FDA Warns of Counterfeit Adderall Online

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a press release to warn consumers of counterfeit Adderall that is being sold online. The FDA is the agency within the United States Department of Health and Human Service that works to protect public health by assuring the security, safety and effectiveness of all drugs, vaccines, foods, cosmetics and dietary supplements.

Use of Adderall

Adderall is primarily used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) as well as narcolepsy. Adderall contains four different active ingredients including amphetamine sulfate, dextroamphetamine sulfate, amphetamine aspartate and dextroamphetamine saccharate. Because Adderall is a stimulant, it is classified as a controlled medication that requires special regulations on dispensing and prescribing. Adderall is currently on the FDA’s list of drug shortages because of supply issues with one of the active ingredients. It is produced by Teva Pharmaceutical Industries and is being released as it becomes available. The shortage has left people looking for supplies of the medication online.

Counterfeit Adderall Warning

The FDA wants consumers to be aware that there have been cases of counterfeit Adderall being purchased from the internet with the wrong active ingredients. The counterfeit version contains tramadol and acetaminophen which are used to treat acute pain instead of Adderall’s active ingredients. These counterfeit pills should be considered to be unsafe, ineffective and even potentially harmful for people who consume them. If a patient believes they have taken counterfeit Adderall, they should stop taking it immediately and contact a physician. The FDA also wants consumers to contact them about any adverse effects at www.fda.gov/MedWatch/report.htm.

Authentic 30 mg Adderall Appearance

Authentic Adderall tablets are an orange/peach color. They are round and scored at the midpoint of each tablet. The letters “dp” are embossed on one side of authentic tablets and the number “30” on the reverse. These tablets come exclusively in 100-count bottles with the National Drug Code (NDC) 0555-0768-02 listed on the package. If this is not how a consumer’s Adderall appears, it might be prudent to check with a pharmacist or physician before taking them.

Counterfeit 30 mg Adderall Appearance

The counterfeit 30 mg Adderall tablets often have misspellings on the packaging such as “Singel” instead of “Single”, “Aspartrte” instead of “Aspartate” and “NDS” instead of “NDC”. These fake pills are often white, round and smooth without any markings whatsoever. Lastly, the counterfeit Adderall usually comes in a blister package instead of in a bottle. Consumers should be very wary of an Adderall medication with any or all of these appearances and contact the FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations to report their find at http://www.fda.gov/OCI.

Consumers need to be extremely wary of buying medications online, especially ones that are in short supply. Unscrupulous websites often specifically target prescription drugs that are on the list of drug shortages to make a few quick bucks without any regard to patient health and safety regulations. Follow the recommendations above when using 30mg Adderall tablets to ensure that the drug being used is both effective and safe.