SEC Alleges Gemini, Genesis Sold Unregistered Securities

 The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) alleged crypto exchange Gemini and crypto lender Genesis Global Capital sold unregistered securities in a lawsuit filed late Thursday.

The investment regulator took aim at Gemini Earn, the troubled yield-bearing product that hundreds of thousands of U.S. investors entrusted with their crypto. Gemini generated yield on billions of dollars in crypto by loaning deposits to Genesis, which loaned them out again.

But Genesis’ November closing of lending withdrawals left some 340,000 Gemini Earn customers and about $900 million in crypto in limbo, the SEC said. (Genesis is owned by Digital Currency Group, which also owns CoinDesk). The regulator accused the popular program of being an unregistered security.

“Defendants offered and sold the Gemini Earn Agreements through the Gemini Earn Program without registering” with securities regulators, the complaint said. “As a result, investors lacked material information about the Gemini Earn program that would have been relevant to their investment decisions.”

The lawsuit is the latest twist in a high-stakes CEO battle pitting the Winklevoss twins of Gemini against Barry Silbert, head of DCG. The Winklevoss twins, shaken by the fall of their popular yield product, have accused Silbert of fraud in his company’s management of Genesis; Silbert calls the brothers' accusations a publicity stunt.

https://www.coindesk.com/policy/2023/01/12/sec-alleges-gemini-genesis-sold-unregistered-securities/

Nearly 50% of Patients With Dementia Experience Falls

 Nearly half of older adults with dementia experience falls, suggests new research that also identifies multiple risk factors for these falls.

In a study of more than 5500 participants, 45.5% of those with dementia experienced one or more falls compared with 30.9% of their peers without dementia.

Vision impairment and living with a spouse were among the strongest predictors of future fall risk among participants living with dementia. Interestingly, high neighborhood social deprivation, which is reflected by such things as income and education, was associated with lower odds of falling.

Overall, the results highlight the need for a multidisciplinary approach to preventing falls among elderly individuals with dementia, lead author Safiyyah M. Okoye, PhD, assistant professor, College of Nursing and Health Professions, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, told Medscape Medical News.

"We need to consider different dimensions and figure out how we can try to go beyond the clinic in our interactions," she said.

Okoye noted that in addition to reviewing medications that may contribute to falls and screening for vision problems, clinicians might also consider resources to improve the home environment and ensure that families have appropriate caregiving.

The findings were published online January 12 in Alzheimer's and Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association.

No "Silver Bullet"

Every year, falls cause millions of injuries in older adults; and those with dementia are especially vulnerable. This population has twice the risk of falling and up to three times the risk of incurring serious fall-related injuries, such as fractures, the researchers note.

Falls are a leading cause of hospitalization among those with dementia. Previous evidence has shown that persons with dementia are more likely to experience negative health consequences, such as delirium, while in hospital compared to those without dementia. Even minor fall-related injuries are associated with the patient's being discharged to a nursing home rather than returning home.

Okoye stressed that many factors contribute to falls, including health status; function, such as the ability to walk and balance; medications; home environment; and activity level.

"There are multidimensional aspects, and we can't just find one silver bullet to address falls. It should be addressed comprehensively," she said.

Existing studies "overwhelmingly" focus on factors related to health and function that could be addressed in the doctor's office or with a referral, rather than on environmental and social factors, Okoye noted.

And even though the risk of falling is high among community-dwelling seniors with dementia, very few studies have addressed the risk of falls among these adults, she added.

The new analysis included a nationally representative sample of 5581 community-dwelling adults who participated in both the 2015 and 2016 National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS). The NHATS is a population-based survey of health and disability trends and trajectories among Americans aged 65 years and older.

During interviews, participants were asked, personally or by proxy, about falls during the previous 12 months. Having fallen at baseline was evaluated as a possible predictor of falls in the subsequent 12 months.

To determine probable dementia, researchers asked whether a doctor had ever told the participants that they had dementia or Alzheimer's disease. They also used a dementia screening questionnaire and neuropsychological tests of memory, orientation, and executive function.

Of the total sample, most (n = 5093) did not have dementia.

Physical environmental factors that were assessed included conditions at home, such as clutter, tripping hazards, and structural issues, as well as neighborhood social and economic deprivation ― such as income, education levels, and employment status.

Fall Rates and Counterintuitive Findings

Results showed that significantly more of those with dementia than without experienced one or more falls (45.5% vs 30.9%; P < .001).

