Focalin Shortage (Top voted first)

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

I called them and the lady I spoke to told me it can be up to 6 weeks on the shortage but wasn't 100% sure! She told me that I would have to call around to pharmacies here to see if they have it in stock...well like I told her I have done that and since it's on a manufactor back order it's their issue (Teva's) because the pharmacies can not get it in at all. The rep told me that I (actually my son with Aspergers) will just have to wait for it to be back in stock. WTF?!??!! How can he or anyone else just wait I asked her..she had no response to that. I don't know what we are gonna do when his refill for this medication is due next week. He has been on everything else and like I had stated before this medication is the only one that has not turned him into a zombie and made him stop eating. This medication has truly been a godsend for him. If anyone wants to contact Teva here is their # 1-888-838-2872.

I hope this helps u guys out. I know it's not much when u need to get your script filled.

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My son is also on Focalin and the pharmacy said that they are out of regular (non-generic) and the generic. I have a friend that has been dealing with the generic shortage for months because her insurance would not allow the regular. It seems both are out in my area. We were getting regular, but were told there is a shortage for that also. Pharmacy said they contacted my doctor to ask if he can just give him something different. This has also been the only one working for him and has had problems in school until the end of last year when he started it.

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I'm calling Teva today to find out when this so called shortage is going to be over. U would think that with it having a generic other companies would be making this medication. I will post back once I find something out. I know my sons doctor tells me to keep checking different pharmacies but heck I'm sure everyone else that uses this med is doing that and it helps us none at all if they the pharmacies can't get it. Very frustrating to say the least but I will post back and let u guys know what Teva has to say

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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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There is definitely a shortage because Focalin brand name is now available in generic. The company that manufactured the brand name lost their patent after 7years (which isn't unusual) and now the generic manufacturers can't produce enough to keep up with the demand.
Our outpatient clinic prescribes Focalin long- and short-acting all the time and parents are having a really difficult time finding any medication. This is pretty much widespread over the state of Maryland.
Then insurance companies won't authorize payment for the brand name Focalin (even if it's available but the generic is not)! Patient's are caught in the middle!
I've written to the FDA to report the shortage and asked for advisement.
I'm thinking parents need need to contact insurance companies also as well as the Focalin drug company about this.

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My son is on the 5mg regular focalain and it is a manufactor issue. Teva is the only company that makes the brand and generic of this. So this month I have no clue as to where to find it. I've had to go to mom and pop pharmacies here to get it and I have drained them on the med. hopefully teva will stop the shortage seeing what it is doing to patients that are on this med. my son has Aspergers so this med is a godsend he was in vyvanse and it made him stop eating and zombie like. This med is great for him since he does not have ADHD and his eating is sooooo much better and socially it has got him out of that socially awkward shell. Come on Teva do what needs to be done. Btw..I'm in Tennessee

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Verwon, my husband and I Over the past month have called and went to over 20 different pharmacies and every single one of them have said the same thing sorry this is on back order and we have not been able to get it in. Several of my friends are in the same situation. This month I had to get half of his medicine filled 10 me pills and half filled in 5mg pills.

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pls reply bach with what Teva pharmaceuticals has to say. both generic and Focalin are backordered in my area.

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Focalin shortage has ruined our lives. It's back to square one. The kids are as messed up as before starting medicine. The ritilan is not the same. I miss work and had to drop my college courses. Everything has been good for a year with the kids on focalin. They were able to stay at school with little issue and function normally and now it's a total mess. Ive left several messages with the doctor and he refuses to return calls. We're at a total loss. I think my job is in jeopardy also. Nobody will watch the kids in this shape. I'm the only support we have since their fathers death and don't know what's going to happen now. All because of a focalin shortage. I guess ADHD is not that important to the makers of the drug. It's very important to our kids!!!

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It's not the company's fault. The DEA puts a limit on how much they can manufacture. Because too many people are using it for off label use, then we end up with a shortage. I called TEVA Generics and right now, they are estimating it to be available in 6 weeks. I asked the lady what I could do (maybe write my congressman) and she basically said that if the pharmaceutical lobbyists can't get this changed, I should not spend too much of my time trying. She didn't say not to do anything, just not to go on a crusade as it probably won't change anything.

