Liothyronine News

[helvella]

As I often do, I have been checking the UK's MHRA website.

products.mhra.gov.uk/

I have identified two changes to liothyronine licences.

First, an Accord 20 microgram tablet is now listed. Does not contain lactose, mannitol or acacia.

Accord contains:

6.1 List of excipients

Pregelatinised maize starch,

Cellulose microcrystalline,

Light magnesium oxide,

Sodium starch glycolate,

Sodium stearyl fumarate

Second, the SigmaPharm 5 microgram tablet now has a UK licence. Does not contain lactose or acacia. It appears to be the same product that has previously been supplied as an import from the USA.

6.1 List of excipients

Calcium sulfate dihydrate

Corn starch

Gelatin

Magnesium stearate

Mannitol (E421)

Note: These products are very unlikely yet to be available. Could be months before they appear in pharmacies.

If anyone sees either of them, please let me know!

I am currently updating my medicines document to include these. I will add a response later when I have done so.

[helvella]

My medicines document has been updated to include these new products.

helvella - Thyroid Hormone Medicines

I have created, and try to maintain, a document containing details of all thyroid hormone medicines in the UK and, in less detail, many others around the world.

From Dropbox:

dropbox.com/s/shcwdwpedzr93...

From Google Drive:

drive.google.com/file/d/12N...

[shaws in reply to helvella]

Thank you for the information, helvella, you are always knowledgeable.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

NHS drugs tariff also listing a 2.5mcg tablet liothyronine available from March 2022

No mention of who’s making it

drugtariff.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/#/...

[helvella in reply to SlowDragon]

It would appear to be a Special:

openprescribing.net/dmd/amp...

(The tariff says "capsule".)

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Also on same link

25mcg, 50mcg and 100mcg Levothyroxine capsules

Wonder if these are Tirosint?

[helvella in reply to SlowDragon]

The dm+d browser lists:

Suppliers for Levothyroxine sodium 25microgram capsules

Currently viewing Page 1 of 1 - 2 total products

Actual Medicinal Product (AMP) Supplier Discontinued

Tirosint 25microgram capsules Imported (United States)

Levothyroxine sodium 25microgram capsules Special Order

services.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/dmd-...

Utterly ridiculous that they identify the USA as a source for Tirosint - it is both manufactured in Switzerland and readily available (often at lower prices) in much of Europe.

[JGBH]

Thank you so much. 😊

[crimple]

helvella, thank you very much for this update. It is of interest to me on 2 counts. I always had Accord levo after discovering acacia powder was like poison to me. When I first went onto liothyronine (alongside Accord levo) I firstly had uni pharma, then Thybon (which I preferred) when GP gave me a private scrip. Now with NHS scrip I am currently on Sigma Pharma 3 x 5mcgm per day with 100 levo (Accord)

I have always been aware that SP was expensive, but other than Thybon seemed to be the only lio that I tolerated. I often worried if SP would be denied me because of the cost.

Lets hope that these 2 new Liothyronine brands for NHS will mean that I don't need to worry about cost being an issue anymore.

Thanks again for all your hard work in keeping the meds list current.

[helvella in reply to crimple]

Sadly, I am not sure what impact it might have on price.

But the number of liothyronine products now available suggests that we might see more reductions simply due to competition.

We can hope!

[crimple in reply to helvella]

we certainly can hope that prices of T3 will come down.

[Serendipitious]

This is great news for everyone who takes T3, thank you for sharing.

[McPammy]

I’ve recently had a letter off my NHS endocrinologist saying the hospital pharmacy will no longer be able to give me my regular prescription of Mayne Pharma 5mcg Liothyronine. Due to licensing. Yesterday I got a phone call from a medications manager from the hospital asking me a number of questions relating to brands for myself going forward. I’m about to run out of Mayne Pharma 5mcg. I don’t know why I was prescribed Mayne Pharma 5mcg apparently they are lactose free. I’m not allergic to lactose!? I did have an issue with Sigma 5mcg and came out in a rash all over my torso. Not sure why??

It’s getting a bit messy with my pharmacy. I stressed I would like to be prescribed Sanofi ThyBon Henning 20mcg and I could cut into quarters. I tried this brand very successfully. Do you know if the NHS can prescribe ThyBon Henning 20mcg. I mentioned Roseway Labs in London to contact. Any idea if this is possible please.

[tattybogle in reply to McPammy]

somebody was on the other day saying their NHS Thybon had been stopped after an audit at the pharmacy ? said it was too expensive now that there are cheaper alternatives available from UK. healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

[helvella in reply to McPammy]

I suspect that when an ordinary pharmacy orders and dispenses Thybon Henning, the cost to the NHS is much more than we can get from Roseway (and the other pharmacies) with a private prescription.

I am trying to find out why there is a licensing issue. I am not aware of any reason.

[McPammy in reply to helvella]

Thanks for checking. Much appreciated!

[Wired123]

I take SigmaPharm T3 and it’s expensive because it’s not easily available, very few places stock it.

We can’t blame manufacturers for not entering the market when there is barely a market as Endos (even private ones) are so reluctant to prescribe T3 as they think it’s some kind of taboo!

It’s good more products are coming in but unless there’s enough volume of business available they will simply walk away later - I’ve worked in Pharma and it’s a simple numbers game.

We need to see an increase in prescribing of T3 for all those who desperately need it and can’t get better on T4 mono.

[TaraJR]

I wonder if the (special?) T3 capsule is ROMA? We know Roma capsules are coming, but haven't seen them yet.

[helvella in reply to TaraJR]

Not if it 2.5 micrograms.

We have been assured that Roma is now actually available. Though I don't recall that any member has actually received it!

[helvella]

Documentation for a 20 microgram liothyronine from Sigmapharm has now appeared:

20 microgram tablets

PL 50888-0002

Markings – Side ①: Σ|73 Side ②: blank

Diameter Ø: 6.5 mm 

products.mhra.gov.uk/search...

products.mhra.gov.uk/search...

This has also been added to my medicines document - but only just now. If you have a previous version, please download again.

[helvella]

I found the documents poorly produced and things like the markings on tablets are almost illegible.

For that reason, I have put in a complaint to the MHRA.