The Business of ADHD Medication
ByHere is an article about drug maker Shire. Shire is the company which makes Adderall XR and now Vyvanse.
This article points out that Shires approach of creating medication to help with specialists is an approach which seems to be working. It also points out the reality that Shire is aiming to get doctors to write more prescriptions for Vyvanse – because Adderall XR is going ‘generic’ in the near future. (when Adderall XR goes generic, Shire will lose the income that they currently make from it).
Although the medication treatment of ADHD can be controversial – medication treatment can also change people’s lives – i.e. dramatically improve it. This article gives a view into the strategy that a pharmaceutical company is using to protect its income – i.e. trying to switch the market toward vyvanse rather than Adderall XR.
Do you think that this will have an impact on the treatments your doctor offers you?
Enter your thoughts or comments below.
Dr. Kenny
p.s. This is an issue which is going on in the US right now. In Canada, Vyvanse has not even come to market yet – and likely won’t for another 6-18 months…
Technorati Tags: Vyvanse, Adderall XR, ADHD, Medication
Doctors are more concerned with helping their patients, drug companies are more concered about making money – pure and simple.
Why are doctor’s only focussing on medications for the treatment of ADHD, and not natural supplements? THAT’S what I want to focus on, and learn more about!!!
What about focusing on Naturopathic doctors, and their approaches?
if that’s what you want to focus on- then go to a doctor that also focuses on that.
don’t worry about doctors who do something else. just learn about what you want to learn about and leave them to their own stuff.
you have to take your health education into your own hands.
I think Mark is more-or-less right. Unfortunately, in the United States, we have entrusted the FDA to regulate this natural conflict-of-interests.
[...] The Business of ADHD Medication [...]
The pharmaceutical industri have al the expertize and experience in how to change the prescriptions habits of the doctors whether the doctors will realize it or not.
Often this road is marketed as “scientific” and for the benefits of the patients. But let’s be sincere and realize that Adderall and Vyvanse have the same pharmacologically active substance in the end and it is Dexamphetamine. Al the rest is about getting the molecule delivered to the receptor site. And the price for this is really a small benefit for the patients and a great for the industry. Some of the “controversial about ADHD and ADD” might come from this facts in my view.
And “the controversial part” about medicating ADHD is for shure not to the benefits for the patients who needs medication.
My name is Eric H and I have tried both Adderall XR and Vyvanse. There is a chemical difference in the medications and I can definitely feel the difference. I experienced less anxiety and mood swings on the Vyvanse than I did on the Adderall XR. I also felt that there was a longer “down time” between the immediate release part of the medication and the extended release of the medication. More research would be much appreciated! Thanks for everyone’s input.
To make the statement that ADHD treatments are controversial is quite an understantement if you ask me. I am a 30 year old adult who has been “diagnosed” with ADHD and, like many of you, I have fought and stood up for myself with countless number of “doctors” who have God complexes and therefore, without any sound reason, hook people on drugs of all kinds. IT IS A BUSINESS. If we did not patronize their little scheme by having disorders that required their attention, there would be no Big Pharma and the population of “addicts” would drastically decrease. Our society has allowed perscription drugs to slide under the radar in ways that are unimaginable to me. For example, as an adult who has had several years of experience with ADHD “drug therapies” I can say without a shadow of a doubt, that these drugs are nothing but SPEED given under the guise that they Help people, which they may. However, as a mom, I would NEVER allow my children to take these drugs under any circumstances due to the huge responsibility they require for safe use, the detremental position they pose on young people and the fact that children are being trained to be good addicts from a very young age. No 5 year old I know listens, sits still or is quiet for very long. Parents, be cautioned and dont drink the koolaid when it comes to giving your child speed. If you dont believe me, just try your child’s “medicine” one day and see for yourself what goes on in your own body and decide if you think it is safe for your kids. Never trust men, only God. I also want to point out that I am a patient of a naturalist MD, who, after my explaining my moodyness, worries, adhd etc. performed a complete hormone panel and found my progesterone levels to be low by over 50% and I was only 27 at the time. I now take natural hormone replacement therapy every month for 2 weeks and I have never felt better. I no longer take drugs for ADHD and have no symptoms to date since I began hormone replacement therapy. Please do yourselves a favor by really ingulfing yourselves in other ways to overcome your issues and keep an open mind. Or, you could just be a speed addict and continue life in the unkown. Who am I to stand in the way of those of you who really just want to take drugs and feel ok about it. That is freedom and liberty for you do so, but remeber, it is your decision to make and your life. Aside from popular belief, taking drugs/chemicals is not natural and it takes a toll on your body and it will eventually catch up with you. I will probably be flagged for this, but at least I tried to let others know what I have found. I pray for you all.