I have been taking t3 now for about 5 months and the difference in me is astounding. Unfortunately, I have ran out. I’m going to ask friends and family if they can get it for me from abroad but other than Greece, which countries allow you to purchase without a prescription? Can you get it from Morocco?
TIA
dropbox.com/s/h9ti2sdagf3qs...
This document, which helvella is slowly compiling, will give you some information. Unfortunately, there's no information about Morocco, so if you find out, perhaps you could let him know. 
Thank you, I will take a look x
You can import prescription medicines yourself but it is strictly illegal for someone else to do it for you, even family. Sorry for the bad news but there have been people taken to court for this.
Oh right I wasn’t aware of that! Just trying to find a way of getting t3 but can’t afford to travel to these places myself 
(6) Paragraph (1) does not apply to a person who imports a medicinal product for administration to himself or herself or to any other person who is a member of that person’s household.
There is also this
tpauk.com/main/article/mhra...
TPA wrote to the MHRA asking about any legal implications regarding UK residents importing either synthetic or natural thyroid hormones for their personal use, where these products were purchased from Online Pharmacies located outside of the EU.
The answer from MHRA was as follows :
“From: MHRA Customer Services [mailto:info@mhra.gsi.gov.uk]
Sent: 13 February 2014 13:38
To: ‘sheilaturner@tpa-uk.org.uk‘
Cc: Pharmacovigilanceservice
Subject: RE: Question about importing prescription drugs
Dear Ms Turner,
Thank you for your email.
There are no formal restrictions on an individual importing medicines into the UK provided they are strictly for use by that person or a member of their immediate family. Consequently, we do not issue any form of licence, certificate or authorisation to aid personal importation. We consider personal use to involve the use of the products by an individual or their immediate family or household; under such importation an individual must not sell or supply imported medicines onward as this would be considered placing the product onto the market.
Up to a 3 month supply of a medicine is considered to be an acceptable quantity for personal use, HM Revenue and Customs can prevent importation if large quantities are being imported and/or they have suspicions that the product is not being imported for personal use. There is more information on the HM Revenue and Customs website at the link below: hmrc.gov.uk/
Individuals are advised to investigate whether the product(s) to be imported would be categorised as controlled substances in the UK. Controlled drugs are regulated by the Home Office under the Misuse of Drugs Act, and can require a licence to allow their entry into the UK. The Home Office have published a list (although not exhaustive) of controlled substances on their website and individuals are advised to contact them directly for clarification on whether a Home Office licence is required for importation into the UK: gov.uk/government/public…le...
Anyone posting packages containing medicines are advised to include a copy of the prescription and/or a letter from the patients doctor explaining why the product(s) are required; the package should be clearly labelled on the outside stating the contents of the package and that the products are for personal use. Medicines should be kept in their original packaging and should be transported in accordance with storage conditions specified by the Manufacturer (this not only helps identify the medicines, but also helps ensure the products stability).
The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) operates the Internet Pharmacy Logo which helps members of the public identify if a website is being operated by a legitimate pharmacy in the UK. Currently, this is a voluntary scheme but provisions in the European Falsified Medicines Directive require Member States to introduce national arrangements to register suppliers of medicines at a distance. This will involve the establishment of a national website and the adoption of a common EU logo. All websites supplying medicines at a distance will be required to display the EU logo and provide a hyperlink to the national website of the Member State in which the person offering to sell medicines at a distance is established.
Please note that Rogue websites identified overseas are referred to the relevant country for appropriate action by us. However, many set up their operations from countries where there is little, or no, regulatory control, we therefore work closely with the EU and other international regulatory authorities to ensure that wherever possible offending websites are amended to reflect the law. Although websites based overseas are not caught by the scope of UK medicines legislation, with the assistance of the Metropolitan Police Central e-Crime Unit and cooperation from domain name providers, the MHRA has closed down over a hundred websites (including those based overseas) and brought into compliance hundreds more.
We hope you find this information useful. Please contact us again if you need further assistance with any other queries.
Kind Regards, Ronke Omotayo (Mrs)
Customer Services
External Relations
Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency “
Page Last Updated : 23 March 2014
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The three-month-rule appears to be be made up - certainly I have never found any documented basis for it.
It might trigger a question but with people on doses of T3 ranging from 5 to 150 micrograms a day (or possibly an even wider range), just how does the poor person doing the assessment make a sensible decision?
