By Dr. Nicole Saphier For Dailymail.Com
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Nicole Saphier, MD is a physician at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, an assistant professor at Weill Cornell Medical College and bestselling author of, ‘Panic Attack.’ Her opinions are her own and not reflective of her employers.
Not every problem can be fixed with a pill. Not every problem should be fixed with a pill.
But in an increasingly dangerous trend, America’s medical industry is presenting drugs as a quick and easy solution for nearly everything that ails us – be it major, minor, or even non-existent.
Now, America is running out of the prescription medications that sick people need, because otherwise healthy people are gobbling them up.
If that sounds insane, that’s because it is!
There is perhaps no better example of this than the skyrocketing demand for the drug Adderall, a commonly prescribed stimulant used to treat ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder).
In 2021 alone, 41.4 million Adderall prescriptions were handed out to patients, an increase of more than 10% from the previous year.
The number of prescriptions exploded at such a rate that, according to the Federal Drug Administration, ‘there is not sufficient supply to continue to meet U.S. market demand.’
As a result, some ADHD-sufferers can’t find the appropriate drug to treat their condition.
And it doesn’t stop there.
In recent months, demand for Ozempic, or semaglutide, has soared.
Ozempic is an injectable medication that helps people with type 2 Diabetes manage their blood sugar and prevent dangerous complications. But an unintended side-effect of the drug was that it’s an effective appetite suppressant.
In 2021 alone, 41.4 million Adderall prescriptions were handed out to patients, an increase of more than 10% from the previous year.
And presto, Ozempic manufacturer Novo Nordisk started selling and doctors started prescribing a higher-dose version for weight loss under the brand name, Wegovy.
Demand for Wegovy surged straining the supply of semaglutide and now people with diabetes can’t find the drug they need. The FDA has now designated the medication as ‘Currently in Shortage.’
Something is seriously wrong when prescription drugs are being handed out like candy and life-saving medications are in short supply because doctors are catering to their patients’ vanity.
ADDERALL RUSH
It is important to understand that ADHD is a real condition — a common neurodevelopmental disorder manifesting as inattentiveness, impulsive tendencies and hyperactivity severe enough to interfere with school, work and other everyday aspects of life — and one that impacts millions of Americans.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates, approximately 10% of U.S. children are diagnosed with ADHD, while the National Institute of Mental Health found 4.4% of adults aged 18 to 44 years old have the disorder.
Stimulants such as Adderall have proven effective when it comes to helping ADHD sufferers manage their symptoms by increasing levels of dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine, thereby reducing the overloaded sensory inputs of the patient’s brain to normal levels.
But ADHD medications, like Adderall, are powerful, potentially addictive drugs that are easily abused.
The DEA defines Schedule II controlled substances, like Adderall, as drugs with a ‘high potential for abuse, with use potentially leading to severe psychological or physical dependence.’
When someone without ADHD uses these stimulants, they can experience feelings of euphoria and increased energy levels.
Patients taking Adderall also are more likely to develop a physical dependence on the drug, which in turn leads to the development of a physical tolerance to the drug’s effects, requiring higher and higher dosages to achieve the same effect.
Studies also indicate that those who misuse Adderall are more likely to abuse other drugs, such as cocaine and methamphetamines.
And abruptly withdrawing from the medication can lead to irritability, depression and extreme fatigue, with some patients experiencing headaches and even nightmares.
The DEA previously has also launched investigations into telehealth companies, such as Cerebral Inc. and Done Global Inc.
Given the ongoing shortage, a terrifying threat of withdrawal now looms over long-term Adderall users who no longer have access to a steady, readily available supply.
In an unusual move in the face of the shortage, and as testament to how loosely ADHD medications have been prescribed, the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) said in December that it wouldn’t allow any increase in 2023 production of pharmaceutical ingredients that go into Adderall and other stimulants used to treat ADHD.
The DEA previously has also launched investigations into telehealth companies, such as Cerebral Inc. and Done Global Inc.
Both companies heavily marketed their ADHD subscription services on social media and hired nurse practitioner contractors to prescribe medication after only a thirty-minute video appointment.
A review of their social media promotions is horrifying. One promotes a ‘1-minute, short-attention-span-friendly ADHD quiz’ with 1-click prescription refills.
Another offers help with various mental health conditions, including depression and ADHD, showing a picture of pills suggesting a quick-fix with drugs.
For those struggling with severe depression, pills can be suggestive of a way out through overdose – a dangerous prompt.
RUN ON OZEMPIC
Last October, Elon Musk tweeted that the secret to his weight loss was ‘fasting and Wegovy,’ fueling interest in the drug, known by the generic name, semaglutide.
Semaglutide mimics a natural hormone released when food is eaten that regulates appetite. But it also mimics a hormone that regulates insulin levels – making it a critical medication for diabetics.
Insulin helps the body turn blood sugar into energy. People suffering from type 2 diabetes have insulin resistance. Their bodies can’t flush out blood sugar. It’s a condition that – if left untreated – can lead to vision loss, kidney failure, heart disease, stroke and even limb amputation.
In short, semaglutide is a life-saving drug, and now diabetics are competing with healthy individuals for it.
As the rising demand for Wegovy strained the supply, doctors started prescribing Ozempic as an off-label alternative, thus creating a shortage of a drug intended for diabetes treatment, not weight loss. In fact, even the maker of Ozempic and Wegovy says the two medications are not interchangeable. But here we are.
A viral trend on TikTok called #Ozempic and #OzempicChallenge resulted in more than 250 million views on the platform and endorsements from popular influencers.
On Wednesday, comedian Chelsea Handler claimed that her doctor put her on semaglutide and she didn’t even know it.
Last October, Elon Musk tweeted that the secret to his weight loss was ‘fasting and Wegovy,’ fueling interest in the drug, known by the generic name, semaglutide.
On Wednesday, comedian Chelsea Handler claimed that her doctor put her on semaglutide and she didn’t even know it.
Handler revealed on a podcast that she ‘injected’ herself with a medication prescribed by her doctor after returning from vacation and going to lunch with a friend. When her friend revealed that she felt nauseous because of her Ozempic medication, Handler realized that she too was taking the drug.
‘I’m not on it anymore,’ she said. ‘I’m not gonna take a diabetic drug. I tried it, and I’m not gonna do that. That’s not for me. That’s not right for me.’
Handler’s right, though she may want to pay more attention to what she’s injecting.
Shortages of Ozempic have caused some people with diabetes to seek out alternative medications or take lower doses that may not be as effective in treating their symptoms. And if and when preferred medications do become, available switching back is can trigger nausea and vomiting.
There is a legitimate medical case to be made that doctors should prescribe semaglutide to the morbidly obese. There are serious long-term consequences of being severely overweight such as heart disease, cancer, joint ailments, and others. But the latest trend isn’t driven by those who have failed strict diet and exercise regimens. It’s being taken by people who wants to lose a few pounds without putting in the effort to do so.
Nicole Saphier, MD is a physician at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, an assistant professor at Weill Cornell Medical College and bestselling author of, ‘Panic Attack.’
These patients are not ‘cured’ once they lose the weight from these medications. Long-term weight loss requires a complete lifestyle overhaul. And life-saving medications should not be in shortage for the sake of vanity. Physicians are not meant to be drug distributors for healthy people. They are meant to treat real illness.
As parents, patients, and health care providers, we must acknowledge that there is not a silver bullet for every mental and physical complaint and those companies trying to convince us there is, should be admonished.
America is getting itself hooked on prescription drugs – and we have ourselves and medical professionals to blame.
Published by Associated Newspapers Ltd
Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group