A pair of bills moving through the Rhode Island General Assembly would permit patients to fill multiple months of their ADHD medications — like methylphenidate, or generic Ritalin, shown here — in a single visit to the pharmacy. (Photo by Alexander Castro/Rhode Island Current)
Legislation moving through the Rhode Island House and Senate could alleviate one pain point for parents: Filling a prescription for ADHD medications amid ongoing shortages.
On Tuesday, the Rhode Island House Committee on Health and Human Services OK’d an amended version of H5866 , a bill led by Portsmouth Democratic Rep. Michelle McGaw that would improve patients’ access to prescription stimulants by allowing pharmacies to fill and dispense a 60-day supply rather than in 30-day increments as is currently allowed. The drugs are mainly used to treat ADHD and ADD, hyperactivity and attention deficit disorders, and since 2022 have consistently faced shortages nationwide…