Cost of ADHD Medication Adderall May Skyrocket

According to pharmaceutical industry reports, ADHD drug-maker Shire plans to raise the cost of Adderall 20 percent in coming months.

Adderall XR is nearing the end of its patent. Which means that, soon enough, generic versions of the widely popular ADHD medication will legally flood the market and bring down the cost of treating attention deficit disorder for millions of people. Or will it?

In anticipation of lost profits, drug-maker Shire is now reportedly increasing the price of Adderall by 20 percent in order to encourage consumers to try the relatively cheaper alternative medication Vyvanse. Once they're taking Vyvanse and seeing good results, the logic goes, consumers will be less likely to switch back to a cheaper Adderall generic when that becomes available.

Already, this strategy is earning Shire some benefits -- rumor has it that pharmaceutical giant Pfizer is looking to acquire the smaller U.K. drug maker.

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