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I hope I can clear up some of the information for you about all of this. Yes, there is a shortage nationally. I called Teva and they confirmed that they are not shipping at this time. Teva is the generic manufacturer. I called Novartis today and they are not going to ship until March 10. I inquired about why and the rep at Teva said well there are two reasons: Number one is a supply issue and number two there are DEA quotas. I asked which was the problem right now. The TEVA rep said that they were not having quota problems and were under the quota cap and it was a supply issue. I then asked Why? She said I cannot tell you that because it is propietary information. I asked why and she immediately transferred me to her boss who said "It is inconsequential as to why they are not shipping and that he can only say that they are not shipping". I asked him again if their supplier or raw material people or manufacturing people were at fault. He said "Why does it matter?" . All you need to know is that we are not shipping the product. TALK ABOUT RUDE. He then threatened me not to post anything on the internet or they would sue me. He also threatened me that I better not be recording the conversation without his consent (I was not recording but I wish I had).

So, I can confirm that:
A) Neither Teva or Novartis is shipping product.
B) It is out nationally as I have checked with most of the chains at the national level
C) Many pharmacies have had it on back order for 2 months.
D) The earliest Novartis will ship is March 10.
E) Both confirmed that they are under the quota cap
F) Neither would tell me why it would ship and, when pressed, Teva got rude and threatened to sue me if I reported anything about what they told me.
G) Also, according to three pharmacists I spoke with that this has been an ongoing issue since the drug went generic.

It is not currently on the FDA shortage list for some reason but I reported it to the shortage department today. Also, the FDA suggested that anyone experiencing a shortage should report it to: [email protected]. The more people who report the issue the more that will be done to put an emphasis on finding an answer and rectifying the issue.

I want to also add that TEVA was very, very, very nervous about talking about the issue and was quick to try and blame the DEA but, when pressed, confirmed that they are under the quota. I also have reported to the DEA today that TEVA is trying to initially blame this on the DEA but when you press them they back down. The DEA number by the way is 1-800-882-9539. When I asked Teva over and over "Just tell me why", they refused to do so other than to say it was a supply problem but proprietary reasons keep them from saying what the real supply issue is.

Please report this to the drug shortages email above. I am also going to contact my congressman as something about this just does not smell right.

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[email protected] This is the address I sent my e-mail to. It is to report shortage or drug supply issue. If there is an issue then it should be on the list, but it is not. So I gave them a link to this sight in hopes that they will take a look at our concerns and hopefully look into it.

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Today I spoke with Mr. Spira who is, as I understand it, a legislation liaison at the American Pharmaceutical Professionals Association and he said he is aware that this a growing issue and that Teva is inaccurately telling people that it is a quota problem. Evidently his association is gathering complaints to get action taken at the federal level. His association also has the power to directly impact a drug being added to the National Shortage list (which Novartis and Teva do not want to happen as remediation plans are required if that happens). I urge you to email the problems you are experiencing to Mr. Spira. His email address is [email protected]. He was very helpful and said that the more people they hear from the better and quicker they can help address the issue.

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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 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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Pharmacies are out of Focalin in our area as well. They are calling it a "manufacturer shortage"

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I was told from the pharmacy " can't get blood from a stone" . Really, these are children that can't miss a month of school and even if they go they will miss things. Like you this has been the only meds that have really worked for my son. This school year has been the best for him and he is in 4th grade. This is probably not what you want to hear, but call around you may have to drive. I found it at a small pharmacy.

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My kids take 2/10mg in am, 2/10 mg at school and 2/10mg at 4:00 after school. We finally found a medication and dose that works. Now since there is no focalin my kids doctor has put them on 20, 20, and 20 of ritilan. From what I've read, focalin is double the strength of ritilan. It's like they're not on anything. Basically we've started all over. I cannot keep missing work to get these kids out of school. It's very in ethical to get these kids on a medicine that works then jerk it away. What if it was a heart medicine??? Is ADHD not as important? The manufacturer needs to get it together!!!!~ disgusted mother of 4. 2 on focalin for ADHD and PTSD

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This morning I tried 1&1/2 the pill and it seems okay. Not as it should be but, okay. I guess we just gotta get our kids through this the best we can. It's really sad.

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April see if they can get 2.5. That is what my pharmacy was going to do but we found it elsewhere.

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