Morningside T3: I wanted Morningside T3 as I don... - Thyroid UK

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Morningside T3

Airmed profile image
28 Replies

I wanted Morningside T3 as I don’t want to support Concordia for obvious reasons. Lloyd’s normally deliver my meds’ so asked for Morningside T3 only. Was told by Pharmacist they had tried 5 different suppliers, including Alliance and none could supply Morningside T3. Rang Morningside to see if they had stock and how could I get it. They advised I went to Boots. So took script to Boots told Pharmacist I only want T3 from Morningside. He made a phone call, confirmed he could get Morningside T3 via their supplier Alliance, the rest is history so they say. I then rang Lloyd’s HO and asked why they couldn’t supply T3 from Morningside since they also use Alliance. They told me they probably did not have the license to buy T3 from that supplier. Told them I thought that was ridiculous and was now forced to go to Boots.

Am extremely happy with Morningside T3, will be even happier when price is reduced to where it should be though. But at least they don’t supply their product in the cheapest possible vessel and in a stay fresh pack. Had to return some of Mercury Pharma T3 once as not only could you smell the plastic on opening you could taste it. The Patel brothers were clearly thinking of profit down to the last halfpenny. I cut mine and have noticed with Concordia T3 they are very crumbly towards the end. Morningside are stay fresh and cut well right down to the last pill.

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28 Replies
helvella profile image
helvellaAdministratorThyroid UK

Airmed,

More info for anyone who does not already know:

Lloyds is part of the same group as AAH (distributor) hence could very well be limited (by internal mechanisms) on acquiring from anywhere else.

Well done - regardless why, the mere issue of patients making their requirements known is a major change over the years. We are the ones who have to take the medicines and, therefore, thrive or suffer depending on all the factors that make a difference.

Airmed profile image
Airmed in reply to helvella

Thanks Helvella

jimh111 profile image
jimh111

The blister packs are an advantage. However, Morningside are no friends of patients, they are selling at the same price as Concordia when they could be selling for pennies, clearly a cartel. No doubt when Concordia goes bust Morningside will increase the price further.

Airmed profile image
Airmed in reply to jimh111

Ah yes but if we all demand Morningside, Concordia will have to reduce price. Then all change to Teva. Price should tumble if not BTA have responded to NHS England stating that T3 should be sourced cheapest means in A nutshell. I know Not all people are able to swap round as clutter has already stated in the past but for those of us who can let’s do it!

in reply to jimh111

I'm from UK. I'm hypo for 20 years. I get my T3 from USA or Canada. I wouldn't use T3 from UK simply because I wouldn't give them the money they want either on private prescription or NHS prescription. I wouldn't support them by paying the cartel prices. It's not helping anyone who needs liothyronine here in UK by accepting it. They are a bunch of rotten no good theives. And boots charge the worst prices for liothyronine NHS or private prescriptions in comparison to small chemists.

Hennerton profile image
Hennerton

I have made myself deeply unpopular at my local Tesco Pharmacy but they managed to get me Morningside in the end, after I had assured them it was available elsewhere. The pharmacist cannot understand why I will not accept Concordia, even when I pointed out the pathetic one month shelf life as he handed it to me. He's learning. It is up to us to educate them...

Airmed profile image
Airmed in reply to Hennerton

Well done you. Payback time I hope.🤗

OzoneGirl profile image
OzoneGirl

Interesting!

When I picked up my T3 Prescription from Boots today I found that I'd been given Morningside blister packs, which I'd never seen before.. I examined the packet very thoroughly to check that it really was T3!!! & finding that the Expiry is May 2019 I thought that this was a big improvement from that other short-dated Concordia 'stuff'!

:)

I was hoping that these were somehow 'cheaper' for the NHS but from what you all say that's not so

:(

Great to learn that the quality is at least good in terms of less crumbliness. I expect that it helps that they are not being shaken around and bashed against each other.

Thanks for answering my initial questions without me even asking them!

I'm hoping that the blister-pack is an advantage in terms of freshness, tho' a bit concerned that the metal foil might be aluminium?

Anybody know why Boots have swapped supplier? I get the feeling that there were availability issues as I had to wait an extra week last month.... Perhaps Boots were just as disgusted about that very short-dated batch as I was?

Hoping that people will please comment if they find that the Morningside is any more or less potent?

Thanks

OzoneGirl profile image
OzoneGirl in reply to OzoneGirl

Hi All,

I have now set up a related post:

New Morningside T3 - comments on efficacy and side-effects please?

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

I'm hoping that people will collate any comments on this Morningside T3 there.

Kathleen-1 profile image
Kathleen-1

This morning I took a copy of your report to Tesco Pharmacy. He told me that they do use the same supplier as Boots and he will look into it for my next prescription!

Pixielula profile image
Pixielula

Sorry to tag in on the end of a three day old post, but how are you guys still able to get T3 on NHS prescription?

OzoneGirl profile image
OzoneGirl in reply to Pixielula

Yes, but big <hooooha> to keep it - based on medical evidence that T4 alone makes me very ill.

Airmed profile image
Airmed

I don’t know, am no more surprised than you. I was ready for huge fight and court action. I take T3 only do you?

