GP said that there is an imminent clampdown on outside sources of thyroid meds in UK!

[jbthyro]

Not sure if a concern or not, but my GP told me that there was about to be a large cloud explode around UK patients buying T3 and thyroid meds from abroad!

Of course she may just not have the correct knowledge and may just be scared because I mentioned that I would have no other choice to order some myself if she would not help me!

Has anyone else heard anything about this?

She said of course it may be beneficial to thyroid sufferers for the NHS to suddenly see how many people have their health deteriorate therefore proving that thyroid medication is necessary to include on prescription!!!! This to me almost shows her admittance to their being a necessity to supply it to patients!

I am quite riled by this, especially as I am just about to purchase some T3 and/or NDT for my own deteriorating hypo health!

jbthyro

x

[bluebug]

Any such clamp down won't just affect thyroid patients it will be anybody who buys non-prescription medications that are restricted in the UK but not elsewhere from abroad.

However that will involve Customs and the Post Office going through every single package, and neither have the manpower to do that as people have been smuggling illegal drugs in and out of the country for years.

Edited to say:

Just looked and searched on the MHRA website and there is no mention of this.

[Lilian15 in reply to bluebug]

I must have picked the short straw bluebug as customs get me every single time :(.

[EbonyEvans in reply to Lilian15]

May I ask how many you brought back? Did you have them taken away or do you just get pulled over?

[Clutter in reply to EbonyEvans]

EbonyEvans,

Lilian15 probably means that HMRC charge her VAT on the meds worth more than £15 that she imports.

[Lilian15 in reply to Clutter]

Yes through post.

[Clutter]

Jbthyro,

I think your GP's making it up and I doubt she can substantiate it if asked to. There are currently no formal restrictions on importing thyroid medication for personal/household use.

tpauk.com/main/article/mhra...

[greygoose]

I think that's just wishful thinking on the part of your doctor! lol

[jbthyro]

Thanks all, that's what I wondered! lol

[Ruthi]

One wonders how much else she makes up as she goes along?

Or am I being unfair?

[HarryE in reply to Ruthi]

Probably not

[jbthyro]

yes I think so too. Because actually I have a pretty good relationship with her and she WANTS to help me but sounds scared to 'play' with hormones.

If I buy in my own, she probably expects that I will still see her and she may feel out of her depth and feel intimidated I think!

[Ruthi]

My poor GP gets lectures on statistics now.

And he has written ' patient feels best when her FT3 is at the top of the range' which I suspect is code for 'she won't do what I tell her anyway!'

He is very long suffering!

[bluebug in reply to Ruthi]

I love this

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK]

As I see it, The Human Medicines Regulations 2012 expressly allows personal imports. In order to disallow, wouldn't this Act have to be superceded? There are alternative approaches such as changing classification - e.g. making liothyronine and desiccated thyroid controlled medicines like heroin, cocaine, etc. - which may not require such changes, but we have to be deeply concerned if individual medicines are singled out for such measures.

legislation.gov.uk/uksi/201...

PART 3

Manufacturing and wholesale dealing

Grant etc of licences

Manufacturing of medicinal products

17.

—(1) A person may not except in accordance with a licence (a “manufacturer’s licence”)—

(a)

manufacture, assemble or import from a state other than an EEA State any medicinal product; or

(b)

possess a medicinal product for the purpose of any activity in sub-paragraph (a).

(2)

Paragraph (1) is subject to paragraphs (3) to (5).

(3)

Paragraph (1) applies in relation to an investigational medicinal product only—

(a)

if the product has a marketing authorisation, Article 126a authorisation, certificate of registration or traditional herbal registration; and

(b)

to the extent that the manufacture or assembly of the product is in accordance with the terms and conditions of that authorisation, certificate or registration.

(4)

In paragraph (3), “marketing authorisation” means—

(a)

a marketing authorisation issued by a competent authority in accordance with the 2001 Directive; or

(b)

an EU marketing authorisation.

(5)

Paragraph (1) does not apply to a person who, in connection with the importation of a medicinal product from a state other than an EEA State—

(a)

provides facilities solely for transporting the product; or

(b)

acting as an import agent, imports the medicinal product solely to the order of another

person who holds a manufacturer’s licence authorising the importation of the product.

(6)

Paragraph (1) does not apply to a person who imports a medicinal product for administration to himself or herself or to any other person who is a member of that person’s household.

[Frustratedmum]

My GP suggested buying NDT online (from overseas) as the local prescribing committee wouldn't agree to it being prescribed for me. He also said that if I saw a significant improvement in my health from NDT, I will have a stronger case for it to be prescribed on a 'named patient basis'.

Started my NDT today - been feeling a bit headachy and have had a bit of fibromyalgia pain, BUT I've been busy at work with my stressful job, so it's hard to determine which is to blame!!

[jbthyro in reply to Frustratedmum]

Aw frustrated mum, good luck with your dose. I've finally ordered some today so will not be too far behind you!

I would love to see some improvements, even slightly, so that I could go back to my doctor and hear what she thinks!

Let me know how you get on.

Jbthyro x

[SeaVee79]

One of the endos I saw actually suggested that I could buy t3 online. He didn't know i was already doing it and I appreciated him saying it greatly.

Chloe

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK]

Just so it is clear, in purely legal terms it looks as if the exemption is for members of your household. Not for any friends and family who don't live in the same household.

[This is not meant to be censorious. Only to point it out so that you and anyone else can handle the situation in a way that doesn't cause you problems.]

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK]

You are not allowed to import prescription medicines without a prescription for anyone other than members of your household.

I think that means people who live with you in your home.

It is forbidden. It is illegal.

[ziel]

They already banned all medications from abroad in Poland so it might be happening here too. One of my friends got her NDT confiscated when it reached London, but I don't know the reason.

[bluebug in reply to ziel]

They have to change the law in the UK first as Clutter et al pointed out.

Customs, part of HMRC, can take medication and supplements of you if they look suspicious. So it's best to leave them in their original packaging.

They also do tend to target people on flights from certain places as they know which flights are more likely to have people try and smuggle things in e.g. cigarettes, tobacco.

[EbonyEvans in reply to ziel]

Hello Ziel, was it confiscated from her hand or checked luggage?

[Naomi8]

Anxiety attack coming on!

[cwill]

I watched the Dallas Buyers Club film recently and thought of us all getting our NDT and T3. Hopefully we can ride this scare out and the NHS cuts etc. and just continue to take what works for us, with or without our docotors.

[Glynisrose]

This GP is trying to scare you DO NOT go along with it.

[serenfach]

The NHS would not be able to afford it - we are supplimenting them by buying our own. Let alone the fact that the hospitals would be full of really ill people because we cannot get the drugs our bodies need.

[TaraJR]

Does a huge collective crossing of fingers actually work?! After 2 years of being almost housebound, my GP gave me T3, and I started to feel well. I'm now using T3 I've bought online from Greece, and I'm almost back to normal.

Thank God for this forum helping us. My daughter had twins 6 weeks ago, and my dear Mum passed away last week. Before T3 I wouldn't have been able to cope with any of this.