Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what her most recent estimate is of the number of children aged under 16 who are prescribed Elvanse but do not have access to it due to the shortage.

Disruptions to the supply of medicines used for the management of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, including Elvanse, have been primarily driven by issues which have resulted in capacity constraints at key manufacturing sites. The Department has been working closely with the manufacturer and some issues have now been resolved. However, we know that there continue to be disruptions to the supply of some Elvanse products, which should resolve by April 2024.

The information requested is not held centrally. However, the following table shows the total number of items prescribed to children aged under 16 years old for chemical substance Lisdexamfetamine dimesylate and includes both generic and branded prescribing of Elvanse:

Source: NHS Business Services Authority

Notes:

1. The data does not show the number of children aged under 16 who are prescribed Elvanse but do not have access to it.

The figures show the latest 12 months of data held in the period between December 2022 and November 2023 and for the standalone month of November 2023 as a comparison for prescriptions that have been prescribed in England and dispensed in the community in England.