ADHD Medications May Be Hard to Find After String of Arrests: CDC

‘A disruption involving this large telehealth company could impact as many as 30,000 to 50,000 patients ages 18 years and older,’ the CDC said.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) headquarters in Atlanta, Ga., on May 21, 2024. Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times

People may have difficulty accessing medications for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in the wake of arrests of executives of a company that prescribes the drugs, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

U.S. prosecutors recently arrested multiple executives from a California-based company known as Done Global or Done Health that treats patients with ADHD and other conditions. According to court documents, the executives facilitated a scheme that revolved around providing Adderall and other ADHD drugs to patients, even if the patients did not qualify for the prescriptions.

CDC officials said they’re not sure what kind of effect the charges will have on patients, but warned they could disrupt access to ADHD medications.

“Patients who rely on prescription stimulant medications to treat their ADHD and have been using this or other similar subscription-based telehealth platforms could experience a disruption to their treatment and disrupted access to care,” the CDC said in an alert.

“A disruption involving this large telehealth company could impact as many as 30,000 to 50,000 patients ages 18 years and older across all 50 U.S. states,” the public health agency added.

The potential disruption comes amid an ongoing shortage of Adderall and several other drugs commonly prescribed to treat ADHD.

People who lose access to prescription medications might be tempted to turn to illegal sources and could end up overdosing because the black market is rife with counterfeit pills, the CDC warned. Some of the pills are spiked with fentanyl and other substances that can lead to death.

“Individuals struggling to access prescription stimulant medications are urged to avoid using medication obtained from anyone other than a licensed clinician and licensed pharmacy,” the CDC stated.

ADHD is a mental disorder that typically manifests with trouble paying attention, hyperactivity, and difficulty controlling impulses.

From 2020 to 2022, 11.3 percent of children in the United States were diagnosed with ADHD. Boys were much more likely to be diagnosed with the condition.

Done has been described as a digital health company that is paid by subscribers on a monthly basis. Done advertised that members could receive diagnosis and treatment for ADHD, and prescribed more than 40 million pills of Adderall and other stimulants since early 2020, according to charging documents.

The criminal conspiracy featured Done executives instructing providers to prescribe ADHD drugs even if the Done member did not qualify, resulting in some prescriptions “that were not for a legitimate medical purpose in the usual course of professional practice,” federal prosecutors said.

Done has not responded to requests for comment. David Brody, one of the executives, pleaded not guilty. Ruthia He, the other executive, has not made a court appearance and does not have a lawyer listed on the court docket.