Although off-topic, so many here are likely affected by this, I felt it appropriate to draw it to your attention. (Yes, I know the basic issue has been mentioned several times.)
Leading UK doctors call for investigation into HRT shortage
Government urged to set up working group as problem also begins to affect contraceptives
Leading doctors are calling on the government to set up an expert working group to investigate the reasons for the continuing shortages of hormonal treatment for women, which now appear to extend to some contraceptives as well.
Many women who need hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to alleviate severe symptoms of the menopause have been struggling to access their supplies for over a year, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, the British Menopause Society and the Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare (FSRH) have said.
This is not intended to be a discussion of individual circumstances, just to increase awareness. However, I would rather relevant comments could be made. Initially I shall not close it to replying, but if it goes into personal cases, I shall do so.
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I have been reading about this even though it does not affect me personally. Dare I say as usual it is women who will suffer not men. No offence to you btw. I have noticed there is never a shortage of Viagra which is now being sold at Sainsburys. I myself have been sent unwanted emails about the stuff and I am female.
Just another example of the madness that is "hormone treatment" be it thyroid or any other hormone.
"Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “We understand how distressing medicine shortages are and we want to reassure patients we are doing everything we can to help them access treatments as soon as possible. We are working closely with suppliers and stakeholders to resolve this as soon as possible and continue to ensure we share relevant information across the NHS on a regular basis.” "
Talk is cheap! Action is what they will be judged on! At least they didn't use that hackneyed phrase "lessons will be learned"
Meanwhile - relating to members of this forum - thyroid patients continue to suffer not only from "shortages " of T3 but from medics who appear to have no understanding of the effect a lack of thyroid hormone has on patients.
Or lack of any hormone on any patient.
Cost and shortage reduce patients to a state of very poor health.....ah, but it's hormonal and must all be in our heads. How many women suffering from hormonal issues are directed to psychologists and prescribed antidepressants? Thankfully I'm not amongst that number.
Treat the cause not the consequence of inappropriate treatment!
It's time endocrinologists et al began to understand and appropriately treat women's hormonal issues....and for the powers that be to ensure they have the tools to do the job. Reference, this article.
Sick, unhappy women ( mothers, wives, employees and so on) do not a well balanced society make!
I was just watching the BBC about this and there is concern that some women will have unwanted pregnancies because of the shortage of some contraceptives. I felt like saying what about condoms? I think men should take some responsibility for contraception as well not just women! I wish they would bring out the male pill like they have been promising for years.
Different generation - I'm from the "free love" era. When I was a teenager in the 60s and 70s we were lectured about STDs at school. I think younger people just got complacent when it became relatively easy to treat with a dose of antibiotics. Then, of course, came AIDS and then antibiotic resistance, so it's probably an issue again
I am bit younger than you but everyone I knew was on the pill. I was on it at 16 which now if I think about it was a bit young but I always felt and looked older than actually was.
A bit off topic AofTN but sinister that govt. and medical profession promoting safe sex whilst knowingly buying infected blood to give to people who then unwittingly spread it. Now antibiotics becoming resistant x
It affects me and I'm not a happy bunny. Anything that affects only women is always given a low priority, and the NHS should have got its act together and stocked up when the takeover was announced, as it should have been obvious other manufacturers would not be able to take up the slack.
This has been going on far too long. Following a hysterectomy last Feb I was prescribed Everol 75 patches but due to side affects got switched to 50 mg. I was lucky enough to get my first 2 prescriptions but had to ring 6 different chemists for my third. On my fourth I was prescribed a generic brand that was of poor quality with the patches falling off and a repeat of side affects. I fell lucky on my last prescription after ringing around and managed to find some Everol again. I’ve started to eek these out by changing them every four days or sometimes 5 days. This really needs to be sorted now.
You're right about MPs. Too many have their sticky little fingers in the pies.
I'm fairly new to all this, but I campaign a lot for medical cannabis and know an awful lot about the con that is the law making it illegal. Now it's apparently legal to prescribe... except no one is getting a prescription. Funny that.
What is not funny is Theresa Mays husband's involvement with GW Pharmaceuticals and Victoria Atkins' (was/is the drugs minister) involvement with British Sugar... and both of these companies make - you guessed it - medical cannabis. Between them these two companies grow tons of the stuff in secret locations in Wales and Norfolk. It's sold for ridiculous profit to the rest of the world, and Sativex (the one you can get on the NHS if you win the lottery) costs nearly £400 a month to the NHS (that's us taxpayers in reality) when it's basically a weed that you could grow and produce the same thing (minus the additives they use to allow a weed to be patented) for a few quid.
All perfectly legal in the corporate world. Yet some granny in Sussex grows a bit for her MS or arthritis and she can be jailed.
When new legislation is brought in about pretty much anything it always pays to look into who benefits. MPs should wear the logos of their corporate 'sponsors' on the jackets.
This country, and those that run it, stink of corruption and greed.
The Telegraph claim the shortages are because the NHS has put fixed prices for certain drugs in place that are so low the drug companies will not supply them and are selling elsewhere for a market price. It would explain why there are no shortages except in the uk.
This is interesting and I am pleased that the PM has decided to do this because both my husband who is a ex NHS manager and I have felt he was too powerful.
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What the hell is it with doctors in the UK?
Recommend doctors or endo in uk
How do you get your doctor to investigate further
My doctor called me very weird case
