WHAT? can this be possible? Amdipharm Liothyronine price hike!!!

[nobodysdriving]

I am a regular reader of the NHS drug tariff (this tells us what can be prescribed on NHS prescription and its cost)

ppa.org.uk/edt/December_201...

I was just now reading the december 2013 edition (link above) and to my horror the price for a tub of 28 liothyronine tabs of 20mcg (Amdipharm) is a staggering £102.30!!!! almost double the price of last year???

IS THIS WORLD GOING MAD???

How can the NHS take this rip-off?? How can this not be 'criminal'

above all their product is RUBBISH as there is many people moaning about it for one reason or another (contains lactose, acacia powder and whatever filler does not agree with people), inconsistencies in batches and on and on and on....

ggggggrrrrrrrrrrr

why doesn't any other drug company apply through MHRA to go on the list of approved suppliers? is this too lengthy/costly?

[RedApple]

I've always guessed that there's too little profit in thyroid hormones for UK companies, and that's why we don't have much variety in our brands of T4 or T3.

However, if this new price is for real, maybe it would encourage another manufacturer to sign up for approval? That's just my trying to use 'positive thinking' of course. The real problem is that this price hike will discourage prescribing even more, and patients will either be left to suffer or resort to self medicating. Nothing new of course, but this feels like a backward step rather than the progress we so desperately need.

Thanks for posting this info NBD.

[Clutter in reply to RedApple]

How is it I was able to pay £13.95 inc of p&p for 28 days supply from an Istanbul m/facturer via Cyprus when the NHS with its collective buying power is paying so much?

Something rotten in the state of Denmark...

[bantam12]

My sister is a senior hospital pharmacist and she quoted around 108.00 for 28 a few months ago.

[nobodysdriving in reply to bantam12]

yeah, so it seem so, the NHS drug tariff is always 'up to date', gee I can see my consultant taking me off it in April when I am due a repeat script

[PinkNinja]

Crikey! That is extortion! Just when you got your T3 back too I hope your doctor doesn't stop it when you next get your prescription.

Carolyn x

[Moggie]

Trouble is NBD the NHS are not taking this increase lightly are they - they are stopping prescribing it to patients because of it. How many members have we heard of recently that are having their T3 stopped. Greedy drugs companies have no thoughts for the patients that take their medications just their profits.

Moggie x

[shaws]

I doubt if there are any other in the UK that produce liothyronine. I have thought previously. maybe we should write to MHRA to approach the pharmaceutical company in Greece - Uni-Pharma KleonTsetsus Pharmaceutical S.A - for the supply of liothyronine. I am sure it would certainly be so much cheaper. The BTA couldn't complain then about the high cost and we could get a prescription so much easier for those that require or would like the opportunity to try T3.

[nobodysdriving in reply to shaws]

the MHRA will never approach anyone as it is 'none of their business' they say, they say any company can apply to them for licence in the UK (so a company has to apply to them, it is not the other way round ie the MHRA asking the company)... so we are 'stuck'. Maybe we should write a letter to all the company directors of other pharmaceutical companies asking them to apply for a UK licence?

[helvella in reply to nobodysdriving]

No - there are no others I know of in the UK. But there are arms of companies - for example, Sanofi have a UK office. Sanofi produce Sanofi-branded liothyronine and they seem to own Henning who make their own Thybon.

So maybe they would have an interest in applying for marketing authorisation?

[sassicat]

I get my thyroid meds on a private prescription, and yes I can confirm that this price for liothyronine is correct. I have just had to pay around £180.00 for a 3 months supply of T3! Outrageous! Until a few years ago it was only around £30.00 for the same amount. Of late it seems to double in price every time I get a prescription filled.

Of course it's no surprise to me that the price hikes have happened since Goldshield (the original manufacturers) were bought out by Amdipharm Mercury Pharma!