survey of Pharmacys?

May 12, 2011

I thought I would ask at my local pharmacy if they made up perscriptions for

the dessicated pigs hormone either erfa or armour.Surprise surprise yes there

are local GPs who perscribe both of these drugs on named perscriptions and there

are also private perscriptions. There are 3 main Pharmacies in Stroud , I asked

at 2 of them. unfortunately it wasnt possible to find out which doctors, but in

both cases the pharmacist said there was no problems in ordering etc the main

difference is cost.

maybe interesting to know how many perscriptions are being made?

May 12, 2011

A lot of UK doctors and endocrinologists are prescribing either

Armour Thyroid, Nature Throid, Westhroid or the Erfa 'Thyroid'. These are the

brand names of desiccated thyroid that the MHRA allow doctors to prescribe in

the UK. However, a doctor has to take full responsibility for the prescribing

of these because they remain unlicensed in the UK (they have never required a

license as they have been 'grandfathered' in - meaning there has never been any

problems with the safety and efficacy using them, unlike levothyroxine, which

has had a lot of potency problems in the past. Should anything happen while a

doctor is prescribing unlicensed medicines, their medical insurance does not

cover them.

All pharmacies in the UK can prescribe natural thyroid extract.

All they do is get a NHS prescription from your doctor, where he has written on

it Erfa 'Thyroid (or whatever brand you need) - 60mgs (or whatever dose you need)

and at the side of that " For the treatment of hypothyroidism " . He

writes a short letter to the pharmacist telling him/her the reason he is

prescribing an unlicensed drug i.e. " Because this lady is unable to regain

her optimal health on synthetic levothyroxine-alone). You take that in, the

pharmacist sends it off to either Pharmarama, or Idis World Medicines (who

source unlicensed drugs from around the world), and in a couple of weeks time,

it should be ready for you. Your pharmacist will always have some in stock for

you.

Ask your GP if s/he will prescribe it for you. If not, ask to be

referred to an endocrinologist (see my list of doctors if you need to choose

one who does).

Be determined and assertive. Doctors will try to tell you it is

dangerous, can't be prescribed within the NHS, has had potency problems in the

past, that the T4 and T3 cannot be standardised in every batch etc. etc.

All of which are wrong, wrong, wrong. We have information in our Files section

if you need to pass it on to your doctor about this.

Luv - Sheila