Letter to PSNC bringing Tiromel to their attention and asking for an explanation as to why this cheaper product is not available on the NHS.

[T4_malcontent]

Please find below a copy of a letter I have just sent to PSNC. Please feel free to copy and paste it into an email and send them a copy.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Sent:: 25 April 2013 20:56

To:'[e-mail]'

Cc: '[e-mail]'; '[e-mail]'; '[e-mail]'

Subject:The unacceptably high cost of Liothyronine

Dear PSNC

I have been reading on the Department of Health website how a new healthcare system is designed to empower patients and local communities, the website says the new system is designed to deliver better health, better care and better value for money. healthandcare.dh.gov.uk/gui...

I would like to test this notion of ‘empowering patients and listening to communities’ and in the spirit of that concept would like to bring to your attention an issue which I believe may save the NHS a significant amount of money.

I have been viewing your website and find that the cost to the NHS of a pack of 28 Liothyronine (T3) is £52.46 (psnc.org.uk/data/files/Brok... ). It is my belief, and the belief of many other Hypothyroid patients that Liothyronine may provide a more effective alternative therapy for Hypothyroidism, for patients who do not readily convert T4 into T3. thyroiduk.healthunlocked.com/ (for views of an on-line community of thyroid patients, please see tags on this website listed under the Tags A-Z for T3, Liothyronine, t4 to t3 conversion).

Many patients have asked their GPs and Endocrinologists to prescribe Liothyronine, however, many requests are met with barriers, one of which is ‘cost’.

I would like to bring to your attention an alternative product which is made by Adbi Ibrahim a pharmaceutical company in Turkey, with a London office. This company produced a product named Tiromel which is available in 25 mcg tablets (100 tablets per pack) at a cost of £3.50 per pack abdiibrahim.com.tr/en/produ...

If this product were available in the UK, doctors would not be worried about the cost, then vast numbers of hypothyroid patients would gain access to an alternative therapy which is likely to produce positive effects (T3 being the active hormone, whereas T4 is only the ‘raw material’ and in itself of little use, if not converted to T3).

As a taxpayer I am absolutely disgusted that so much public money is being wasted in this way and that as a result very many hypothyroid patients are being denied access to a therapy that is likely to considerably improve their quality of life.

I have already written to the MRHA to ask for this product to be licensed

I look forward to receiving a full explanation as to why this product cannot be made available on the NHS and the justification for continuing to line the pockets of Mercury Pharma shareholders at the expense of the British taxpayer.

Yours faithfully

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK]

I admire your effort and hope that it leads to a better future.

Quite obviously, the price difference between liothyronine here and in some other countries is considerable and really needs to be justified.

[T4_malcontent]

Thanks Helvella, I really want to encourage others to copy and paste these letters into their own emails, I firmly believe there is strength in numbers.

[Hidden in reply to T4_malcontent]

Thank you so much for doing this!

[tegz]

Colchicine [gout med] has been around over a thousand years.

In the US, a few years back trials were done on the original,which had been approved, without trials ,due to historical use] and it turned into Colcrys -and the price rocketed. Generic 'not availble' . Funny that- Money talks.

It's a tricky med to use- but well proven by our forebears. Now, it's 'something' else!

[nightingale-56]

Brilliant letter and one that begs for answers. Do hope you get an honest reply. Honesty in the NHS is sadly lacking. Just returned from London Dermatology appointment - trainfare costing £30.00 - to be given no answer, let alone an honest one. Janet.

[PinkBear]

Copied, pasted & sent

'Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all'

-Dale Carnegie

[Finola]

There is an Italian company called Teofarma which manufactures 20 mcg liothyronine tablets sold under the trade name Ti Tre. A pack of 50 tabs costs Euros 3.46 in Italy and

I buy them from my local pharmacy in Ireland for about Euros15.00 per pack. Ireland is probably the most expensive place in Europe to buy meds so the NHS must be able to buy T3 for relative pennies. I use both Ti Tre and Cynomel and I find them both perfectly adequate. Ti Tre is very similar to Tiromel.

[Kezzerb]

Copied and sent thank you for your efforts we are all in this together it's an utter disgrace we have to go through this.

[T4_malcontent]

Thank you to everyone who has copied this letter and sent it to psnc.

[Kezzerb]

I copied and sent letter but it bounced back as undeliverable has anyone else experienced this thanks

[T4_malcontent]

Hi Kezzerb

I sent it to:

[e-mail]

and copied it to:

[e-mail]

[e-mail]

[e-mail]

I've noticed that the email addresses above are appearing in quotation marks, so maybe try again and just use the addresses as I have written them here.

Fingers crossed.

T4_malcontent

[Hiphypo]

Will adapt and send tomorrow, thanks for this. I am on T3 only now and very worried about the shortage.

[tegz]

Maybe the way drugs can be marketed is following the bankers role model and the Gov'ts Q.Easing- which is basically stealing the future.

ie: A licence to print money if you wrap it up right!