T4 & T3 available OTC in France, Cyprus, Greece & Turkey...

[Clutter]

Why do UK citizens need a prescription?

Have just realised my Cypriot neighbour and my mate's Turkish 2nd home mean a potentially cheap source of T3 for the future *Wonder if NDT is OTC too?

Booze cruises to France could be sooo last year, too

[Hidden]

This is not a comment on the politics of prescriptions, just a reminder - Thyroid UK always advises that, whenever possible, people are monitored by a healthcare practitioner.

Louise

[Clutter in reply to Hidden]

Fully support this reminder up to the point medical practioners start using "can't" and "won't" in my treatment. Still wondering about prescribing & OTC reasoning tho' .

[billie_di]

Is there any kind of import tax on this...can you legally buy and just cart back to the UK do you know?

[Marz in reply to billie_di]

...lots of people do !

[helvella Administrator in reply to billie_di]

To the best of my understanding there is not any form of tax on things between EU countries (remembering that Turkey is not a member).

Importation from non-EU countries could incur tax. For example, for mail/internet orders, items that cost more than £15 attract vat (on £15 plus the postage and packing) and a charge from the carrier.

There could be questions over carrying amounts that represent more than "personal usage".

There could be issues with some countries not allowing certain medicines. An example of this would be DHEA - a controlled drug in the UK - which would require to have been prescribed in order to be carried legally here! France seems very unhappy with desiccated thyroid.

Rod

[billie_di in reply to helvella]

Thanks Rod, very informative - friend's parents live in Turkey and I was wondering if they could just pack me some up and bring back.

[helvella Administrator in reply to billie_di]

Officially, I would have to suggest that you could get the proper information from HM Customs and Revenue (or the relevant customs authority in the first EU country on the trip back) - and they are likely to be very helpful if you ring the appropriate helpline.

However I will put my neck out and suggest that a modest amount (e.g. 3 to 6 months supply) for a close family member is unlikely to cause any issues, though make sure that at customs everything is above board. Do not try to "get away" with it - that is possibly a worse offence than a possible honest misinterpretation of the rules.

There is always a postal service between Turkey and the UK...

Rod

[parafluie]

I think the point is that this forum cannot "support" that because it might make them, in some way, liable for . . . whatever.

We must be considerate of the website. The position of Thyroid UK is the caveat that we be monitored by a healthcare practitioner.

[Hidden in reply to parafluie]

[GRConwy]

££££££££££££££££, maybe I'm cynical.

[nobodysdriving]

LOOOOL (to the 'booze' cruises to France being 'so last year' )

think I'll start a regular T3 cruise down to France, anyone want to join? with £12 for a return ticket on the ferry it's not bad

sorry just a joke

[GRConwy in reply to nobodysdriving]

I buy my sea salt when I'm out there, 5Kg bag this October, it'll last a while. Maybe I'll start getting some T3 in next year.

[Moggie in reply to nobodysdriving]

Naughty!!!!!!!! (any spare tickets going?)

Moggie x

[burges]

Does anyone know if Bulgaria is included (being next door to Greece) as I am going there to ski, would be great to stock up at the same time!!

[archipoeta53]

Please let us know when you find out.

[Clutter]

Londinium, I know Turkey and Greece sell it over the counter, France is prescription. It may be worth asking in pharmacies outside of Europe and America.

[Clutter]

Londinium, possibly, but Iran isn't exactly a popular holiday destination with T3 shopping as a bonus

[thyras]

What is the Iranian product called?

[Clutter in reply to thyras]

Thyras,

I've no idea. It was Londinium posting about Iranian T3, perhaps she will know.

[thyras in reply to Clutter]

Thank you 👍

[Clutter]

Londinium,

The HU Search is the most useless thing I've ever used. Feel free to complain to [e-mail] My complaints and those of Helvella and other community admins fall on deaf ears.

Several of us have requested a way of searching our posts, replies and PMS but even if they agreed there would need to be improvement to the search function for it to be helpful. When you have pages and pages of results it is too time consuming (and boring) to search for specific posts. As far as I'm concerned HU might just as well delete my posts and replies beyond page 2 or 3 because I can't be bothered trawling past them.

[Clutter]

Londinium,

It doesn't seem to be a priority. I've been complaining about the search function for more than 2 years.