FDA warns against counterfeit Adderall bought online

The Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday warned consumers and physicians about counterfeit forms of Adderall being sold online. Unscrupulous distributors are apparently taking advantage of the fact that the drug is currently in short supply because of manufacturing problems and are selling other drugs, claiming that they are Adderall.

Adderall, manufactured by Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, is approved for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and narcolepsy, but is also used illicitly for increasing attention and getting high. Its primary ingredients are dextroamphetamine saccharate, amphetamine aspartate, dextroamphetamine sulfate and amphetamine sulfate. The 30-milligram fake pills analyzed by the FDA contain the painkiller tramadol and acetaminophen.

The phony medication can be easily detected. The package label contains several misspellings: “NDS” instead of “NDC,” “Aspartrte” instead of “Aspartate,” and “Singel” instead of “Single.” The phony pills themselves are round, white and smooth. The authentic pills are also round, but they are orange and peach, are scored and have “dp” embossed on one side and “30” on the other. The authentic drug is also sold in a bottle containing 100 pills.

Anyone having the pills should stop taking them immediately because they are ineffective and may be dangerous, the FDA warned. Adverse effects from the counterfeit pills should be reported to the FDA’s MedWatch Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program. Consumers who believe they have received counterfeit Adderall should contact the FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations at (800) 551-3989 or here.

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