Some of you will know that I am one of the (lucky) people who was prescribed T3, but will be no longer. I've written to my GP, MP and Jeremy Hunt about the scandal of the costs of NHS meds. [ healthunlocked.com/thyroidu... ]
My MP has written to me to say he also has contacted Jeremy Hunt because "this is an issue with which I am concerned": I have a meeting with my MP this FRIDAY, MAY 6th.
I have the information I need about how much the NHS pays for T3 and how much I would need to pay to buy T3 online, but I'd be SO grateful if anyone living in/with experience of, non-UK countries could let me know:
1. the cost to YOUR local health service of T3
AND/OR
2. how much it costs you to buy T3 using a private prescription from your own doctor.
Thank you so much
Written by
Tracer
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Tell your MP, and I'm sure you will have, that doctors can prescribe another cheaper T3 (you'll maybe have to check the prices first to the NHS) which is a brand names but not licenced in the UK) and Cytomel in particular has 'no known side effects' yet UK T3 has had several problems, i.e. running out altogether, batches recalled, gives some patients 'side effects'.
You can also tell him that they refuse to prescribe an alternative NDT (which contains all of the hormones our bodies would produce) but that the Authorities have made false statements in order that it wont be prescribed.
Both T3 and NDT can be prescribed on a named-patient basis but doctors don't want the responsibility even though the patient could take the responsibility on themselves. We are not asking for illegal drugs but life-saving hormones.
You can also inform him that Dr John Lowe sent the following to the RCoP and BTA and despite 3 yearly reminders to them they never did respond and Dr L has since died. He was also an Adviser to Thyroiduk.org.uk
NDT has been in use, safely, since 1892 before that people suffered a terrible death.
Big Pharma is very powerful in promoting their product and if levo suited everyone there wouldn't be around 40,000 on this forum looking for answers.
You can also tell your GP about Dr Gordon Skinner, a virologist, who was horrified how many desperate people sought his help that he invited every single Endo in the country to a Conference to discuss about the 'Parlous Situation' of many people who, due to the TSH only, remained undiagnosed and very unwell. One by one they refused and the last one the day before the conference. Your GP could phone Afshan, Dr S's right-hand woman who might give him more info.
Dr Skinner helped many people who travelled all the way to Birmingham to consult with him. For this he was reported to the GMC and appeared before them about six times and it certainly wasn't his patients who complained. The result of these appearances all his patients/staff/friends put down to his stroke which killed him and his patients with no-one to whom to turn to.
I buy my T3 without a prescription from any one of the 64 Pharmacies in Chania and also ones in my village and several nearby villages for the princely sum of 1.15 euro. I have noticed many people now buy this Uni-Pharma product on-line and are MORE than happy with it. They would not be selling at this price if they were not making money ....
I am really so scared that Brussels will step in and change this in order to solve the Greek economy issue. Both Hubby and I use T3 so it would make things difficult for us if we had to buy on-line at greater expense. At 70 and 77 we are doing fine and do NOT want that to change .....
I'm back to Halkidiki in October, Marz, for exactly that reason...the supply I purchased last month expires 2019, so I can get another year's worth at least and watch the sun go down around the lakes one more time at best xx Maybe as Greek residents things will always be kinder for you. Hubby and I spoke over the weekend of moving to the land of light but I must ruefully admit that I've made our home such a bower of grace and comfort in my horrible dormitory town that I couldn't leave it. I have feet of clay these days
Tracer I live in the UK but get my T3 from Greece and the Hellenic Islands where we have ( since my hypo diagnosis ) holidayed regularly. I've found T3 at €1.15 on the mainland and €1.16 in Crete for 30 25mcg tabs, over the counter, no script necessary.
just an addendum to all that, because I asked my pharmacy (UK based). They source my supply through quantum specials and the last lot cost £185. (that poses a question, since I didn't clarify it, does it cover both months on the prescription or just one?) It is imported but she didn't know where from - nor does she know if it will be the same price next time.
I expect they do the compounding in the UK but source the active ingredient from abroad. (At one point, I think I identified Austria as possibly the main European liothyronine manufacturing country.)
oh I know that quantum is UK but it was after reading shaws' post that I rang the pharmacy about sourcing cheaper (having seen some horrendous prices quoted recently). The pharmacist got back to me today to say the cheapest she could pick it up for was quantum specials and she wasn't certain but she thought it was imported. I pointed out that Mercury had the only UK license so it undoubtedly was.
Previously they have used Mercury so someone at the shop must have got fed up of paying their exorbitant price when I took the last prescription in.
Maybe quantum saw what was going on price wise and decided to get opportunistic so it is a new venture for them. If more pharmacies order the price might come down. Who knows, maybe Mercury might start a price war!!
I just thought that Tracer ought to know for the MP meeting on Friday.
Specials are specials BECAUSE they do not have a Product Licence.
Whatever the cost to the pharmacy of the Quantum-supplied liothyronine, there may well be other costs to the NHS. (I don't know much about pharmacy reimbursement and charges, but I think they can claim more for handling a specials prescription than a run-of-the-mill product.)
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