Finding an EU doctor post Brexit for prescriptions - Thyroid UK

Thyroid UK

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Finding an EU doctor post Brexit for prescriptions

Fifteen profile image
39 Replies

Can you help - EU prescription post Brexit.

From 31st October, my GP's prescription for Thybon 20 Henning will not be accepted - Deal or No-Deal, he will not be an EU doctor.

Has anyone found an EU medical practice who will prescribe? I thought of taking a trip to Dublin (English speaking) to try to find GP there.

Please let me know. Perhaps a private response will be necessary if you are naming particular doctors?

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Fifteen profile image
Fifteen
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39 Replies
jimh111 profile image
jimh111

If you find a solution could you mention it on this post, not giving names but just let us know for reference from November onwards. It is quite possible there will not be a problem as the EU is highly dependent upon UK medicines, so both sides have an incentive to sort it out. On the other hand the performance of politicians and EU bureaucrats does not inspire confidence! We certainly need a fallback strategy, my current strategy is to dump the expense back on the NHS.

Aurealis profile image
Aurealis

Could you see a private GP in the U.K.?

Hay2016 profile image
Hay2016 in reply to Aurealis

Hmmm would a EU qualified doc working over here do the trick. Suppose we will all find out come October. 😩

Fifteen profile image
Fifteen in reply to Hay2016

If registered in an EU country and with an EU address prescription pad - that may be a possibility. If you find such a person in London, let me know.

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

It would appear that an EU pharmacy can only accept a prescription from an EU registered doctor

Deal. Or no deal.....that seeems to be a HUGE problem for hundreds of people currently being prescribed T3 here in UK and getting T3 from EU to save on high cost of UK T3

Fifteen profile image
Fifteen in reply to SlowDragon

I know.

Perhaps many have not yet thought about this or realised the position we will be in. This situation also applies to my medication for another chronic condition.

The NHS and the Government say that a way will be found to ensure availability of 'essential' medication, and mention chemotherapy. Goodness knows where T4 sits on that list (way down perhaps?). There is no way T3 will even appear on it, especially given recent edicts.

I remember that my Endo said that one of his patients had found a helpful medico in Spain who provided an EU prescription. I speak only English, hence my Dublin thoughts. But will I be told that I need to live in Ireland, or have an Irish passport?

Many unknowns.

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply to Fifteen

Government or NHS will not have considered, or be remotely interested in, wether access to EU medication via private prescriptions is affected by UK leaving the EU

I don't know if Thyroid UK have been talking to members of parliament about this. But it seems it may be a big problem for hundreds of people currently on Thybon Henning T3 from Germany

lynmynott LouiseRoberts

helvella profile image
helvellaAdministratorThyroid UK in reply to SlowDragon

I encourage everyone who is affected to contact their own political representatives - MPs, AMs, MSPs, MEPs, etc. Make clear why you are affected as well as how.

And consider mentioning the issue anywhere you have access - such as newspaper websites, "social media", etc.

I have been raising the issue repeatedly.

wishing2go profile image
wishing2go in reply to Fifteen

Helpful medico in Spain ? any more information on this please as i am considering moving to Spain from the UK

Very many thanks and best wishes

xx

abitsad profile image
abitsad in reply to Fifteen

Please can you PM me details on the helpful medico in Spain?

Fifteen profile image
Fifteen in reply to abitsad

Unfortunately that information was not sent to me. If you find a helpful EU doctor, please let me know

NWA6 profile image
NWA6

The twice that I mentioned it to my private DR he shook his head and said, don’t worry about it it won’t be a problem 🤷‍♀️

Fifteen profile image
Fifteen in reply to NWA6

Not for him, maybe. But for you?

I wonder if he knows EU Law on these matters? Anyone who gets their T3 from Germany knows that the Pharmacy insists it can only accept prescriptions from an EU registered doctor.

And see my Endo comments in another of my replies.

NWA6 profile image
NWA6 in reply to Fifteen

🤷‍♀️ I have no idea, just passing on his blasé comments.

Fifteen profile image
Fifteen in reply to NWA6

Understand.

Quokka profile image
Quokka

I thought of trying to find a doctor in Germany, then I could get Thybon Henning T3 from a German pharmacy at the same time. I'm going to wait and see if we still have a reciprocal healthcare agreement with the EU next year first. I wrote to Lord Hunt and James O'Shaughnessy (now left government) last year about the Brexit T3 problem, but it's very low on everyone's list of priorities I think.

helvella profile image
helvellaAdministratorThyroid UK in reply to Quokka

I do not believe a reciprocal healthcare arrangement would include recognition of prescriptions. It is the sort of thing that could so very easily be totally missed.

magsyh profile image
magsyh in reply to helvella

I have replied with what may be a solution.

