RE: Erfa and the Freezer!

[Guest guest]

Hello Tammy

First, I would write to your GP and tell her that you are

extremely unhappy that she has now gone against her original decision to

prescribe natural thyroid extract for you and that you need, in writing, an

explanation as to exactly WHY her hands are tied. Her hands are NOT tied, and

it is up to you to make her aware of this FACT.

First, copy out the letter and two emails I received from the Medicine

and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency saying that NHS doctors CAN prescribe

unlicensed medicines when the licensed medicine does not give patients back

their optimal health. There are many, many UK NHS doctors who are now realising

their patients do not do well on levothyroxine-only who prescribe them natural

porcine thyroid extract.

If your GP is afraid of being reported to the General Medical

Council for daring to prescribe outside of the RCP, BTA statements regarding

the diagnosing and management of primary hypothyroidism because she is aware

that other doctors have previously been reported - then draw her attention to

the very recent (November 2011) decision by the GMC regarding the very long

drawn out proceedings against the Fitness to Practice by Dr Gordon Skinner -

who they have now completely EXONERATED - so doctors are free to use whatever

treatment they feel is needed for their patient so long as they can account for

their reasoning behind this. Show her pages 5 and 6 of the GMC's determination

- http://www.tpa-uk.org.uk/drskinner_minutes_%. 20november_2011.pdf and this

should give her the encouragement she needs.

Tell her also that the Department of Health has agreed that

doctors are allowed to use whatever diagnosing and treatment guidelines they

wish, even if these are written in another country, so long as a doctor can

give good cause as to why they chose those particular guidelines. Dr Skinner chooses

to use the European and American Guidelines as being better researched and

therefore uses their TSH reference ranges, rather than those recommended by the

RCP, BTA and the GMC have accepted this. We HAVE to get this over to our

doctors, who are becoming quite terrified of these dictators, who are producing

no evidence whatsoever as to why doctors should follow their diktat.

The

Panel considered that

1.

Dr Skinner’s Fitness to Practise was not impaired and that

his approach to treatment, whereby both clinical and biochemical parameters are

assessed, fell within the guidelines of ‘Good Medical Practice’.

The central issue in this case was the propriety of

prescribing thyroxine to patients who had symptoms and/or signs of hypothyroidism,

but whose blood test results fell within a conventionally accepted

reference range, which was generally interpreted as implying

“normality”.

They were satisfied that the procedures Dr Skinner

has in place for monitoring his patients were adequate.

In reference to his prescribing of the unlicensed

drug Armour Thyroid, they were content with his reasoning behind its

prescription.

The

Panel having considered all the evidence agreed that:

1.

Dr Skinner had complied with the conditions on his registration

for the three years since the first hearing.

2.

There was no evidence of patient harm.

3.

There was no evidence of any misconduct or deficient

professional performance.

4.

Dr Skinner had referred them to many papers that addressed the

issue of biochemical testing for thyroid disease, and its relationship with the

clinical findings.

5.

The issue was a complex one.

6.

They were satisfied that Dr Skinner’s ability to produce

these references had demonstrated both insight and ability to reflect

objectively upon his practice

Hi All,

So this awful news about prescriptions for Efra from Value Pharmaceuticals is

scary. My Endo wrote to my GP stating I shouldn't use ERFA as it's unlicensed,

previously she was happy to give a prescription for it on the NHS, but as she

says her hands are 'tied' after receiving this letter from the endo who has no

idea about really treating me. So I gave up and purchased have been purchasing

it myself. $130 for 500 2grain pills was worth it 10 fold to me.(Armour is much

more expensive at $95 for 100 pills).

But now this news....heartbreak! Can I really buy a stash of them and store in

the freezer to prolong its life until hopefully this has blown over?

Thanks for all the hard work Sheila and co.

Regards and Happy New Year!

Tammy

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MHRA confirmation re Natur1.doc