Individuals suffering from ADHD may now have one less option for publicly funded medication.
The Canadian Expert Drug Advisory Committee (CEDC), a branch of the Common Drug Review, recently recommended that Adderall XR “not be listed,” proposing that it should not be government subsidized.
However, each province has the freedom to decide whether to accept the recommendation or not.
“It boggles the mind why they would recommend that,” said Dr. Tom Fischer, a Calgary doctor who specializes in ADHD.
He said that although Ritalin, which is recognized, works for most, it does have its drawbacks.
“One of the big differences is the logistics of taking it,” Fischer said. “Ritalin has to be taken about every 2½ hours on average, Adderall can be taken once a day. (Especially) for kids, this is a huge difference.”
He explained that ADHD tends to affect short-term memory, which means that patients may forget to take their second or third dose, resulting in a “roller-coaster effect in terms of benefits.”
Adderall can be an effective alternative for those not responsive to Ritalin, says the doctor.
