Focalin Shortage (Page 4)

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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Me too! Shortage in AZ past 2 months. Focalin 10mg. all of the pharmacies are out of it except for Costco has been able to get it in for me with some begging. But today costco told me one of their suppliers cannot get it anymore and the other supplier says its not being made anymore. best drug that has worked for my son and all that we have tried for ADHD

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According to the FDA focalin should be available by mid March. Here's a link from the FDA concerning the shortage: fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/DrugShortages/ucm314739.htm#dexmethylphenidate

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My local Walgreens just got a supply of the generic focalin in! Apparently, they are now making it again. I dropped off my son's rx for 180 pills today and they were able fill it. I can't believe it! It's Christmas Day for me!!!

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I have been on a chase for this med since December. Backorder in IL. At first it was not in so I let them order it since I wasn't out, then it was on backorder. Then I started calling around. Found it quite a drive away. This was again a problem in January and then February. Had hoped the nurse telling me that sometimes the end of the year means a shortage in the ingredient so it should go off backorder into the new year was right but it wasn't. Today I need to fill it again. I'm getting nervous. I had found the name brand after using the generic, I don't mind the extra cost. It's just such a relief to find the darn med. We have tried other meds and they basically had the opposite effect and I feared his safety even more. The only thing I can say is thank goodness it isn't the XR he takes in the am. But I'm worried that supply will start to be effected. I spend hours on this a month. It's crazy. I hope it's mid march enough and I can fill it.

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My daughter takes Focalin 10mg BID. So far, it's the only medication that works well for her. Lawrenceville, Ga and 100miles away is out of Focalin both generic and trade. *sadface*. This sucks but I just called TEVA and was told that Focalin 10mg was just released and will be in pharmacies within 7-10 days. Also, Focalin 5mg will be released in 6weeks. I will be waiting at the pharmacy in 7 days, then 8, then 9 and then 10. Hoping they are correct in what they told me. Here is the number for TEVA: 1-888-838-2872

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I did find one drugstore in my town this week after calling about a dozen that had received a Teva generic 10mg batch. But it sold out immediately before I got there. I called around the next day to another five or six and I found it at a CVS. So, the Teva released batches are starting to get on the market. The key is HOW QUICKLY TEVA and NOVARTIS MOVED WHEN THE DRUG GOT LISTED ON THE SHORTAGE LIST. Up until the shortage listing Teva had been saying it may take 6 months or more. However, the scrutiny of it listed as being as a shortage drug remedied the supply issue faster than anything. The moral of the story is that the next time this happens we have to act in a concerted way to get the FDA to quickly recognize the shortage. I applaud everyone on here for calling the FDA and others (congress people, American Assoc. of Pharm Professionals, etc.). People on here are the reason this drug is out there today in my opinion.

Just remember that the cozy exclusive license relationship Teva has with Novartis is set up well to manipulate and force the sale of Focalin XR at the expense of its generic "cousin". It is amazing how quickly the "raw material shortage" situation at Teva was resolved once the FDA listed it as being a national shortage and Teva faced the newspaper articles and scrutiny that comes along with that distinction. Teva had hid behind "quota" excuses for far too long and when the quota myth was debunked and Teva got its drug listed as a shortage item and had to give a reason other than quotas (which was not correct), Teva shipped within two weeks.

Again, thank you for all your pushing on this and remember next time what worked to get the shortage fixed: Listing on the shortage website.

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Relief! For this month, anyway. My mom who has a Sam's card suggested that I call Sam's pharmacy. Thankfully, they had what I needed. I hope this shortage won't be an issue next month.

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I am in the same situation. My 16 yr old daughter has been on Focalin since she was 7 years old. I started experiencing "back-order' issues the last 2 times I tried to fill her RX. I found info on this web site: ashp.org/DrugShortages/Current/bulletin.aspx?id=1079

It stated the back order was only for 40 MG. I contacted the pharmacy and they resubmitted the order. Hopefully we can get it filled. It is very inconvenient especially when this is a "daily" medication.

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Just called Manufacturer and told another at least 8 weeks...due to increase in demand from one company and another says its a shortage of active ingredient...

fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/DrugShortages/ucm314739.htm#dexmethylphenidate

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My son needs this med to function with the ADHD. I'm ready to start looking for a "street pharmacist" to get it filled! So Sad!

Well, this thread was started back in January. It is middle May now. In the Toledo Ohio Area I still have shortage. 2nd month fighting and calling around to find anything for my son. I was lucky earlier in the month to have gotten some name brand after calling around but everything is still back order and the pharmacy that I got it from seemed to indicate it was the last of the name brand they had or almost out.

I have a mail order service though the insurance company for faster and cheaper meds. They can't fill it either because of back-order. The FDA website (fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/DrugShortages/ucm314739.htm#dexmethylphenidate) shows the generic, TEVA manufactured, on back-order but the name brand, Novartis , is supposedly available.

I called Novartis and they confirmed that since May 2nd they have been shipping their manufactured Focalin. That seemed to be new news to the pharmacies I called as neither showed it available from their wholesalers. So apparently some wholesale outlets for the pharmacy may not be getting a supply yet.

I emailed FDA ( [email protected] ) to also report shortage is still effecting patients. It almost seems like collusion to me if the Novartis can make it but TEVA cannot. And I stated that in my email. This needs to be pushed! There is no reason the generic should be unavailable unless there is collusion to price fix going on between these two manufacturers.

Just so frustrated...

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I recently was able to get a 3 month supply of the generic Focalin from CVS Mail Order. I was surprised that they were able to fill a 3 month supply. I'm hoping that they will continue to get the generic Focalin from the manufacturer. At our local Walgreens, it is extremely difficult to get it. They order it, but we never know when it will come. It has been hit and miss with Walgreens.

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Yes, because there are only so many Focalin trees and many were damaged by floods last year.

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I was heart broken to read all the stores of parent, grandparents, guardians, etc. who can not get their prescriptions filled for Focalin. I have a child who is ADHD and does well with this medication and every month I have problems getting his prescription re-filled. I have been told not only is it a manufacturing problems but also the DEA regulates and limits the amount that can be manufactured. I can guarantee you that if the President and CEO of the manufacturing company or the top DEA Officials had a child who had ADHD and was off medication, we wouldn't have a problem because they would know from first hand experience how difficult it is. I can let them borrow my grandson for a week when he is not on medication if they would be up for the task.

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I currently take Focalin XR and have now run out of the medication. I have such difficulty maintaining an adequate supply due to bureaucratic red tape. I have been getting on mail order for a 2 month supply. The mail order pharmacy through the health insurance company in contract with my moms union for some reason did not send the medication. I must have called every pharmacy in NYC to see if any of them had it in stock and each time was told no. How is it that every pharmacy in NYC is out of stock? This is an emergency. I need this medication to concentrate and focus at work. I can't work well without it. This is not fair that they have caused my performance at work to dwindle because someone dropped the ball.

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