Department of Veterans Affairs prescriptions for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, more commonly known as ADHD, should be made tougher to obtain in the future, according to a new report by the VA inspector general.
The inspector general found that VA providers aren't always documenting patient assessments before prescribing the stimulant drugs used to treat ADHD, such as brand-name drugs Adderall and Ritalin. In some cases, they are relying on the patient's self-reporting without even conducting an assessment.
For veterans, there is a high risk of abuse and addiction to the prescribed drugs. Stimulants such as those used to treat ADHD are classified by the Food and Drug Administration as Schedule II drugs — the same category as fentanyl and oxycodone — and are tightly regulated and not recommended for patients who struggle with alcohol or substance abuse.
Read Next: Former Air National Guardsman Facing Child Porn Charges May Have Defected to Russian Military
The inspector general — the agency's independent watchdog — recommended that VA primary-care providers refer patients who may need ADHD medications to mental health providers before writing prescriptions, as well as checking for other conditions that could be confused with ADHD symptoms.
There's no genetic or biological testing available for ADHD, meaning a medical provider's assessment is the only method for diagnosis.
Within the VA's health care system, the number…
