Gearing up for Leeds consultation event on Thurs: Does anyone know whether the CMA investigation into Corcordia is actually progressing?

[MacG]

Hi all,

I think the post title more or less says it all. The official link below says that the decision WHETHER to proceed will be made by September.

gov.uk/cma-cases/pharmaceut...

Anyone have any recent information on this please?

I also find it very strange that as the NHS is threatening to withdraw Liothyronine other companies (Morningside and Teva) have started to produce it. Does this mean that there is no longer a monopoly issue as far the CMA are concerned?

[shaws Administrator]

This is from the BTA. I was going to copy/paste some but cannot so this is the link and you will read what the BTA states about pricing etc and T3 and T4 and generics.

british-thyroid-association...

[MacG in reply to shaws]

Thank you Shaws. Pg. 2 mentions a "change in legislation" as a result of the CMA's report on price increases, but I just want to be sure....this report hasn't happened yet has it??

[shaws Administrator in reply to MacG]

Unfortunately no. Only proposals so far and I expect it is because of the furore over the exhorbitant pricing of T3 over a few years, with every takeover of the Pharma company and after the Authorities withdrew it from patients who were already taking it. I assume they were looking for a way out of prescribing it as more and more were asking for some to be added to T4 and despite Research showing that many benefit with a combination, they appear to not want to know.

I doubt either that they believe that T3 has had a good effect for many patients as they were insisting that levo was 'perfect'. It may be for many but not for the few. I am one of the few

Doctors can prescribe 'other cheaper T3s' but wont take the responsibility as only one had been licenced.

[MacG in reply to shaws]

Thanks for replying Shaws, much appreciated. It is going to be interesting to see how the "timing" of the CMA's report/change in legislation/potential withdrawal of T3 all plays out. Do you see what I am getting a?. I wonder, for example, that if the legislation comes in forcing a reduction in costs whether NHS England will no longer feel the need to withdraw T3, or whether, for that matter, NHS England will wait to see what the outcome of the CMA's report is before progressing any further with their proposals to withdraw T3. Does this make sense?

[Quokka]

I wrote to the CMA 10 days ago to complain about Concordia (and its predecessors) raising the price of liothyronine. I had a reply from the CMA today:

'We are grateful that you have taken the trouble to get in touch with us. We depend on people contacting us with information about alleged anti-competitive practices or unfair trading practices... We have sent your correspondence to our Intelligence Team which analyses and assesses the information we receive and advises on which cases offer the best prospect to make real differences for consumers, enabling us to decide which cases to take forward.'

Looks as if they haven't decided yet whether to investigate ot not.

[Clutter]

MacG,

Now Morningside T3 is available Concordia is no longer a monopoly supplier. I don't see how that is relevant to whether Concordia were abusing their position when they were a monolpoly supplier.

NHS England are hoping to withdraw Liothyronine due to the cost. Morningside entering the market hasn't brought down the cost of T3 because they've still priced at >£9 per tablet.

[MacG in reply to Clutter]

Thanks for replying Clutter. I have been fixated on Concordia because I have had such a run around with them, but as you say, "they" (Morningside/Teva) are all charging similar.

[Clutter in reply to MacG]

MacG,

I didn't know Teva was available yet but I expect Teva will pitch price just below Morningside.

[MacG in reply to Clutter]

Have seen online that in the last few days people have started to get Teva

[Shelley1954 in reply to Clutter]

I wonder if Morningside has a link to Concordia? It helps them escape the monopoly situation!

[Angel_of_the_North in reply to Clutter]

Well, obviously they are gong to charge what they can get away with and just undercut the current price by a small amount to get the orders - that's business - think of supermarket prices

[Airmed]

Give this chap a ring, he seems to in charge according to their website. Geoff Steadman (020 3738 6311, [e-mail]). Straight from the horses mouth so to speak.

[MacG in reply to Airmed]

Many thanks for this

[Airmed in reply to MacG]

You may be interested in this post. Calm before the storm I hope.

facebook.com/riki.bannister...

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Airmed]

MacG and Airmed

Just received this today too

seekingalpha.com/pr/1696511...

[MacG in reply to SlowDragon]

Many thanks for this. Hot off the press! This certainly shows that as of yesterday the CMA are still gathering information then. I am going to drop this Geoff Steadman at the CMA (as a mentioned above) an email as well.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to MacG]

seekingalpha.com/article/40...

Worth sending this too in case they haven't seen it

[marigold22]

It seems that all three - Concordia, Morningside, Teva - are still charging around £9 per tablet. Not really competition is it?! They will all fail to sell any T3 at that rate. No doubt it doesn't really bother them though. Don't know what can be done to get the price back down to original price

[Airmed in reply to marigold22]

All people taking T3 ask pharmacist for one brand only, Morningside that might help a tad

[Clutter in reply to Airmed]

Airmed,

Not a good idea to swap brands unnecessarily. I don't see how it will help anyway.

[Airmed in reply to Clutter]

Will force competition as Concordia T3 market dries up.

[Clutter in reply to Airmed]

Airmed,

So what good is driving out Concordia when Morningside and presumably Teva are pricing pretty much the same as Concordia?

[Airmed in reply to Clutter]

That’s what you call a competitive market and until that happens and it will T3 will remain at a stupid price. Cartels are also illegal.