DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Students Struggle Academically, Fight in Schools Amid Adderall Shortage
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( Ben Chapman | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Students nationwide who take medications that treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder are struggling to behave and concentrate due to a continuing shortage of the drugs, families and school officials say. Children who haven’t had access to their medications are experiencing problems ranging from getting suspended from school to having trouble sleeping, parents in Arizona and Nevada said. In places such as Florida and New York, classroom behavior is worsening due to the shortages, according to teachers and school psychologists. College students in Michigan and California have said their academic work has been negatively affected because they have not been able to get their prescriptions filled.

☆ Grimes said she got a brain gadget for her birthday from a company competing with Elon Musk's Neuralink
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( Grace Kay | Hilary Brueck | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Neurosity's device is designed to help people focus, but some developers are using it as a BCI. "Getting a non invasive brain computer interface for my birthday (!!!!? Grimes' birthday 'Crown' measures brain activity, and is designed to help people focusNeurosity's headset uses electroencephalogram technology, or EEG, to measure brain activity by placing small metal electrodes on a person's scalp. In a now-deleted tweet, the singer said Neurosity's device allowed her to use her mind to move a cursor. Meanwhile, Neurosity's device is already on the market.

A nationwide shortage of Adderall has left many patients struggling to manage their attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, better known as ADHD. But finger-pointing does little to help the many who depend on consistent access to ADHD medications. As one might imagine, these trends have vastly increased demand for the stimulant medications used to treat ADHD, including Adderall. There's no denying that skyrocketing demand for Adderall combined with manufacturing delays at Teva, one of the drug's biggest producers, are partly responsible for the current shortage. In order to set such quotas, the DEA must estimate how much Adderall American patients will require the following year.

☆ Troubled mental-health startup Cerebral is cutting 15% of staff as it fights to stay afloat
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-27 | by ( Rebecca Torrence | Blake Dodge | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Cerebral plans to cut 15% of its staff, or 285 employees, Insider has learned. Cerebral has been struggling to stay afloat following scrutiny of its prescription practices. Mental-health startup Cerebral is laying off 15% of its workforce, or about 285 employees, as the company reels from a tumultuous year of public scrutiny and federal investigations into its prescribing practices. Impacted employees will be notified through March 1, per Mou's email to Cerebral staff. Cerebral's rocky futureIn 2021, Cerebral called itself the fastest-growing mental-health company.

☆ Adderall, OxyContin Prescriptions to Require In-Person Doctor Visit Under Biden Plan
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-24 | by ( Liz Essley Whyte | Rolfe Winkler | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The ban on first-time online prescriptions for drugs such as Adderall was influenced by improper prescribing during the pandemic, the DEA said. The Biden administration proposed tighter rules for the online prescription of drugs including Adderall and buprenorphine, shrinking the scope of telehealth services that expanded dramatically during the pandemic. The Drug Enforcement Administration on Friday said the telehealth restrictions would take effect after the Covid-19 public-health emergency ends on May 11. The proposed changes affect prescriptions for drugs classified as controlled substances because of their potential for abuse.

☆ The Paradox of Prosecuting Domestic Terrorism
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( James Verini | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +52 min

The preventive approach to domestic terrorism goes back even further than the 1990s and it begins with the basic police work and surveillance of the joint terrorism task forces. In fact, there is no section of the U.S. Criminal Code that criminalizes domestic terrorism as such. The absence of clear law around domestic terrorism, and the imperatives of prevention, mean that investigators and prosecutors who work domestic terrorism cases must focus on more common charges: weapons violations, illegal drug possession, burglary, aiding and abetting and so forth. But this was not enough to overrule the fear of domestic terrorism that was gripping the nation and that hung in the courtroom. It reflected the legal paradoxes of the case and domestic terrorism law in general or, maybe more accurately, the absence of it.