In addition, a history of falling was significantly associated with subsequent falls among those with dementia (odds ratio [OR], 6.20; 95% CI, 3.81 – 10.09), as was vision impairment (OR, 2.22; 95% CI, 1.12 – 4.40) and living with a spouse vs alone (OR, 2.43; 95% CI, 1.09 – 5.43).

A possible explanation for higher fall risk among those living with a partner is that those living alone usually have better functioning, the investigators note. Also, live-in partners tend to be of a similar age as the person with dementia and may have challenges of their own.

Interestingly, high neighborhood social deprivation was associated with lower odds of falling (OR, 0.55 for the highest deprivation scores; 95% CI, 0.31 – 0.98), a finding Okoye said was "counterintuitive."

This result could be related to the social environment, she noted. "Maybe there are more people around in the house, more people with eyes on the person, or more people in the community who know the person. Despite the low economic resources, there could be social resources there," she said.

The new findings underscore the idea that falling is a multidimensional phenomenon among older adults with dementia as well as those without dementia, Okoye noted.

Doctors can play a role in reducing falls among patients with dementia by asking about falls, possibly eliminating medications that are associated with risk of falling, and screening for and correcting vision and hearing impairments, she suggested.

They may also help determine household hazards for a patient, such as clutter and poor lighting, and ensure that these are addressed, Okoye added.

No Surprise

Commenting for Medscape Medical News, David S. Knopman, MD, a clinical neurologist at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, said the finding that visual impairment and a prior history of falling are predictive of subsequent falls "comes as no surprise."

Knopman, whose research focuses on late-life cognitive disorders, was not involved with the current study.

Risk reduction is "of course" a key management goal, he said. "Vigilance and optimizing the patient's living space to reduce fall risks are the major strategies," he added.

Knopman reiterated that falls among those with dementia are associated with higher mortality and often lead to loss of the capacity to live outside of an institution.

The study was supported by the National Institute on Aging. The investigators and Knopman report no relevant financial relationships.

Alzheimers Dement. Published online January 12, 2023. Abstract

https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/986898

Poor Oral Hygiene After Stroke Can Alter Inflammation Risk

 The study covered in this summary was published on ResearchSquare.com as a preprint and has not yet been peer reviewed.

Key Takeaways

• Researchers found that among patients with severe and cardioembolic stroke who also had oral dysbiosisin, levels of blood inflammatory cytokines were elevated.

• The study demonstrated that specific oral microbiota may be associated with stroke.

Why This Matters

• The results suggest a correlation between oral dysbiosis and an increase in blood inflammatory cytokine levels in patients with severe or cardioembolic stroke.

• The study supports future research to determine the long-term effects of oral dysbacteriosis in people with stroke.

Study Design

• The study included 224 patients (162 acute ischemic stroke patients and 62 control patients with other neurologic diseases or symptoms) from the Department of Neurology of the First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University.

• Of the 162 stroke patients, the median age was 65 years, and 64.8% were men.

  • Stroke patients aged ≥18 years, those diagnosed with acute ischemic stroke, those with stroke subtypes, and those who were within 7 days of stroke onset were included in the stroke group.

  • Patients with a history of antibiotics or probiotics within 1 month prior to enrollment; those with upper respiratory tract infection, lung infection, or other infectious diseases; and those with dementia, mood disorders, schizophrenia, or other psychological or mental disorders were excluded.

• Oral microbiota communities were assessed by sequencing the V3–V4 region of the 16S DNA gene.

• Levels of triglycerides, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, homocysteine, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, SLCO1B1, APOE, CYP2C19, IL6, IL8, IL1β, TNF-α, and sCD40L were analyzed in relation with oral microbiota.

Key Results

• The oral microbiota of the stroke and control groups were similar; however, the oral microbiota of those with severe stroke and cardioembolic stroke were significantly different.

  • Megasphaera, Prevotella_1, Clostridia, Selenomonas_3, Prevotella_6, and Dialister were enriched in the severe stroke subgroup.

  • Prevotella_6, Staphylococcus, Staphylococcaceae, and Peptostreptococcus were significantly enriched in the cardioembolic stroke subgroup.

• Levels of IL-6, IL-8, IL-1β, TNF-α, and sCD40L were significantly higher in stroke patients than in control patients.

  • Levels of IL-6, IL-8, IL-1β, TNF-α, and sCD40L were significantly correlated with Peptostreptococcus, Staphylococcus, Selenomonas, Megasphaera, and other bacteria.

Limitations

• Limitations of the study were not reported.

Disclosures

• The study received grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province, and the Science and Technology Project of Zengcheng District, Guangzhou.

