Send us Fan Mail For adults with ADHD and the people who support them: what's happening with the Adderall shortage, what the telehealth deadline means for getting stimulants online, and why more women are being diagnosed in midlife. Got a topic you want covered? Suggest one here: Suggest a topic or question Generic Adderall has been on the FDA shortage list for four years. The rule that lets you get stimulants through telehealth runs out on December 31, 2026. Mia and Vincent, our AI hosts, break down the news, from DEA production limits to the rise in women's diagnoses. They also cover what each story can and can't tell us. Policy news checked as of October 17, 2026. The DEA's final special registration rule for telemedicine prescribing is now under federal review and has not been published. The shortage and telehealth rules may have changed since recording. Sources: the Adderall shortage Surviving the Adderall Shortage, Still, in 2026 (Psychology Today, Sept 2026): https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/talking-scientifically-about-mental-health/202609/surviving-the-adderall-shortage-still-inEstablished Aggregate Production Quotas for 2026 (DEA, Federal Register, Jan 5, 2026): https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/01/05/2025-24277/established-aggregate-production-quotas-for-schedule-i-and-ii-controlled-substances-and-assessmentFDA Drug Shortages Database (check current status): https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/drugshortages/Sources: telehealth Fourth Temporary Extension of COVID-19 Telemedicine Flexibilities for Prescription of Controlled Medications (DEA/HHS, Federal Register, Dec 31, 2025): https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/12/31/2025-24123/fourth-temporary-extension-of-covid-19-telemedicine-flexibilities-for-prescription-of-controlledSpecial Registrations for Telemedicine, final rule status (Reginfo.gov regulatory agenda): https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/eAgendaViewRule?RIN=1117-AB40&pubId=202510Telehealth and ADHD stimulants explainer (Understood): https://www.understood.org/en/articles/telehealth-adhd-stimulantsSources: women and ADHD diagnosis ADHD looks different in women and poses unique health risks (NPR, July 26, 2026): https://www.npr.org/2026/07/26/nx-s1-5821101/adhd-women-health-diagnosis-missed-treatmentStudy highlights real experiences of ADHD diagnosis in adult women (University of Queensland, Mar 30, 2026): https://news.uq.edu.au/2026-03-study-highlights-real-experiences-adhd-diagnosis-adult-womenNumber of ADHD patients rising, especially among women (Epic Research): https://www.epicresearch.org/articles/number-of-adhd-patients-rising-especially-among-women/Why thousands of women with ADHD are being misdiagnosed (BBC News, June 14, 2026): https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1my9emmk0eoWhen perimenopause and ADHD collide: the double-burden of mid-career women (Canadian HR Reporter, Apr 1, 2026): https://www.hrreporter.com/focus-areas/diversity/when-perimenopause-and-adhd-collide-the-double-burden-of-mid-career-women/394256Also mentioned in this episode Changes in Stimulant Dispensing to US Children Associated With the Stimulant Shortage (Pediatrics, June 2025; He, McCabe, Conti & Chua; cited by the Psychology Today article): https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40389241/General Prevalence of ADHD in Adults (CHADD's summary of the 2023 federal survey data on adults with ADHD): https://chadd.org/about-adhd/general-prevalence-adults/ (The "nearly 7 million women" figure is NPR's wording. This CHADD page doesn't state that number.)Gaps in Knowledge and Difficulty Navigating Treatment Options Keep Women from Getting Timely Menopause Care (Ipsos, March 2026; the GreenShield survey conducted by Ipsos and cited by Canadian HR Reporter): https://www.ipsos.com/en-ca/gaps-knowledge-and-difficulty-navigating-treatment-options-keep-women-getting-timely-menopause-careAbout ADHD Research Weekly Digest is its own podcast, hosted by AI hosts Mia and Vincent and sponsored by Learn to Thrive with ADHD. Sponsor: Learn to Thrive with ADHD offers private and group ADHD coaching for adults with ADHD coach Mande John: https://www.learntothrivewithadhd.com/services This podcast features AI-generated hosts. Content is for educational and informational purposes and is not medical advice. Talk with your own clinician before making any treatment decisions. Got a topic you want covered? Suggest one here: Suggest a topic or question