☆ Sam Bankman-Fried's psychiatrist was hired at FTX to 'coach' and counsel employees, report says
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-05 | by ( Aidan Pollard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

SBF's personal psychiatrist was on staff at FTX, according to the Wall Street Journal. Dr. George Lerner was hired to engage with employees as a "coach," not a medical professional, the Journal reported. In an email, Lerner told the Wall Street Journal he focused on creating a sustainable work environment while at the company. "They were amazing people — driven, brilliant, wanting to make a positive impact on the world," Lerner told the Journal. Following the collapse of FTX and amid charges of fraud against Bankman-Fried, Lerner told the Journal he's now focusing on rebuilding his private practice.

☆ DEA Pressed ADHD-Drug Makers About Impact of Telehealth Firms on Surging Demand
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-31 | by ( Rolfe Winkler | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The Drug Enforcement Administration told makers of medication for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder that it was concerned that “aggressive marketing practices” by companies including telehealth providers could be driving excessive prescriptions, according to a letter from the agency. While the letter doesn’t cite specific companies, it reflects the DEA’s concerns about marketing efforts for ADHD treatment by telehealth companies such as Cerebral Inc. and Done Global Inc., whose prescribing practices the agency has been investigating. The 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 letter, reviewed by The Wall Street Journal, was sent to drugmakers over the summer but hasn’t previously been reported.

☆ How Cerebral went from a hyped $4.8 billion mental-health startup to fighting for its survival
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-22 | by ( Blake Dodge | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

It called itself the fastest-growing mental-health company. Some Cerebral clinicians told Insider they were uncomfortable treating the patients assigned to them and felt their licenses were at risk. In the past few years, highly funded startups have tried to disrupt mental-health care and struggled. Cerebral's next steps will dictate its future, and its story could influence what's ahead for online mental-health care. A former Cerebral provider told Insider the ban was frustrating because many patients who were improving on the drugs lost access to care at Cerebral.

☆ 'I feel like the Hulk': Customers call Panera's Charged Lemonade 'crack in a cup' in viral TikToks warning of caffeine content
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-21 | by ( Bethany Biron | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Panera's Charged Lemonade is going viral on social media as users discuss its caffeine content. A regular 20-ounce lemonade contains 260 mg, the equivalent of drinking 2.5 cups of coffee. According to drink's nutrition facts on Panera's website, a regular 2o-ounce Charged Lemonade contains 260 mgs of caffeine, while the large 30-ounce size boasts 390 mgs. The Charged Lemonade is on-par with energy drinks like a 24-ounce can of Monster Energy, which has 240 mgs. "This Panera drink thing is how I know y'all would try crack if it was presented in a different way," wrote another.

☆ DEA Alleges Online Pharmacy Truepill Wrongfully Filled Stimulant Prescriptions
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-16 | by ( Jennifer Calfas | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration said an investigation found Truepill Inc., an online pharmacy company, filled illegitimate prescriptions for stimulants such as Adderall to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. The DEA said prescriptions from Truepill, which at one time was a preferred pharmacy provider for telehealth company Cerebral Inc., were unlawful because they were either written by prescribers without state licenses or surpassed 90-day supply limits.

☆ The DEA is alleging Truepill, Cerebral's former pharmacy partner, broke the law in filling prescriptions for highly regulated drugs
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-16 | by ( Blake Dodge | Rebecca Torrence | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The agency alleges that the pharmacy startup unlawfully dispensed stimulants used to treat ADHD. Truepill partnered with the mental-health startup Cerebral to send prescriptions to its patients. The Order to Show Cause requires that Truepill show evidence to justify its prescribing practices for controlled substances, which are highly regulated drugs. If the evidence isn't convincing, the pharmacy startup could have its DEA license revoked, which would leave the company unable to fill prescriptions for controlled substances. In "numerous instances," the startup dispensed prescriptions that weren't issued for a legitimate medical purpose, the DEA alleges.

