Email received from the Health Secretary. Ironically it ended up in my junk folder.

[vavthyroid]

After reading this, you may want to sign up my petition you.38degrees.org.uk/petiti...

And view my original message to the Health Minister - youtube.com/watch?v=5jtloVy...(Not working as expected?)

And join us on Twitter: twitter.com/ThyroidVoice

And join our closed Facebook group: facebook.com/groups/Thyroid...

Ready for a laugh? ...

Dear Ms Vaughan,

Thank you for your correspondence of 23 November to Jeremy Hunt about hypothyroidism. I have been asked to reply.

I appreciate your concerns about the availability of treatments for hypothyroidism.

The vast majority of patients, once diagnosed with hypothyroidism, can achieve successful management of their condition with a synthetic hormone replacement treatment.

Best practice on the identification and management of hypothyroidism has been provided in the Royal College of Physicians’ guidance ‘The diagnosis and management of primary hypothyroidism’. This document was developed on behalf of organisations such as the British Thyroid Association, British Thyroid Foundation and Society for Endocrinology, and is endorsed by the Royal College of General Practitioners.

The guidance states that overwhelming evidence supports the use of thyroxine T4 hormone replacement alone in the treatment of hypothyroidism. This is usually prescribed as levothyroxine (Thyroxine) tablets. The guidance does not recommend prescribing additional T3 hormone in any presently available form. However, this does not prevent clinicians considering other forms of thyroid hormone replacement if appropriate.

Finally, whilst I note your request for a meeting with Mr Hunt, I am afraid that diary commitments mean that he is unable to meet you.

I hope this reply is helpful.

Yours sincerely,

Jane Spencer

Ministerial Correspondence and Public Enquiries

Department of Health

Putting my thinking cap on of there to go next! The first thing I think is that we need 100k signatures on the petition. We need to get national press on this. Please folks ...

[Jose651]

Signed and delivered.👍

[hose1975 in reply to Jose651]

The thing is, they are right to say that the vast majority do well on T4 alone (or at least well enough for them. They also point out that other forms of thyroid replacement therapy are not out of bounds.

Maybe a more nuanced approach? A petition regarding better care and more consideration for those people for whom T4 alone does not seem to be working, and increased access to fT3 testing for a more accurate picture, with greater willingness to prescribe non-T4 medication?

[Musicmonkey]

340 out of 400 signatures. Can anyone who hasn't signed please sign and share for the benefit of those of us who are not optimally treated?