• The authors have disclosed no competing interests.

This is a summary of a preprint research study, "Oral Microbiota Dysbiosis and Increased Inflammatory Cytokines With Different Stroke Subtypes," written by Zhen Jing from the First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University in China and colleagues, published on ResearchSquare.com, and provided to you by Medscape. This study has not yet been peer reviewed. The full text of the study can be found on ResearchSquare.com.

https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/986902

Uptick in Prostate Cancer Diagnoses Prompts ACS 'Call to Arms'

 The latest trends in cancer incidence in the United States show both good news and bad news, as highlighted in the latest annual report from the American Cancer Society (ACS).

The good news is an "astounding" 65% drop in cervical cancer incidence among women in their early 20s, the first cohort to have access to the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, noted ACS chief executive officer Karen E. Knudsen, MBA, PhD.

The bad news is an alarming 3% annual increase in prostate cancer incidence from 2014-2019 after two decades of declining incidence.

"Most concerning is that this [prostate cancer] increase was driven by the diagnosis of advanced disease" Knudsen said, noting that the highest incidence and death rates were among black men. This increase in late-stage disease diagnoses has also been highlighted by others, as reported by Medscape Medical News.   

This uptick in prostate cancer has prompted a new ACS initiative called IMPACT: Improving Mortality from Prostate Cancer Together, to "mobilize resources across advocacy, patient support and research," she announced.

ACS chief scientific officer William Dahut, MD, explained that "IMPACT will fund bold new cancer research programs that connect the laboratory, the clinic, and the community…to help discern who is most at risk for prostate cancer, and how to prevent it."

Overall Cancer Deaths and Incidence

The cervical cancer and prostate cancer rates represent outliers at opposite ends of the spectrum. Overall, the data show a 33% decline in cancer mortality since 1991, which equates to an estimated 3.8 million cancer deaths averted, according to the report, titled Cancer Statistics, 2023.

Notably, cancer deaths continued to decline after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, with a 1.5% drop from 2019 to 2020.

The report was published online today in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians. A consumer-friendly companion, Cancer Facts & Figures 2023, can be viewed at cancer.org.

Looking at population-based cancer occurrence and outcomes using incidence data from central cancer registries and mortality data from the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics, the ACS projects there will be 1,958,310 new cancer cases and 609,820 cancer deaths in the United States in 2023.

Cancer incidence trends were mixed but were better among men than women. Lung cancer incidence from 2015-2019, for example, decreased by 2.6% for men and by 1.1% for women.

Breast and uterine corpus cancers, as well as liver cancer and melanoma, continued to increase in women, stabilized in men aged 50 years and older, and declined in younger men.

The ACS attributes the overall drop in cancer mortality to advances in treatment, particularly for leukemia, melanoma, and kidney cancer, and to accelerated declines for lung cancer.

Cervical Cancer: A Vaccine Success Story

The steep 65% decline in cervical cancer incidence in women aged 20-24 years from 2012-2019 — compared with a 20%–30% decline in pre-HPV vaccine cohorts over the prior decade — underscores the value of HPV vaccination and provides "clear population-level evidence that vaccination can reduce cancer incidence and provides optimism for expanding research toward the development of additional cancer prevention vaccines," an ACS press release notes.

"The large drop in cervical cancer incidence is extremely exciting because this is the first group of women to receive the HPV vaccine, and it probably foreshadows steep reductions in other HPV-associated cancers," Rebecca Siegel, MPH, lead author of the report and ACS senior scientific director, surveillance research, stated in the press release.

Knudsen noted that HPV vaccination rates are only about 32%, and although cervical cancer rates are still higher in unvaccinated women, the data show some evidence of a herd effect.

"Increased investment in strategies to harness the immune system in cancer prevention is warranted," added senior author Ahmedin Jemal, DVM, PhD, president, surveillance and health equity science at the ACS.

Prostate Cancer: "A Significant Call to Arms"

As the most common malignancy diagnosed in men and the second leading cause of cancer deaths in men, prostate cancer has profound but disparate health and financial effects. About 200,000 prostate cancer diagnoses are expected in the United States this year, representing nearly a third of all cancers in men, Knudsen said.

Incidence rates are 70% higher in Black vs White men, and mortality rates in Black men are 2-4 times higher than those in every other racial and ethnic group, Dahut added. 

Cure rates for localized prostate cancer are excellent and survival is nearly 99%.