In particular, people just starting on T3, or with, say, a total thyroidectomy planned, have no proper basis for even estimating a three-month supply. It would be just a guess.
I've not found anything to confirm the 3 month rule either to be honest. It's not mentioned in the legislation.
How could they know? My 3 month supply would probably be four or five times more than some one just starting to add it to their t4
Even if they ask you how long the supply you have ordered will last, and you answer honestly, I can see absolutely no basis for them refusing to allow, say, a six-month supply.
As a rule of thumb for deciding when to look futher, it might have some rational basis. But that letter appears to invent the three-month rule out of thin air.
My delivery comes home from turkey once a year and arrived with 15 boxes last month so currently customs are not really paying any interest to what's being brought in at the moment. Not sure how that will change after leaving the EU though
Hi helvella
The 3 month rules is not exactly made up but based on an interpretation of personal use.
Regulation 17(6) of the The Human Medicines Regulations 2012 says:
Paragraph (1) does not apply to a person who imports a medicinal product for administration to himself or herself or to any other person who is a member of that person’s household.
Paragraph (1) states that:
(1) A person may not except in accordance with a licence (a “manufacturer’s licence”)—
(a)manufacture, assemble or import from a state other than an EEA State any medicinal product; or
(b)possess a medicinal product for the purpose of any activity in sub-paragraph (a).
So a person can import medicines for personal use for himself or herself or a member of their household.
The regulations do not state how much medicine is for personal use and how much medicine is possessing a medicine for manufacture, assemble or import. I think this is done on purpose because each individual who imports medicine for personal use needs different amounts.
So the MHRA test has to be the What is Reasonable under the Circumstances test. if you need 50micrograms of T3 per day, then it would be reasonable to import 90 x 50micrograms tablets each time, according to the MHRA. If you needed 20micrograms of T3 per day, it would be reasonable to import 90 x 20 micrograms each time.
However, if you could persuade MHRA that your need to import more than the above such as
its much cheaper to import 6 months or a year supply
the medicine is stable for that long
the packs are all only 50 micrograms or 20 micrograms or what ever you need
you can demonstrate somehow that you have not sold previous imports on(?)
you may convince the MHRA that you do not need a license to import the medicine.
but see iancpreistley's post below about the perils of importing medicines.
It is better to be armed with responses to any Post Office or Border Force questions prior to importing medicines for personal use, which is why this forum and thread is so important.
I guess that "made up" isn't so very far away from "interpretation".
If it went to court, surely the prosecutors would have to prove (to the required standard of proof) that you were going to, or had, sold it on?
Still, much appreciate your response and wholly agree best to know beforehand. I have repeatedly pointed out that family and friends (other than members of your own household) are NOT covered. I'd hate to see anyone else go through what we have seen so clearly explained by iancpriestley and the other issue recently posted (sorry, cannot at this moment remember the member's name - they live in Canada).
Hi
i much appreciate your efforts with this issue and i am happy to help you long term if needed- i’m a legal caseworker by trade and currently not working due to being a carer ( my dad has hashimotos and only diagnosed at 60 when he was psychotic).
If you need/want any help with any policy or campaign work please message me!
mazabel
If your family/friends manage to find any abroad, get them to post it to you from there, that way they wont be coming back into the UK and through Customs with medication for someone else
Now that’s clever!! Thank you 😊
Turkey is the place to go for a holiday and stock up on some T3..
hi
do you have any details of a pharmacy in turkey I could visit? please inbox me if so?
thank you
Hi,
I wrote previously about a Border Force seizure at Heathrow of some NDT and T3 tablets, that I had imported for personal usage. After a long-winded conversation with Border Force, (who are just awful to deal with!) I was successful in elevating my case to the MHRA (who seem to be their specialist advisory body) for any appeals.
I appealed formally, setting out my hypothyroid illness case in a 3 page letter to the MHRA who very swiftly confirmed that I was indeed legally entitled to import these items. The MHRA also confirmed that they do use a "3 month usage rule"...a MHRA letter confirming this practice, written by a Senior Official some years ago is on the web, if anyone wishes to search for it. One of my points was though that hypothroid medicine levels are not "a one size fits all", something which I believe the MHRA appreciates, from my conversation with them.
The MHRA also subsequently instructed the Border Force to release my seized items BUT my contact there said he was then amazed to learn that the Border Force had actually destroyed my parcel, despite my ongoing appeal!