Pixielula profile image
Pixielula in reply to Airmed

Was on T3 mono therapy for nearly 10 years CCG tried to stop it so my GP and endocrinologist wrote supporting letters and we applied for individual funding. We lost that, so then added more evidence for my old endocrinologist to appeal that decision. We lost that also, my GP was trying to fund it through the practice but then got told she could no longer do that as the practice could not take the hit financially on a long term basis. So have been purchasing my own privately. Bloody nightmare to be honest..... I think if the queen herself had written to my CCG to support my claim they still would have refused. I don't know of anyone in Somerset who was successful. But if there is anyone I would be interested to know who got bribed ;-)

Airmed profile image
Airmed in reply to Pixielula

Have you gone to your MP and the health ombudsman? I think the CCGs are breaking the law as they do not have the legal right to dictate clinical need. Definitely take your case to health ombudsman. There are many templates both on this site and ITT you can use to write to your MP. Also BTA have stated that people on T3 mono therapy should stay on T3 and listed a whole lot of reasons why. You can find that on the ITT Facebook page. The other thing you could try is getting Henning Thybon on a named patient basis. Made by Sanofi in Germany and very much cheaper. Best of luck.

Pixielula profile image
Pixielula in reply to Airmed

I had a conversation with my MP who said he would get back to me, but never did, I also spent hours on the phone to some health support type thing and although they were very sympathetic they were unable to help. I gave up after that, I was on the verge of a protest outside the CCG with sandwich boards with rude comments on them. The stress was very real I had a LACS stroke three years ago and my husband was worried I would have another, so we gave up and purchased online..... I found the whole process humiliating i had been fighting for nearly 18 months. Like I said a nightmare

Airmed profile image
Airmed in reply to Pixielula

So sorry to hear you have been so unwell. Those of us who are able will keep fighting for the right of everyone who needs T3 should get it on NHS. Keep well

Airmed profile image
Airmed in reply to Pixielula

How to take a complaint to the health service (NHS) ombudsman

If you have a complaint with your GP or surgery, you can refer your complaint to the Health Service (NHS) Ombudsman. It's independent of the NHS and free to use.

In this guide

1 Follow GP complaints procedure

2 Check you meet the requirements

3 Find the correct Ombudsman

4 Complete a complaint form

5 Await ombudsman's decision

6 Make complaints count

1 Follow GP complaints procedure

Before referring any complaint to the Health Service (NHS) Ombudsman, you must first follow the usual NHS complaints procedure.

You will need to show that you’ve tried to resolve your complaint at at local level before the ombudsman is able to look into it.

2 Check you meet the requirements

If you're unhappy with the final response from your GP practice or the NHS in your region, you can refer your complaint to the Health Service Ombudsman.

You must have received a final response to your complaint before the ombudsman can look at it. The ombudsman will need a copy of this in writing.

If you feel that it is taking too long to receive a final response, you can call the ombudsman to see if they can help.

The ombudsman will not usually look into your complaint if it happened more than 12 months ago, or if you first became aware of it more than 12 months ago, unless there are exceptional circumstances.

3 Find the correct Ombudsman

The ombudsman you contact will differ depending on where you live:

England Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO)

Scotland Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO)

Wales Public Services Ombudsman for Wales (PSOW)

Northern Ireland Northern Ireland Ombudsman (NIO)

4 Complete a complaint form

You will need to complete a complaint form, but you can call or email the ombudsman for help with this. NHS Advocacy at your local authority can also help you make your complaint.

You should include the following information on the form:

Your name and address

The name and address of the GP and surgery you're complaining about

Details of what your complaint is about, including exactly what the GP or GP practice did that shouldn’t have happened (or what should have happened but didn't)

What you have lost in terms of personal injustice, financial loss, hardship or inconvenience

What you would like the GP surgery to do to put things right, and details of what you have done so far to try and resolve the complaint

Include copies of any relevant letters or emails you've exchanged with your GP or GP surgery

5 Await ombudsman's decision

The ombudsman will look at every complaint it receives. But it cannot investigate all of them.

Sometimes they may be able to offer help without investigating, for example, by suggesting changes or giving you advice.

If the ombudsman decides that it can legally investigate your complaint, they will look at all the facts. They might need to get expert advice or more evidence.

6 Make complaints count

Which? has launched a campaign to make complaints count in public services.

Research carried out by Which? reveals a third of people who have had a problem with public services in the past year didn't complain. The key reasons being not knowing who to complain to and thinking it wouldn't be worth the effort.

The ‘Make complaints count’ campaign is calling on the government to pledge to be the champion of patients, parents and all users of public services.

Make your voice heard now by signing your name and sharing your experiences.

Pixielula profile image
Pixielula in reply to Airmed

Thank you so much for that information. My problem may be now that we have moved house and are now living in Abergavenny. I no longer have liothyronine on my repeat prescriptions my old GP had to remove it and she tried a low dose of levo so that is now on my repeats, which was no good and I haven't put a repeat in for months. So my first problem now will be trying to get it re enstated rather than continued. Saying that I have tried to register with 4 doctors surgery and haven't even managed that yet.