The problem, as outlined in the ACS report based on a 2022 study conducted by Knudsen and her colleagues, is that more prostate cancers are being detected at later stages when the 5-year survival is only about 32%, she explained. Since 2011, the diagnosis of advanced-stage disease has increased by 4%–5% annually, and the proportion of men diagnosed with distant-stage disease has doubled.

"We must catch these cancers early," she said, calling the findings "a significant call to arms." That's where the IMPACT initiative comes in.

Making an IMPACT 

In addition to research focused on risk-based prevention strategies, the IMPACT initiative will also work to promote greater access to screening and quality care across communities, and to advance public policy that will address the US prostate cancer burden.

"ACS is committed to utilizing a tripartite strategy to reverse prostate cancer disparities and reduce death rates from prostate cancer in all demographics and disparities for Black men by 2035," Knudsen said. The goals of the initiative "can only be accomplished with community partnerships, including standing shoulder to shoulder with trusted organizations that share our vision to meaningfully address disparities in prostate cancer."

CA Cancer J Clin. Cancer Statistics, 2023. Published online January 12, 2023. Full text

https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/986870

Poll: 1 In 4 Americans Thinks Someone They Know May Have Died Due To Covid Shot

 The U.S. government has still not formally admitted to any deaths directly attributable to the fast-tracked, emergency-authorized mRNA Covid shots, which comprise the vast majority of all doses administered, rolled out more than two years ago. Nevertheless, a new Rasmussen poll finds more than a quarter of adults think they “personally know someone whose death may have been caused by side effects of the COVID-19 vaccines.”

Rasmussen’s results are stunning, but the fact that Rasmussen decided to conduct this poll in the first place is perhaps more politically and culturally significant. It indicates a sea change in attitudes toward the jabs.

At the onset of mass vaccination, major platforms including Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter put in place strict speech codes that proscribe framing the Covid shots as “dangerous.” News outlets and pundits have often accused those who question the safety of the shots of spreading “dangerous misinformation” and promoting “vaccine hesitancy.” Even right-leaning outlets such as Fox News largely refused to give credence to those warning that the shots may be far less safe than advertised. Yet now, in 2023, a major polling firm is reporting that a substantial minority (28 percent) of Americans suspect someone they know died from adverse events caused by Covid vaccination.

Suspicion, of course, is a far cry from proof. But the sheer prevalence of such suspicion should prompt serious inquiry from the Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and public debate that isn’t quashed or watered down by censors.

Other Polling Patterns

The poll also found younger people were more likely than older people to say someone they know may have died due to side effects from the shot: 35 percent of adults under 40, compared to 28 percent of those aged 40 to 64, and only 14 percent of those over 65. 

Most interestingly, more Democrats than Republicans think someone they know may have died from jab side effects (33 percent to 26 percent). Democrats are more likely to have been vaccinated themselves, and thus more likely to associate with people who are also vaccinated. The more people one knows who have been vaccinated, the higher the likelihood of reporting a suspicion of vaccine-related death.

Additionally, as Covid-response skeptic Igor Chudov has pointed out, more married people than unmarried report knowing someone who may have died from an adverse event (33 percent to 23 percent). Not only do the social circles of married people tend to be larger, but Rasmussen reports that married people were more likely to be vaccinated.

Pollsters also found concerns about the shots’ safety are higher among the unvaccinated. A full three-quarters of the un-jabbed think it’s “at least somewhat likely that side effects of COVID-19 vaccines have caused a significant number of unexplained deaths.” Many unvaccinated didn’t take the jab due to concerns the shots weren’t sufficiently proven to be safe, so this stands to reason. On the other hand, those who’ve taken the vaccine have far more incentive to believe the drug they willingly took is safe. (Some may have taken it due to employer mandates or other requirements, however.) People are not inclined to believe they risked their health unnecessarily. Even so, 38 percent of those who’ve taken the jab also believed the shot was “at least somewhat likely” to have caused “a significant number of unexplained deaths.” That is a substantial minority.

Can a drug be considered “safe” if it’s “somewhat likely” to have caused a “significant number” of deaths? Is it reasonable to conclude from these results that a substantial minority of people who’ve taken the drug themselves do not believe the shots to be safe? A belief they’ve possibly caused a “significant number of unexplained deaths” would certainly put the Covid shots well below the level of perceived safety that most childhood vaccines are widely considered to have.  

Maybe booster uptake has been so low not due to doubts about adequate testing or efficacy, but because more people are wary of it than before. A Rasmussen report from Dec. 7 found 57 percent of respondents were concerned about “major side effects,” including 43 percent of Democrats who were “at least somewhat concerned.” Seven percent of respondents reported “major side effects” from the shot.