☆ 'Wolf of Wall Street' Jordan Belfort says Sam Bankman-Fried has 'diarrhea of the mouth' after the FTX founder's media appearances
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( Pete Syme | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Jordan Belfort, the ex-trader dubbed the "Wolf of Wall Street," says Sam Bankman-Fried should "shut up." Speaking to Fox News, Belfort said that Bankman-Fried has "diarrhea of the mouth." Bankman-Fried gave numerous interviews after FTX's collapse, despite his lawyers saying he shouldn't. His lawyers argued for $250,000 bail because Bankman-Fried kept to a vegan diet, and took multiple medications such as Adderall. Referencing reports that FTX executives were roommates who dated each other, Belfort said: "It's more like a frat house than a business."

☆ Sam Bankman-Fried's relatives called the Bahamas prison he's being held at to ask if he can get vegan meals, per Bloomberg
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( Kelsey Vlamis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

His relatives called the prison to see if he could receive vegan food, a source told Bloomberg. Bankman-Fried's lawyer previously cited his vegan diet as a reason he should be released on bail. One source told the outlet relatives of Bankman-Fried called the prison on Tuesday to ask if he could receive vegan meals. Lawyers for Bankman-Fried tried to use his vegan diet as a reason he should be released while awaiting extradition, CoinDesk reported Tuesday. They asked the court to consider releasing him on a $250,000 bail so he could maintain his vegan diet and stick to his medications, including Adderall and Zyrtec.

☆ Sam Bankman-Fried tried to use his vegan diet to get released from jail after he was arrested in the Bahamas: reports
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-14 | by ( Grace Eliza Goodwin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

A Bahamian judge denied FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried's request to be let out on bail. Bankman-Fried's lawyer argued that he should be released because of his vegan diet and reliance on several medications. His lawyers said Bankman-Fried needed to keep to his vegan diet and had to take a number of medications, including Adderall and Zyrtec, according to reports. Bankman-Fried's lawyer, Jerome Roberts, said the FTX founder is not a flight risk because he owns real estate in the Bahamas, CoinDesk reported. A phone number listed for Bankman-Fried's lawyer in the Bahamas went to voicemail.

☆ Fentanyl Awareness Campaign Urges Parents to ‘Drop the F-Bomb’ With Their Kids
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-13 | by ( Megan Graham | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +2 min

A new campaign from the Ad Council and Meta Platforms Inc. is encouraging parents of teen and young-adult children to speak to them about the dangers of fentanyl. The campaign aimed at parents follows a previous effort speaking to kids directly about fentanyl. The campaign, which is set to roll out Wednesday, includes videos of parents having conversations with children about the risks of fentanyl. The Ad Council also aims to expand the campaign beyond Meta platforms, including with digital display ads on other websites. Next, the Ad Council plans to educate 18-to-24-year-olds about the benefits of carrying naloxone.

These psychiatric drugs are regulated by the federal government as controlled substances that have high potential for abuse and addiction but are not opioids. The impact on independent pharmacies' prescriptions of psychiatric drugs from the widening crackdown on opioids has not been previously reported. It is dedicated to mitigating the abuse of controlled substances without interfering in good-faith clinical decisions made by doctors, she said. "Pharmaceutical distributors must walk a legal and ethical tightrope between providing access to necessary medications and acting to prevent diversion of controlled substances," Esposito said in a written statement. The FDA, the HHS agency that administers the list of controlled substances, did not respond to a request for comment.

☆ High demand for children's medications shines a light on fragile US drug supplies
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-12 | by ( Brenda Goodman | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

Even when demand is not sky-high, drugs shortages happen regularly – but usually more quietly – in the US. At any time, the reasons why shelves may be empty vary from place to place and from drug to drug. With children’s medications, drug manufacturers say they are running full-tilt, and they planned for some increase in sales over the winter months. The FDA tracks drug shortages too, taking reports directly from manufacturers, but it defines them differently than the pharmacists’ group. The White House says drug shortages are a priority for President Biden’s administration, too.

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailWhy ADHD diagnoses have skyrocketedThe rate of ADHD diagnoses has been rising in the U.S. for the past two decades, and experts suspect that social media and the pandemic may be a catalyst. More Americans are seeking out treatment, which is straining the health care system. Then, in October, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced there was a shortage of Adderall, both the brand and generic form. Watch the video above to learn more about ADHD and whether the medical system can handle the sharp rise in demand.