OzoneGirl profile image
OzoneGirl in reply to Pixielula

Ask your old GP Practice for copies of your notes - you may have to pay but will show your previous prescription of T3.

May I ask why you have been unable to register with those 4 doctors?

Have you moved a long way?

Pixielula profile image
Pixielula in reply to OzoneGirl

I'm not sure really, I am in there catchment area, but they all said they are not taking new patients where I live! One said that they could take me she had checked with the practice manager and rang back to confirm I drove over handed in my forms, filled out more forms and was nearly rugby tackled in the car park as I was leaving by a different lady who was flapping my forms about, gave them back to me and said she was sorry but they couldn't take me...... I said that it had been confirmed by the practice manager earlier that day that they could, she said that the practice manager had just said they couldn't!!!!! So yeah don't know really..... I did ask her if it was because I am English!! Then drove off.

OzoneGirl profile image
OzoneGirl in reply to Pixielula

Oh dear - I suppose that often Practices are full and don't take on anyone new.

It does seem odd about that last one - had you put T3 on the forms?!?

Try asking neighbours or colleagues etc. which practice they go to?

Or set up a post asking people to recommend for Abergavenny?

Airmed profile image
Airmed in reply to Pixielula

Paragraph 1. Relates to patients established on Liothyronine. Would definitely take your case to health ombudsman. Is your husband able to help?

This is the BTA response to the NHS England consultation

PRESCRIPTION OF LIOTHYRONINE IN PRIMARY CARE

We write in response to the consultation process by NHS England on prescription of

Liothyronine in primary care. NHS England proposes that CCGs stop prescription of

Liothyronine and systematically change patients already on Liothyronine to Levothyroxine

treatment. In support of their proposal, their recommendation cites the BTA 2015 position

statement on the management of hypothyroidism.

The BTA has received numerous enquiries from patients expressing great anxiety about this

proposal. Some patients have already experienced difficulty with ongoing prescription of

Liothyronine. In some cases, following guidance from local health authorities, patients on

longstanding Liothyronine treatment have been changed abruptly to Levothyroxine therapy,.

We wish to emphasise that any decision to continue or to stop Liothyronine treatment in a

patient should be based on clinical criteria. The BTA position statement on hypothyroidism

should not be interpreted as a recommendation to not use Liothyronine or as an

endorsement for its discontinuation.

Levothyroxine therapy is the standard of care in hypothyroidism, being effective and welltolerated

in the vast majority of patients. In randomised controlled trials, there is insufficient

evidence to show that combination treatment with Levothyroxine and Liothyronine is superior

to Levothyroxine therapy alone in improving quality of life. Nevertheless, in a small proportion

of patients with persistent symptoms, a carefully monitored trial of combination therapy with

Levothyroxine and Liothyronine may occasionally be warranted [1].

Therefore, in accordance with the best principles of good medical practice we recommend the

following approach:

1. Patients already established on Liothyronine and experiencing symptomatic benefit should

be allowed to continue with Liothyronine treatment prescribed in primary care. Abrupt

change in treatment may impact negatively on well-being. Changing to Levothyroxine

therapy should only be considered if the patient is not experiencing benefit from

Liothyronine and any change should only be made following informed discussion with the

patient and, if necessary, advice from an endocrinologist.

2. For patients with hypothyroidism who are not on Liothyronine but wish to be treated with

Liothyronine, the principles guiding decision-making should follow those outlined in the

BTA statement [1]. Combination treatment with Levothyroxine and Liothyronine should

only be initiated and supervised by accredited endocrinologists [1]. Patients experiencing

symptomatic benefit on a combination Levothyroxine and Liothyronine regimen should be

able to continue such therapy prescribed from primary care.

3. In patients with a diagnosis of thyroid cancer where Liothyronine is recommended in

preparation for radioiodine ablation, radioiodine therapy, diagnostic iodine scanning or

stimulated thyroglobulin test, access to Liothyronine is essential and substitution of

Levothyroxine in these circumstances is wholly inappropriate [2].

4. The NHS England proposals are driven by the recent enormous increase in the cost of

Liothyronine, with such increased cost being quite disproportionate and unique to the

United Kingdom in comparison to its cost in other European countries. We suggest that

the NHS pursues alternative procurement strategies to reduce the current cost of

prescribing Liothyronine.

Professor Krishna Chatterjee

President, British Thyroid Association

Summer64 profile image
Summer64

This leaves me very confused. I've had my T3 stopped and thought Mercury was the only company in the UK that made it.

Airmed profile image
Airmed in reply to Summer64

Mercury were taken over by Concordia and had a monopoly and currently under investigation by the CMA. Recently Morningside and Teva have been issued with licenses to sell T3 in the U.K. You may also have read that some people are getting the German Sanofi Thybon Henning, probably on a named patient basis. The Thybon being the cheapest. Why was your T3 stopped and what did you do about it. Were you on T3 only?

OzoneGirl profile image
OzoneGirl in reply to Airmed

Thanks very much for that info'

dencfock48 profile image
dencfock48

where can i buy morningside T3 in uk

dencfock48 profile image
dencfock48

where can i purchace morningsideT3 in uk

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