that they cannot tell you when they can ship again as it is proprietary information. Break out your wallets for the brand name Focalin is all I can tell you.

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I also have a child that takes Focalin 5mg as her afternoon booster and we are having a hard time here. Does anyone know of any pharmacies in Birmingham, Alabama that may have it?

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I am just overwhelmed with the responses and heart broken over all these kids who are suffering because of this companies lack of care and concern. We have had to change our son's medicine we have went to time released Focalin XR 30 mg and then to ritalin in the afternoon. The XR is working pretty good but the ritalin is not doing anything. The after school worker said he is getting aggravated with his friends etc. I am going to contact everyone that you all suggested

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I found some at a smaller pharmacy in Birmingham but not the generic but oh well. The Wal-Greens near me said they are releasing it March 1st for generic and name brand so maybe there is a light at the End of the Tunnel.

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Try getting it at any pharmacy right now

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Good News and Bad. Good is that the FDA has finally added both the brand and the generic to the national shortage list. I was told by a reporter at the NY Times that the FDA had been bombarded by shortage complaints. So, it looks like all the emails helped. Another piece of good news is that Novartis is releasing branded quantities in early March according to the FDA website. The Bad news is that the generic will likely not be available - again, according to the FDA website - until the end of the June or even well into October for some strengths. The generic manufacturer, Teva, lists the reason as a raw material shortage. Not sure why the raw material shortage is impacting Teva but not the more expensive branded version at Novartis?? In addition, Novartis attributes the shortage due to increased demand while Teva says the shortage is because of the raw material issue. Now that these drugs are on the shortage list there will be added pressure to resolve this in a more timely fashion. It is sad that it took so much public pressure to get the FDA to list these drugs as being scarce but at least they did and maybe the sunshine on the problem will help deter these companies from allowing the drugs to become scarce in the future.

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My son went to the doctor today and switched his 5mg IR focalin to the 20mg XR. Good news is it's in stock. I just know that the 5mg is not available at all.

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I am in Kentucky and having the same issue. My son takes 40XR in the morning at 10IR at lunch and another 5IR if needed in the evening. We are finally in a very good spot and I am furious that this is happening. I ordered it from the mailorder pharmacy through our insurance and he said that the name brand (which they had in stock) would probably be going out as well before I need to have his prescription refilled. Hopefully the release in March of the namebrand will help. It absolutely drives me crazy how the addicts and the ones who abuse prescriptions hurt those who use it properly (especially children). It drives me crazy having to go to the pharmacy every month to have his prescription refilled and god forbid you get there one day early...it's absolutely ridiculous.

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U can contact an organization, they help with medications that are given to them and they test. check and everything else to them before they give them to anyone. Their is paperwork that has to be filled out as well

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Jayne!! Are you still looking for it? I found it in Vestavia Hills! Is that doable for you? Walgreens on Montgomery highway.

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The Focalin shortage resulted in my son having his meds changed again which caused increased aggression. The only advice that his psychologist was to have him to to in-patient treatment so he can be stabilized. Putting my son in the hospital was the hardest thing I've had to do. And to top it all off they give him the very same strength of Focalin that I can't get. And without my permission! Why prescribe a med in the hospital when I can't get it filled once he is out??? Of course I don't know the answer because the doc that gave the order is not there and the on call doctor didn't return my call. The will not see the regular doctor until Monday. I am at my wits end.

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I feel your pain. We have tried several different medications for my 8 year old as well. NOTHING has ever worked for him like the focalin. He can't take extended release because his metabolism is too high and they just don't work. We've been on the focalin since August and he is finally successful in day to day life without the meltdowns that come with the ADHD and are worsened by many of the other medications. I've noticed it getting harder to get for the past 3 months. This month I've been to 15 pharmacies and none of them have it! Not looking forward to tomorrow without medication. Today with only half of what we need has been rough enough.

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Hi. I take focalin myself. I'm in Michigan. My regular pharmacies haven't had it months. But I did find it a two Hospital pharmacies. I'm not sure if anyone is checking their hospitals. I hope this helps.

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I just got off the phone with Teva using the number provided in an older post 888-838-2872 and the rep told me they just released a batch last Friday of the 10mg generic which should arrive to wholesales and then pharmacies this week. Call their customer service for more specifics. She did say this should solve the shortage. My son has been on both the quick release and the XR for many many years and has had either no benefit from or side effects from the alternatives. This is all that works and I'm tired of calling 20 pharmacies monthly, fearing being suspected as medication seeking, every month when this needs to be filled. Wish the abusers didn't cause this to be restricted to 30 days instead of 90 days, so we could still fill using our mail order prescription benefit and think that there should.be a way for patients who have been legitimately using it for over a year to have some sort of official exemption for the restrictions. (Yet they can prescribe pot--don't get me started on how stupid this all seems). Good luck to you. Looks like some of the problem may be easing.

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