Unhappy with the medications your child is taking for ADHD? You're about to get some new options. The British pharmaceutical company Shire, maker of Adderall, will soon start marketing Vyvanse in the U.S., and has received preliminary FDA approval for Intuniv.
So what's new about these meds? Vyvanse is a stimulant, like Ritalin and Adderall, but doesn't take effect until it is digested, making it less attractive for those who want to snort it or inject it illegally instead of take it legally for their hyperactivity and attention problems. Intuniv, meanwhile, is not a stimulant, not a controlled substance, and according to a Shire press release, "does not have a known mechanism for potential abuse or dependence."
Reuters reports that Vyvanse will be launched in the U.S. next week, and Intuniv should, if the FDA gets its questions answered and issues a final okay, be available sometime next year.
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