☆ Skyrocketing demand for ADHD meds is straining the U.S. health care system
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( Charlotte Morabito | In Charlottemorabito | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

ADHD diagnoses and prescriptions have been increasing across all age groups since before the days of social media. The number of ADHD diagnoses in 2010 were almost five times what they were in 1999. And between 2007 and 2016, the number of diagnoses of ADHD in adults more than doubled. "I think we've definitely moved into an area of talking about mental health that's really positive. Watch the video above to learn more about the rise in ADHD in the United States and whether the health care system can handle the increase in demand.

☆ Sam Bankman-Fried disputed reports that FTX and Alameda employees were fueled by drugs: 'This has been totally on-label use of medication'
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( Samantha Delouya | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Sam Bankman-Fried denied reports that employees of his now-bankrupt crypto empire were fueled by drugs and alcohol. When we had parties, we would play board games," he told reporter Andrew Ross Sorkin at the New York Times Dealbook conference on Wednesday. "I have been prescribed various things at various times to help with focus and concentration.... these have all been totally on-label use of medications," he said. FTX's in-house coach and psychiatrist, Dr. George K Lerner, told the New York Times earlier this month that some employees at FTX took A.D.H.D prescription medication but that the "rate of A.D.H.D. I was the CEO of FTX... That means that I was responsible ultimately for asking great things and I didn't.

☆ Sam Bankman-Fried says FTX had 'no wild parties' and most people didn't even drink alcohol, report says
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( Sawdah Bhaimiya | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Sam Bankman-Fried said FTX had "no wild parties," at the New York Times' DealBook Summit. He said people would play board games at his parties and barely consumed any alcohol. He told reporter Andrew Sorkin that he only drank half a glass of alcohol a year. "There were no wild parties here," Bankman-Fried said. He clarified that he "didn't see any illegal drug use" in the office and that his parties were just "having people over for dinner."

Critical shortages of the ADHD drug Adderall and the antibiotic amoxicillin have left families reeling as the medicines their loved ones need become harder to find. In the case of amoxicillin, demand has become particularly acute amid a so-called tripledemic of Covid, respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, and the flu that are converging this season. The Food and Drug Administration's website currently lists amoxicillin and Adderall, also known as mixed amphetamine salts, as being in short supply. NBC News reached out to two of the drugmakers responsible for producing both Adderall and amoxicillin. In 2020, Congress passed the Mitigating Emergency Drug Shortages Act, which aimed to address some of these issues.

☆ Adderall users struggle amid ongoing medication shortage
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( Raenu Charles | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

A report from data analytics firm Trilliant Health found that nationally, prescriptions for Adderall among people ages 22 to 44 increased 15% between 2020 and 2021. “I’ve had patients call 10,15, 20 pharmacies in order to get their medication,” Goodman said. Clara is headed to her doctor to seek an alternative medication until Adderall is back in stock. It took five days for his pharmacy to fill his prescription in late October, and those days took a toll. Goodman strongly warns against this, offering a reminder that not only is selling your own prescription medication a felony, so is sharing it with others.

☆ Leaked audio reveals Cerebral execs telling workers they blew through too much money too quickly. Here's how the embattled mental-health startup is changing course.
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-02 | by ( Blake Dodge | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

The embattled startup hired against unprofitable growth, Jess Muse, Cerebral's president, said. Cerebral, she said, paid more money on advertising to bring in new patients than it recouped by providing mental-health services and prescriptions. Prioritizing turning a profitCerebral leaders held a series of staff meetings on Monday. During the Monday staff meetings, at least two employees expressed concerns about the increased workload, since remaining staff are taking on patients of those who were laid off. Several employees accused company leaders of blindsiding workers with layoffs after the employees said they were assured the company was performing well.

Search resuls for: "Adderall"

25 mentions found