Drugs treating ADHD, cancer, schizophrenia in shortage, and urinary medicine discontinued
This week’s updates on drugs the FDA says are in shortage or have been in shortage:
▪ A demand increase has put a generic form of ADHD drug Adderall in shortage.
The FDA says there are “stocks available to support customer demand” Aurobindo Pharma’s Dextroamphetamine Saccharate, Amphetamine Aspartate, Dextroamphetamine Sulfate and Amphetamine Sulfate tablets 5mg, 10mg, 20mg and 30mg strengths in 100-count bottles.
▪ Bethanechol Chloride (brand name: Urecholine) tablets made by Teva Pharmaceuticals in the 5mg and 10mg capsules are in shortage because they’ve been discontinued. This helps the bladder empty, providing relief for those who have a hard time urinating.
▪ Irritable bowel syndrome medicine Dicyclomine Hydrochloride (brand name: Bentyl) by Hikma Pharmaceuticals is available in 10mg and 20mg doses in 100-count and 1000-count bottles. The IBS treatment went into shortage last March.
▪ Jazz Pharmaceutical’s Erwinaze, used to treat lymphoblastic leukemia and extranodal lymphoma in people with a hypersensitivity to Elspar or Oncaspar, remains in shortage, but is available. Jazz’s website asks healthcare professionals and hospitals to “only order Erwinaze for patients who are currently undergoing treatment or beginning treatment.”
A letter went out to health care providers Dec. 1 warning about particle matter found in batch No. 198K of Erwinaze.
▪ The Lannett Company has discontinued 1000-count bottles of schizophrenia treatment Loxapine for 5 mg, 10mg, 25mg and 50mg strengths and Lannett’s 5mg, 100-count bottles are out of stock. The other strengths’ 100-count bottles are in shortage. More lots of all strengths in the 100-count bottles are scheduled to be released this month or in February.
▪ Piperacillin and Tazobactam injections (brand name: Zosyn) in 2.25g, 3.375g and 4.5g doses are available from X-Gen Pharmaceuticals and Apollo Pharmaceuticals.
This story was originally published January 16, 2020 at 2:19 PM.