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

Has anyone, who currently gets their T3 on private prescription from EU, been told anything by their EU pharmacy about situation after (if) we leave EU?

wellness1 profile image
wellness1 in reply to SlowDragon

I am also curious about this and whether any European pharmacies, specifically German ones, plan to stop honouring UK prescriptions prior to 31 October.

helvella profile image
helvellaAdministratorThyroid UK in reply to wellness1

As I read it, it isn't that they stop honouring UK prescriptions, as such, it is that they have only ever honoured EU prescriptions. And UK prescriptions cease to be EU prescriptions as of leaving. Not meaning to be pedantic but it converts it from a German decision not to honour UK prescriptions into a "no change" to the rules in Germany.

Some pharmacies might stop honouring them ahead of exit because their ability to verify prescriptions, for the sake of their own national oversight bodies, might disappear.

It would have to be a positive change to the regimes in the EU27 to allow non-EU prescriptions and might even need legislation in each of those countries (not being a politician or lawyer, I can't really be sure).

wellness1 profile image
wellness1 in reply to helvella

Thanks for your insight. I had assumed that we are an EU member nation until 31 October and that changes would occur after this date. The notion of ability to verify prescriptions raises a different possibility. Pedantry welcome. :)

I thought I saw a comment recently (perhaps by MaisieGray ?) that some German pharmacies may already have stopped filling prescriptions. I now can't find the thread. Perhaps contacting the pharmacies is the best course of action for anyone concerned, but I was curious about members' experience.

MaisieGray profile image
MaisieGray in reply to wellness1

No, it wasn't me, but I also recall someone saying that, quite a while ago ie before the original March date I think.

wellness1 profile image
wellness1 in reply to MaisieGray

Thanks :)

Quokka profile image
Quokka in reply to wellness1

Bennewitz is still selling

Fifteen profile image
Fifteen in reply to helvella

Absolutely. This is the result of the UK's decision to separate from the EU. It is not an active EU decision - just part of the reality we will live with from 31/10.

Fifteen profile image
Fifteen in reply to helvella

My reply to you is below - following Quokka's comment. I pressed the wrong Reply.

Fifteen profile image
Fifteen in reply to wellness1

If we are not part of the EU our prescriptions have no legitimacy there. So, when we leave, UK prescriptions will not be legal in the EU.

It's the same as everywhere else - our UK prescriptions do not have legitimacy in Canada, the US, Australia or any other country around the world.

wellness1 profile image
wellness1 in reply to Fifteen

Yes, I understand that. My curiosity is about whether that will only take effect when we are no longer part of the EU, or whether, in some instances, it already has. :)

Fifteen profile image
Fifteen in reply to wellness1

Apologies. I did not read your entry properly. I do not know, is my correct answer. I hope to get one more UK prescription filled before Brexit.

wellness1 profile image
wellness1 in reply to Fifteen

No worries. Good luck getting your prescription filled.

Quokka profile image
Quokka in reply to SlowDragon

I emailed the three German pharmacies on the TUK list in Feb to ask if they'd still sell T3 (with prescription) after Brexit. One said no, one said unlikely, one said maybe, but adding tariffs. A pharmacist friend in Germany told me they just don't know what will happen.

Fifteen profile image
Fifteen in reply to Quokka

Thanks. Useful information. Rather as I expected.

wellness1 profile image
wellness1 in reply to Quokka

Thank you :)

puffyface profile image
puffyface

This is super important. I still get my t3 on the nhs, but I suspect that’s going to change today as gp has requested a call this evening after my (private) endo asked that he increase my t3 dose to 20, 10 and 20 each day. German Thybon has always been my backup. Perhaps it is possible to register with a German (or Irish) Doctor who will write the scripts?

magsyh profile image
magsyh

Hopefully I can help here my private doc is German he has a practice in UK and Estonia. He's on the thyroid UK list! I know I can't mention his name. Anyone guessed so far? If not PM me x

wishing2go profile image
wishing2go in reply to magsyh

Hi there

I am a newbie on this site. I am currently in the UK and want to move to Girona area in Spain

I have a UK doctor who prescribes Erfa thyroid (NDT ) and the prescription is filled in the UK. In view if the Brexit issues I think that I will need an English speaking European doctor and get my prescriptions filled in Europe and posted to Spain as Spain does not have NDT to my knowledge or doctors who prescribe it.

Please can you tell me how to PM you for the German doctor?

If any one else has any suggestions apart from advising me to stay in the UK ! they would be very well received.

Many thanks xx

If it's a private prescription, will it actually make any difference? Has the EU pharmacy told you this? As far as I know, a private transaction does not currently rely on any reciprocal arrangement (this would obviously be different if one expected them to issue Thybon on an NHS prescription)

Fifteen profile image
Fifteen

The pharmacy I use specifies that it will only process EU prescriptions. Perhaps other Forum members have had other experiences.

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