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Investigation underway into adverse reactions to ADHD drug Vyvanse
ABC NEWS (Australia)
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6 days ago
Australia's most commonly prescribed drug for ADHD is under investigation after a spike in adverse reactions. The therapeutic goods administration is looking into 320 reports of adverse events relating to the drug Vyvanse.
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00:00
So, Vyvanse is one of the stimulant medications that we use for ADHD. It is helpful to increase
00:10
the concentration of dopamine and noradrenaline in our brains, which help our executive functioning
00:17
portion of our brain, and it helps us reduce the core symptoms of ADHD. The adverse effects
00:25
that were reported earlier this year were mostly actually due to reported ineffectiveness
00:33
of the medication. And this, we feel, was likely due to a typing error that was on the
00:41
box of Vyvanse.
00:43
Can you take us through a little bit more about what that potential typing error was and,
00:50
I guess, how some of these adverse reports may relate to that?
00:58
So, the typing error ended up insinuating that the dosage of the capsule was potentially
01:07
spread across the entire bottle rather than individual. And so, it was ambiguous as to
01:12
whether or not each capsule indeed held the entire contents as prescribed. So, a 20 milligram
01:18
capsule, it was ambiguous as to whether that individual capsule had 20 milligrams or the
01:24
entire bottle had 20 milligrams. And so, there were some complaints which were raised about
01:31
the fact that people felt that their medication no longer was as effective as it had been in
01:36
the past.
01:37
So, we've seen that there have been 320 adverse events reported in the first six months of
01:45
this year. That compares to just nine in the six months prior. That is a fairly significant
01:51
jump. Do we know more about why that's come about?
01:54
So, some of the other adverse effects that were noted were an increase in anxiety. And if
02:02
your ADHD is not being managed well, then, and that may have been, if your ADHD is not
02:09
being managed well, then it is difficult also to sometimes manage your anxiety because one
02:15
can play into the other. And during that time, a lot of people who felt that the Vyvanse was
02:21
not as effective were no longer taking their medicine during that time. And so, that may
02:25
have compounded that as well.
02:27
Is there potentially an element here as well of there simply also being more people on this
02:35
medication?
02:36
So, I think with the growing awareness of ADHD, then there is going to be a gradual increase
02:47
in the number of people who are being treated for their ADHD. But I don't think it accounts
02:50
for such a dramatic jump from nine reports in the second half of last year to over 300
02:57
for the first half of this year. And I think if we look at this sensibly, it is more likely
03:04
to be related to a misunderstanding around the labelling of the medication, which has been
03:09
rectified by the company, rather than it being a true adverse offence that is attributable
03:17
to the medication, which is a very relative, you know, is a safe medication and is our gold
03:22
standard for treatment. Stimulant medications are our gold standard treatment for the core symptoms
03:28
of ADHD.
03:29
So, the Therapeutic Goods Administration is now investigating. What exactly will they
03:36
be looking at and what could potentially come of that investigation?
03:40
So, I am aware that the company that provides Vyvanse to Australia has been asked to assess
03:49
the validity of the concentration of the medicine within their capsules to reassure its patients
03:58
and clinicians, that the medicines do indeed contain the appropriate amount of medication.
04:05
And I believe that that is almost completed. And that would be there to reassure clinicians,
04:11
consumers, and families, and also the TGA that everything is well and truly above board with
04:18
regard to Vyvanse in particular.
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