Prescription Panic
The abuse of stimulant medications prescribed to teens and young adults with ADHD has skyrocketed throughout the late 2010s and into the 2020s.
A prescription drug crisis is brewing in America—and David Baker, CEO, and co-founder of Vallon Pharmaceuticals believes the solution lies with manufacturers.
For or CEO Leadership Series, we asked David how his organization is developing a safer way to deliver ADHD prescriptions into the hands of those that need them.
“For everything we hear about the opioid crisis, among teenagers and young adults, there’s actually a greater rate of abuse of prescription stimulants like Adderall and Ritalin. So, we’re basically trying to develop forms of Adderall and Ritalin that kids will have a hard time crushing and snorting.”
Of course, with the development of new drugs come rigorous clinical trials before said solutions can go to market. While David had no prior experience running clinical trials, he did have key skills from a previous career to help him through the process…
“I basically threw myself in and used my skills as a marketer to help the clinical operations team recruit subjects. We developed a social media campaign and developed a website—not to promote a product, but to promote a study.”
It takes the creativity and forward-thinking mind of people like David Baker to solve one of America’s most pressing problems. But the pharmaceutical industry can’t do it alone.
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In 2020 alone, over 16,000 young adults died from misuse of prescription drugs. To save lives, we all need to know the signs of abuse.
How to recognize prescription drug abuse.
? Talk to your children or students about the importance of using the medicine only as prescribed.
? Never let someone in your care share their prescription medication.
? Watch for warning signs like decreased sleeping or eating, weight loss, excessive activity, or erratic shifts in mood.
If you or your organization are a drug manufacturer, what precautions do you take to prevent the misuse of prescriptions? Let us know and we’ll feature your reply in an upcoming newsletter.