If you bought the drug Adderall online hoping to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder you better check to make sure you didn't receive a counterfeit version. The Food and Drug Administration warned Tuesday that some of the pills sold on the Internet contain the wrong medication.

Instead of a combination of dextroamphetamine and amphetamine that Adderall should contain, the counterfeit tablets, all 30-milligram doses, have acetaminophen (Tylenol) and tramadol (Ultram), a potent prescription pain reliever. The counterfeit pills won't help ADHD symptoms and could be dangerous.

Authentic 30 mg Adderall tablets are orange/peach colored, have the letters "dp" on one side and the number "30" on the other, and come in bottles containing 100 pills. The counterfeit tablets are white, don't have any letters or numbers printed on them, and come in a blister package with various misspellings. For example, "Single" is incorrectly spelled "Singel." The FDA has photos of counterfeit and authentic tablets on its website.

Bottom line: If you purchased any of the counterfeit tablets, do not take them. Talk with your doctor about getting a new prescription. If you're having trouble finding Adderall or other ADHD medications, check out our tips for tracking down a legitimate supply.

To avoid the risk of counterfeit medications when buying online, stick with websites associated with legitimate walk-in stores in the U.S., such as CVS.com, Target.com, and Walmart.com. Even your local independent pharmacy probably has a website that can accept prescription orders and refills.

Read more of our recommendations on how to purchase medications safely online. And see our Best Buy Drugs advice on ADHD drugs.

Source
FDA warns consumers about counterfeit version of Teva's Adderall [FDA]