Federal health officials are warning consumers and
medical providers about fake versions of the ADHD drug Adderall being
sold on the Internet.
The counterfeit 30-milligram
tablets contain the wrong active ingredients, according to preliminary
laboratory tests by the federal Food and Drug Administration. Instead of
containing the four active ingredients in prescription Adderall, the
fake tablets contain only tramadol and acetaminophen, medications used
to treat acute pain.
Teva Pharmaceutical Industries
Ltd., the manufacturer of Adderall, which is used to treat attention
deficit hyperactivity disorder and narcolepsy, contacted the FDA after a
consumer reported buying the counterfeit drugs online. Authentic
Adderall is a controlled substance that requires special dispensing
controls for the Pharmacist.
The counterfeit drugs are round, white and do not have
any type of markings, such as letters and numbers. Authentic Adderall
30-milligram tablets are round, orange or peach and scored, with “dp”
embossed on one side and “30” on the other side of the tablet. The Teva
products are packaged only in a 100-count bottle with National Drug Code
0555-0768-02 listed.
In addition, the fake drugs are sold in blister packs and they have misspellings on the packaging, FDA officials said.
Adderall
and other ADHD medications have been in short supply and listed on the
FDA’s drug shortage list for more than a year. The authentic drug
contains four ingredients: dextroamphetamine saccharate, amphetamine
aspartate, dextroamphetamine sulfate and amphetamine sulfate. The FDA
and drugmakers have blamed problems with the supply of the active
pharmaceutical ingredients for the dearth of the product. Teva continues
to ship the drug as it becomes available.
It’s
possible the shortages have prompted consumers to seek alternative
sources for the drugs. The FDA urged extra caution buying drugs online.
"The
counterfeit versions of Adderall should be considered unsafe,
ineffective and potentially harmful," FDA officials said in a
statement.
No comments:
Post a Comment