A further long winded Border Force communications process ensued...to the effect that they admitted destroying my parcel, due to an apparent administrative error! and 3 months ago offered compensation.
The compensation application form though is worded to make it appear as if I was in the wrong! and after 3 months is still outstanding and unanswered! I am just about to lodge a formal complaint....what a nightmare! Border Force has no outside email or telephone contact, so the only route is by letter, to some anonymous bureaucrat.
This has been going on now since Q1 2019, my parcel was seized in late March, and is still unresolved.
The plus points though...
1) You do have a legal right to import medicines for your own personal usage. The level of medicinal thyroid treatment(s) imported is officially expected to be about 3 months worth, to be acceptable, although as above, this level will vary by individual.
2) If you are unlucky and your medicines package is seized - you have a legal right of appeal and you can argue your personal circumstances.
3) I found the MHRA to be sensible and honest brokers in their dealings with me. So if you are unfortunate in facing a similar challenge, be aware - you can challenge any seizures and you do have some properly qualified support, although it will take time.
<redacted online source>
'It is recommended that your prescription travels with your shipment', but they don't ask for it when you order 
muppetme
Your response here breaks guideline 25 so has been edited to make it compliant.
25. Do not post advertisements, links or information of any sort whatsoever, on where or how to obtain UK prescription only medications without prescription. This includes online pharmacies who issue 'prescriptions' on the basis of the completion of a simple health questionnaire.
So glad you are improving with T3. Do you mind me asking how much you take and how long it took to feel better? And which brand you take? I’m early days on Tiromel and it’s good to hear success stories 😀 Happy new year 🥳
Hi caz, happy new year!! 🥳 I’m currently taking uni pharm cytomol 12.5 mcgms a day in the morning as well as 150 levo, although now I have to drop to 125 levo due to slight elevations of t4 and tsh! It took about 4-5 days to start feeling better and about 1 months to start to see the pause of weight gain, in the past month I have starting losing weight again. I’ve gone from sleeping 8-9 hrs a night then having 3 more hours in the afternoon (after work) to being able to work 12-13hr shifts (I’m a postie) and getting about 6hrs sleep and rarely having a nap. I’m looking forward to getting my life properly back on track this year
That’s amazing and really inspiring. I’m really pleased for you. I don’t feel any different yet but feel this is the right path. Can’t imagine being a postie feeling like this. Well done you. All the best maza! 😂😀💪🏻
Thank you 😊 it takes time and it’s different for different people but I wish you the best. It’s about time proper research was done to show that this treatment is necessary for treating us! X
I agree our government and NHS are failing us and our in my opinion an utter shambles and a disgrace to all who suffer day in day out with thyroid problems.
Yes they are and I have taken my case to my local MP who I have spoken to at her office and she has sent me a letter telling me she will tell Matt Hancocks about me. I hope she will do this and I will keep on badgering her until she gets a reply from him
I suspect the household issue is really to avoid criminalising someone bringing in or ordering for their offspring or partner. (Or their servants, of course.)
A single person is just as entitled to order from abroad by mail order or online.
Hi,
I ordered and imported the thyroid medicines on the internet (from a legitimate and trusted foreign and longstanding supplier to me) which were impounded on arrival @ Heathrow. I didn't travel abroad to obtain them. That seizure procedure was fine but their procedures thereafter went awry, so in effect they have denied me my legal right to my property, in this case, medicines for personal use that I had both legally purchased and imported.
I have subsequently advised Border Force of the original price (and provided proof) and the new purchase costs (which are different - its now more expensive, of course!) and have agreed a reimbursement amount based on current replacement costs, which include exchange rate and carriage costs.
Effectively that provides full restitution, placing me back to where I should have been, if my medicines had not been impounded, about nine months ago.
No indeed, that's why I add a note of caution about dealing with Border Force, they epitomise a faceless bureaucracy, with "a grind down" policy!
However, one resolution for 2020, is to tackle my local GP practice to force them to refer me to an endo. They refused point blank to do this on a previous occasion...referring me instead only down the private medicine approach, (we have a local BUPA hospital) ...but I'm disinclined to accept this advice/the high level of associated costs.
It's not only the continuing hassle, why when I pay taxes towards a NHS, should I be forced to accept the ongoing and increasing costs of self-treatment, to maintain good health? OK, that's a question for a different audience and partly why I joined this forum, the other key reason being the excellent quality of information available.
T3 compared to Free T3
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