Chudov discusses paywalled portions of the new poll here, including a curious finding that those “other” than whites or blacks were significantly more likely to say they know someone who may have died from an adverse event.

More Investigation Needed

The findings of the new poll on beliefs about deaths post-vaccination come a full two years after the initial rollout of the shots, which were marketed at the time as being more than 90 percent effective at preventing infection and almost 100 percent effective at preventing death from illness caused by infection with the SARS-COV-2 virus. Rasmussen conducted a poll on concerns over vaccine side effects in November 2021, but if the firm had polled about suspicion of deaths caused by the shot multiple times since vaccine rollout, we would have a better idea of how beliefs about the safety of the Covid shots have shifted. As more and more medical professionals and experts speak out, it is becoming more acceptable to ask questions that may yield frightening answers.

Our public health establishment has fallen prey to the sunk-cost fallacy. It is too terrible for them to imagine that the shots they pushed so aggressively could turn out to be unsafe, or at least a very poor risk-benefit tradeoff for many people. Because of this, honest, rigorous, and continuous investigation from both inside and outside public health agencies is all the more critical.

Georgi Boorman is a Senior Contributor at The Federalist and host of The 180 Cast, where she interviews people who have changed their minds on important political and social issues. She is a regular guest on Kevin McCullough Radio and other talk radio programs, and her editorial writing brings Christian and conservative principles to the foreground. She is also the co-author of "Clocking Out Early: The Ultimate Guide to Early Retirement," and enjoys a comfortably frugal life in central Washington with her family.

https://thefederalist.com/2023/01/05/poll-1-in-4-americans-thinks-someone-they-know-may-have-died-due-to-covid-shot/

How pandemic policy fueled America's Adderall addiction

 

One in EIGHT people are on ADHD drugs after prescription rules were relaxed to keep people at home during Covid

One in eight Americans are now hooked on Adderall after Covid pandemic policies during the Trump administration made the powerful stimulant available online with just a few clicks of a button.

The Federal Government relaxed rules around prescribing  medicines in March 2020, just as the virus started to take off in the US, allowing telemedicine companies to dish out the drug online without an in-person consultation.

The aim was to keep people out of hospitals and doctors' clinics, while ensuring access to medicines. But it inadvertently created a booming market for start-ups who brazenly advertised their '60-second assessments' and aggressively marketed the medication on social media.

Today, some 41million Americans have a prescription for Adderall, estimates suggest, a 16 percent surge from before Covid struck. Four million new patients got prescriptions last year, double the previous year.

Millions of these patients are children and young adults. Up to 10 percent of school children are estimated to be on the drugs, as well as a third of college students.

Adderall prescriptions have steadily increased over the last 12 years. The figures include prescriptions for both Adderall, brand and generic, in the U.S.

Telehealth company Done has run advertisements featuring images of pills and promising quick ADHD diagnoses

One mother whose 21-year-old son killed himself while playing Russian Roulette with a loaded gun and high on Adderall, said he was able to lie to telemedicine providers to get the drug despite a slew of mental health problems that should have raised red flags. 

Adderall is a schedule II drug — the same category reserved for opioids like fentanyl and oxycodone — meaning it has a 'high potential for abuse, with use potentially leading to severe psychological or physical dependence.

The drug is a combination of two stimulants, dextroamphetamine and amphetamine, used to treat patients with attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD).

These stimulants ramp up activity in the central nervous system, which controls pathways in your brain and spinal cord responsible for most bodily functions. 

Experts believe ADHD is caused by an imbalance of the hormones dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain.

Not having sufficient levels of these hormones can lead to symptoms like an inability to focus and low motivation.

Adderall works by causing the brain to release extreme amounts of dopamine and norepinephrine.

A separate, brightly-colored advert on Instagram features ice cream cones and tells patients to consume sugary snacks every 30 minutes while on the drug

ADHD overprescription could be as bad as OPIOID CRISIS, DEA says 

The DEA has likened factors leading to the overprescription of Adderall to those behind the opioid crisis.

But this can become dangerous when abused and used excessively. If a high enough dose is taken, the user will experience euphoria likened to molly or MDMA.

Adderall may cause sudden death or strokes among children and adults, especially those with heart defects or serious heart problems. 

Around 1,000 Americans die from prescription stimulants and benzodiazepines like Adderall and Xanax every year.

Insomnia and poor sleep are two more common symptoms among heavy Adderall users.

