Hi I used to take Eltroxin but now I understand its not supplied any more. I have come out in a rash, I am waiting for my results to come back to see what is the cause. But in the mean time I have read that Teva is being reintroduced in to the UK market. Would anybody know do you require a special NHS prescription ie is there a cost implication and is it the same cost as the other Thyroxin supplied by the NHS???
regards
John C
Same cost as other makes. (Not sure for their unique dosages such as 12.5 micrograms.)
To add to my response:
Mercury Pharma Eltroxin is available. However we have the never-ending discussion about whether or not it is the same as it used to be.
From what some people have posted, it is almost impossible to avoid being offered Teva at present!
There are three other formulations of levothyroxine: by Wockhardt, Actavis and Mercury Pharma - as well as Teva.
I am suspecting that it is presently a little cheaper as its flooding the market. Normally something that was withdrawn you would think of giving a miss on past record despite the assurances hence me thinking a cheaper introductory offer. I'm sure its ticked the boxes and is fine but human nature tends to be cautious.
Judging from reports of availability, it does look as if Teva have flooded the distribution channels with their product. Even if Teva were giving it away, am not sure if the NHS cost would be any different.
Not quite sure how the system works. Is it the pharmacist that buy in and then charge the NHS so could they be making more?
When I first realised about 20+ years ago that it wasn't helpful swapping meds Brands every 3 months the Pharmacist told me to ask my GP to name it on prescription and then she would have to order it so I took from that comment that her directive from whoever was paying her that she had to order the cheapest available but never thought who pays the actual account or whether it was somehow adjusted. I did assume though that the NHS would be paying the cost price but thinking about it someone has to cover the pharmacists pay. Confused now to how it works!
I think there is a dispensing fee but don't know much about it.
Last time I saw a GP, a new practice so a new GP, I asked for a three-month supply. She was happy enough to go to two months but implied/said that the pharmacists wouldn't be happy with longer. I wonder if at least some of the pressure towards strict 28-day prescribing has come from them? Obviously 12 dispensing fees are more valuable than four, three, two or one a year!
Anyone out there who really knows how the pharmacy payment system works?
Just a little update re TEVA. I have taken Gokdshield, now MP, for many many years until I started taking Thyroid S. My GP said to leave my repeat prescription in place should I want to go back to it so ok with that.
Last weekend I asked my son to pick up my meds from the Pharmacy and said that another drug had been added. Turned out this other prescription deemed urgent hadn't been done so I went up to see the locum Pharmacist myself. So sorted that out and the Pharmacist did a printout to show me what info they had.
The thyroid med by request was listed as TEVA/ Goldshield! I did t make a fuss but didn't want the problem to become an issue alerting all about my dress, but someone seems to become scfaitrgreve
xx
I should have said
Historical Information
"old" Teva was an oddity. Their 25 microgram tablet was actually the old Goldshield Eltroxin - as were the other 25 microgram tablets from Goldshield/MercuryPharma. Teva's 50 and 100 microrgam tablets were their own formulation.
Thanks for that! It all makes more sense now. Plus I've always felt guilty supporting MP once I knew about the price hike. Until just before I went over to NDT I had always had my tabs in 25's until I decided to save the NHS a little money by ordering some 100's. I quickly discovered 4x 25 was not the same as 1x 100 so that persuaded my to order some NDT! This cropped up because my son collecting things for me was asked if I wanted a specific brand of Letrozole. Only been on that since beginning of October but every script was different brand so I'd saved the PIL's to compare fillers but not got around to that yet! Selected the one hospital gave me but then found out added TEVA!
We do have a member who is a retired Pharmacist as she was sitting next to me at the Thyroid U.K. conference. She was telling me she sit gets the literature thatvis sent out so I hope she reads this and can comment. Can't remember her name sadly. Someone took all our email addresses on the table to keep in touch but sadly I didn't hear any more.
With the greater awareness of medicines, if a company tried now to have different formulations (even different manufacturers) for different dosage tablets, they would face a considerable level of criticism and complaining. I hope.
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