'Mercury Pharma Cares' - i think not!!!

[kazatthemadhouse]

Just had a look on Mercury Pharma's website trying to find out any updates regarding the T3 situation & noticed a section to the right saying 'Mercury Pharma cares' - linking to their charity work - really did make me ' laugh out loud ' - well how about showing some care for those of us that are possibly going to be without our T3 soon???!!!

mercurypharma.com/news/tags...

[anuska]

what goin on with t3.

[RedApple Administrator in reply to anuska]

See letter below from MercuryPharma:

Dear XXX,

Thank you for contacting Amdipharm-Mercury Company Limited.

Further to your enquiry, please be informed that Liothyronine tablets are out of stock until the mid of June 2013.

We are short of API i.e. active pharmaceutical ingredient which is used to manufacture the product, which has lead to a delay in supply.

We do understand that many patients completely rely on this medication for the management of their thyroid condition and can’t take levothyroxine.

As of now, we are the only company in UK who manufacture Liothyronine tablets, however, the product is available in other European countries and we are trying to source some unlicensed supply which can be sold in UK in the interim.

The process to source this unlicensed supply is on-going and it will take us at least a week or two to complete it.

If you contact us again by the end of next week, we would possibly be in a situation to help you.

Please feel free to contact us for further assistance.

Regards

Mansee Patel

Medical Information Scientist

Mercury Pharma

[kazatthemadhouse in reply to RedApple]

Thank you for posting this At least it gives us an explanation & they are trying to do something about the problem. Can you keep us up-dated when they get back to you please? Do you think we need to contact them individually?

[RedApple Administrator in reply to kazatthemadhouse]

I'm quite sure someone will post as soon as there's any further news

Whilst everyone contacting them individually won't speed up the process of obtaining supplies of T3 from Europe, it might help to impress upon MercuryPharma just how serious this situation is. We can then hope that they never ever allow it to happen again.

So if you feel inclined to email them, no reason not to in my opinion!

Here's the email address:

[e-mail]

[anuska in reply to RedApple]

thnks redapple.

[vajra]

I guess to be fair to Mercury there's always the possibility of highly unlikely issues cropping up, and there are real limits to how many belts and braces they can wear. Especially when there are other makers in a position to supply it seems.

Hopefully it's not because they or the system of distribution and supply are sailing too close to the wind to save money. Not when it turns out we pay many multiples of the European price.

What is a bit worrying the the way there seem to have been so many hiccups in the supply of hormone in the past couple of years. I wonder if there's something more fundamental going on in the industry?

ian

[fiona]

Hi

I've been looking at this topic and similar about the liothyronine shortage.

I get mine prescribed each month and only a month at as time. I know there were posts on the 24th about it, but unaware of the issue, I collected my prescription on the 30th.

It's got me thinking that there may be a problem when I go back. I'll go to the pharmacy later and explain I'm worried about it. I'll explain I'm ok for now but are they able to order it in. Perhaps they could phone their supplier. I'm thinking it can't hurt for me to plan ahead. That way if either the pharmacy or manufacturer needs to order from overseas, then it gives some notice.

Plus next week I have n annual review of medications. I'll ask for a prescription, so the go thinks it's for convenience so to speak. That way I'm not letting on to the doctor that I'm worried about shortages. I've already read one topic where their go suggested they go back onto levothyroxine.

I'm just trying to think of ways of planning head. I've fought so hard and been through so much, like so many of you have as well... all we want is tablets that work.

I hope this is a blip. But it's worth us being aware of the problem, so we can try and do something about it. Otherwise I'd be going to the pharmacy with just a couple of tablets left, and then have a potential problem where I've run out.

Fiona

[kazatthemadhouse]

Hi all

I think the thing that gets to me most is that half of us dont know there is a problem with our meds untill we go to the pharmacy with our prescriptions. It is then left up to us to try & find out more. It feels like the drug companies try to keep problems hush hush for as long as they can. I also have (or now had) Eltroxin & didn't know there was a problem with it untill i went to Boots with my script. Went to my GP yesterday about it & it wasn't even coming up on her system that there is a problem, which now has me confused. She gave me a script for levothyroxine & specified Mercury, so should hopefully be ok anyway.

Ian - i wondered about that too

Fiona - I would definitely plan ahead. I picked up my prescription as soon as i was able & the nice pharmacist at Asda phoned around & found some for me. Im also luckier than some in that im given 56 tablets & take half on alternate days & whole on the others, so mine should last me for a bit. It shouldn't have to be such a battle, should it ?!

[fiona]

Hi it's not possible to get my prescription from my local Lloyd's pharmacy. I phoned another one and they didn't have any.

I had luck with the large Boots in our town centre. He said he had three pots in stock, and it looked like the computer accepted his order for the fourth to complete my order. I asked him to put my name on them and explained I have s GP appointment on Tuesday. So hopefully I'll get my usual meds on Tuesday, and a bit earlier than usual.

The pharmacist at Lloyds said that liothyronine exists as a liquid, but it's something like £250 for 8 days supply. That option would be a special request prescription and she wasn't sure if my gp would prescribe it or not. I asked what are other patients doing who are prescribed it, and I was told I'm the only one. So it was the pharmacist who suggested I phone round other places to see who have any.

So I'm not sure if the supplier of boots has more, or if it was that it was livestock, but hopefully I'll be ok for now.

Really I can do without knowing I'm a couple of weeks or so away from being bed ridden, due to supply and manufacturing process problems. Apparently it's common for medications in general, but with us it's crucial, especially knowing the UK has just one manufacturer.

Failing all this, I'll have to order cytomel like I used to have to. I'm really not willing Togo back on levothyroxine.

[fiona]

Hi it's not possible to get my prescription from my local Lloyd's pharmacy. I phoned another one and they didn't have any.

I had luck with the large Boots in our town centre. He said he had three pots in stock, and it looked like the computer accepted his order for the fourth to complete my order. I asked him to put my name on them and explained I have s GP appointment on Tuesday. So hopefully I'll get my usual meds on Tuesday, and a bit earlier than usual.

The pharmacist at Lloyds said that liothyronine exists as a liquid, but it's something like £250 for 8 days supply. That option would be a special request prescription and she wasn't sure if my gp would prescribe it or not. I asked what are other patients doing who are prescribed it, and I was told I'm the only one. So it was the pharmacist who suggested I phone round other places to see who have any.

So I'm not sure if the supplier of boots has more, or if it was that it was livestock, but hopefully I'll be ok for now.

Really I can do without knowing I'm a couple of weeks or so away from being bed ridden, due to supply and manufacturing process problems. Apparently it's common for medications in general, but with us it's crucial, especially knowing the UK has just one manufacturer.

Failing all this, I'll have to order cytomel like I used to have to. I'm really not willing Togo back on levothyroxine.