This can lead to exhaustion, severe mood swings, irritability, and restlessness during the day.

A chronic lack of sleep can also raise the risk of a host of mental health issues, including depression, anxiety and delusions. 

Weight loss is also a potential side effect of Adderall addiction. This can happen due to decreased appetite or excessive exercise. 

Adderall increases the amount of glucose — or sugar — released into the body, which increases blood sugar levels and can lead to stomach pain and diarrhea.

Those who have taken the drug for a long time or misused it will develop a physical dependence on the drug, and experience withdrawal symptoms when they try to come off, including depression, irritability and problems sleeping. 

Cerebral and Done have both stated they do not pressure clinicians and provide essential services but the DEA is currently investigating the prescribing practices of the companies. Pictured, a snapshot from a Cerebral video ad that ran in 2021 on Facebook

41 million prescriptions for Adderall were filled last year 

With the advent of telemedicine and Covid, Adderall prescriptions have surged from 35.8million in 2019 to 41m in 2021.

There are fears the overprescription of the drug is leading to a new wave of addictions on par with the opioid crisis. 

Telemedicine companies saw their profits grow to monumental levels over the pandemic.

Cerebral Inc — which is currently under investigation for aggressively advertising Adderall on Facebook and Instagram — hit a valuation of $4.8billion a little over two years after it was founded in 2020.

Done Global Inc — also under investigation for its prescribing practices — has seen its revenues quickly eclipse the $3million offered, people familiar with the company told Bloomberg. 

The top maker of Adderall for the US market — accounting for more than 80 percent of all sales worldwide — is Israel-based Teva Pharmaceuticals.

The company has a revenue of some $3.59billion a year and specializes primarily in generic medicines.

There are fears that overprescription of the drug raises the risk of more patients becoming addicted, in turn putting further pressure on healthcare services.

It also means ADHD sufferers who need the drug are struggling to get hold of the treatment.

In October, some patients warned they were considering turning to the black market just to fill their prescriptions.

And others said they were having to visit more than 40 pharmacies to ensure they could get the treatment.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) declared a shortage of Adderall the same month, about 90 days after suppliers warned of shortages.

Teva blamed the situation on heightened demand as well as labor shortages at its factories.

Last month a mother blamed lax Adderall prescription rules brought in during the Covid pandemic for her son's death.

Elijah Hanson was found dead on the kitchen floor in Tacoma, Washington, on June 25 after filming himself playing Russian Roulette with a loaded handgun.

The 21-year-old had been written a prescription for Adderall by a telemedicine pharmacy despite suffering from red-flag mental health issues, his brother Ethan said.

Mother Kelli Rasmussen, blamed Adderall for his suicide, telling CBS that despite her son not having ADHD he was still able to secure a prescription for the drug by lying to telehealth providers. 

The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) is legally required to set production quotas each year for ingredients in Schedule II drugs. 

In December, the DEA announced that it would not permit any increase in the production of pharmaceutical ingredients used to make Adderall and other stimulants for ADHD treatment in 2023. 

The DEA's decision to limit production, coupled with a rise in prescriptions since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, has reportedly contributed to a shortage of Adderall, as noted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in October.

What is Adderrall? The stimulant taken by one in EIGHT Americans

Adderall is a combination of two stimulant substances, dextroamphetamine and amphetamine.

These bind to receptors on neurons, causing the release of two hormones that help people to be more alert and focused.

What does Adderall do in the body?

Once consumed orally, the drug triggers the release of dopamine — or the feel-good hormone.

This boosts motivation, doctors say, making people strive harder to achieve their goals.

It also causes more norepinephrine — a stress hormone — to be released, doctors say.

This raises blood flow to an area of the brain linked to attention and response, helping to boost focus.

For people suffering from ADHD, this helps to improve their focus and attention while reducing hyperactive and impulsive behavior.

But for non-ADHD patient taking Adderall, they will likely 'feel high' and have a sense of euphoria — running the risk of addiction.

How many prescriptions are there in the US?

Prescriptions of Adderall surged over the Covid pandemic by some five million, estimates suggest.

Before Covid struck it was only possible to get the drug after an in person consultation with a clinician.

But when the pandemic virus arrived these rules were relaxed to allow it to also be prescribed after a virtual consultation.

This has led to many telemarketing startups springing up, which offered the drug via adverts posted on social media platforms including Instagram and Facebook.

The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) says 'aggressive marketing practices' contributed to the boom in prescriptions. 

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-11595829/One-EIGHT-people-ADHD-drug-adderall-prescription-rules-relaxed.html