Why is Armour not licensed here in the uk?

[fairyeyes]

and is it better for you,and can a gp help if you want to try it out?

[Hidden]

Yes if it is prescribed on a "named patient basis".

see links below

Flower

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/treatm...

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/treatm...

[Clutter]

Fairyeyes, NDT was the only thyroid treatment for many years and was used prior to licensing of drugs. When Levothyroxine was licensed in the 70s it replaced NDT in the UK. NDT can be prescribed on a named patient basis as per the links Flower posted but doctors are not obliged to prescribe unlicensed drugs and may refuse.

NDT isn't 'better for you' than Levothyroxine, but many people prefer it because they feel better on NDT. It doesn't suit everyone, some members have reverted to Levothyroxine.

[Clutter]

RFU, it's in the BNF so it's licensed now. However, what seems impossible to get hold of is evidence that it works, as opposed experts saying that it works

[Clutter]

RFU, well the proof is it does work for millions of people, but it isn't 'evidence'. If we state that your family and x thousands of people do as well, or better, on NDT we'll be told it's subjectively anecdotal reporting, not evidence.

[Clutter]

RFU, we know that, and most doctors know that. Something like 23 different acne treatments can be prescribed but only 1thyroid treatment for the majority of patients. It doesn't make sense.

[faith63 in reply to Clutter]

I don't see that doctors know that..not in my experience with doctors and their reliance on labs. Most won't even consider NDT, even though recent double blind testing has showed it superior to Levo.

[helvella Administrator]

Levothyroxine most certainly IS licensed. There is a separate product licence for each dosage and make. That is, there are six active UK levothyroxine tablet licences (and at least one that is not currently used). Every Product Information Leaflet identifies the product licence number.

The grandfathering that you talk about is a USA concept.

Armour is not licensed in the UK because no-one has applied to get it licensed. Actavis (now owners of the Armour brand) could apply for a license. Clearly the fact that they have not applied shows they do not currently think it in their interests to do so.

Of course, license applications can also fail and we might never know about them.

[Glynisrose]

If your thyroid naturaly makes all the T hormnes you need why do doctors think it can be replaced by T4 alone?

[Hidden]

In August this year I sent an Email to Forest Laboratories in Dartford Kent,enquiring about the possibility of Armour Thyroid being licensed here in UK ?.............it wasn't even acknowledged even though they supplied an address for contact.........I'm aware of their laboratories and also their Head Office in Mayfair London,however they are not likely to take any notice of little old me.....it will need a bigger action group to make them aware of how many people are happily using Armour here in the UK.

[faith63]

ndt wasn't better for me..made me really ill.