What We’re Reading: Adderall Shortage Continues; Pertussis Vaccine Expanded for Infants; Breast Cancer Death Disparities

Teva Says Adderall Supply Delays Will Continue for Next 2-3 Months

A spokesperson for Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. said the company will continue to face challenges supplying amphetamine/dextroamphetamine (Adderall) for the next 2-3 months, Bloomberg Law reported. The combination drug, which is popularly used to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), has been in short supply since August, following a labor shortage at Teva in the summer. Teva is the main supplier of Adderall the United States, selling both branded and generic products, and the demand for the ADHD drug is at an all-time high.

FDA Expands Use of Boostrix Vaccine to Prevent Pertussis in Infants

The FDA expanded the use of GlaxoSmithKline's pertussis vaccine, Boostrix, for immunization during the third trimester of pregnancy to prevent pertussis in infants aged younger than 2 months. Often referred to as whooping cough, pertussis is a common, highly contagious respiratory disease that affects all age groups, but infants have the highest risk of contracting and having serious complications from the disease. Boostrix was first approved in 2005 to prevent tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis, but this decision was made to particularly focus on preventing pertussis in infants aged younger than 2 months. According to the CDC, 4.2% of the total US cases of pertussis in 2021 were among infants aged younger than 6 months.

Despite Drop in Breast Cancer Deaths, Racial Disparities Remain

The US breast cancer death rate has dropped significantly in the last 3 decades. However, a study from the American Cancer Society found that Black women are still more likely to die from breast cancer despite having a lower incidence, CNN Health reported. According to the study, the breast cancer death rate dropped by 43% between 1989 and 2020, reflecting 460,000 fewer deaths during that time. When data were analyzed by race, Black women had a lower incidence rate of breast cancer compared with White women, but had a 40% higher death rate. Experts said ensuring that Black women have the same access to hospitals, cancer screenings, and quality treatments as White women is a major key to eliminate these disparities.