Reference Jeremy Hunt's office

[ladyabosso]

I found this article tonight and wondered if some of you clever administrators could explain the importance of this as all the associations mentioned don't make much sense to me. Also it is from 2013 and could well be outdated by new legislation. Thank you in advance

tpauk.com/main/article/stra...

[silverfox7]

Nearly two years ago a thyroid sufferer, can't remember her name now, but had put together a witty presentation of how it isn't one pill treats all but brought in NDT, adding T3 to T4 or even T3 only. We were encouraged to send it to our MP. E d tuskly my MP wrote back and said he had passed it on the Jeremy Hunt. Great I thought!! I got what looked like a standard reply tailored to me in that if I had had a thyroid problem for as long as I'd said then I would know that the only method of treatment as recommended by the BTA is Levothyroxine!

I was furious with his reply as was feeling pretty poorly. I'd just come out of a private hospital having had my second hip operation and had been badly treated and was too weak to take him to task. I very much doubt he had even read what my MP had passed on. My only good news around that time that the hospital were happy with my NDT though I don't think they knew what it was but I'd shown them the letter from my Endo to my GP saying he was happy with my results and to continue.

So my experience was after the article you are asking about.

[endomad in reply to silverfox7]

I remember reading this section somewhere recently poss in one of my response letters....mad me angry

that if I had had a thyroid problem for as long as I'd said then I would know that the only method of treatment as recommended by the BTA is Levothyroxine!

[endomad]

The answer is in the letter, the 2 points allow a GP to do what they want but basically o cover their arse.

'I should add that under their terms of service GPs are allowed to prescribe any product including any unlicensed product or product not licensed for a particular indication that they consider to be a medicine necessary for the treatment of their patients under the NHS. This is subject to two provisos which are:

THEY DO NOT CONSIDER T3 or NDT necessary

– the product is not included in Schedules 1 or 2 of the NHS General Medical Services Contracts (Prescription of Drugs etc) Regulations 2004 otherwise known as the Selected List Scheme; and

T3 IS ON THIS LIST AS A RED DRUG and NDT is unlicensed.

– GPs are prepared to justify any challenges to their prescribing by their primary care trust.'

My drs insurance would not cover him to prescribe off list or the GP practice mngr...we cant force drs to do this and as they have no understanding of thyroid treatment they would fall apart when challenged. Lets face it most endos do not believe in NDT or T3 as an appropriate medicine. Mt endo was robustly challenged about my T3 and it was stopped immediately.

[ladyabosso]

Thank you

[silverfox7]

I was given NDT when I was first diagnose. It was NHS and my doctor had been diagnosed around the same time but I was given to understand that it didn't need to licensed as it had already been in use and that only new drugs had to confirm. Don't have any profff as to whether that's right or wrong but others on here have mentioned it was grandfathered in.