Anatomy of the Great Adderall Drought | Motherboard

Anatomy of the Great Adderall Drought | Motherboard: ADHD affects a startling number of Americans—it’s estimated that nearly five percent of Americans are living with the disorder. Many of those affected use some type of stimulant drug to treat their symptoms. While various drug treatments—notably methylphenidate, better known as Ritalin—have been around since the early 1960s, the Jersey-registered, Ireland-headquartered global specialty biopharmaceutical company, Shire Pharmaceuticals’ introduction of Adderall in 1996 drastically changed the landscape of ADHD treatment. Today, only generic versions of the mixture of amphetamine salts are available. However, the extended release form, Adderall XR, is available in both generic and name-brand forms.