TEVA liothyronine shortage?

[Patriciawoodward]

My usual pharmacy can’t get TEVA liothyronine at present. Is anyone else having problems getting this?

[Lalatoot]

Morningside is good. at the start I used either Teva or Morningside.

[Patriciawoodward in reply to Lalatoot]

Morningside has acacia in it which I react to. Only Teva doesn’t have acacia. My supplier hadn’t got any at present. Was wondering if a local or national problem.

[birkie]

Hi ❤️

Same here I've been on T3 since 2020 and it was hell trying to get it, their was always a problem with distribution ect and my pharmacy telling me constantly we don't carry T3 on the shelf, it as always been ordered in because it's not prescribed that much.. In fact your the only patient who gets it here.. My surgery have been trying to get me off it since and unfortunately have succeed after I came off it due to symptoms of primary hyperparathiyroidism for which my gp blamed the T3.... Long story so now I'm waiting to see the endo to get it re instated... What a palaver... 🤦‍♀️

[helvella Administrator]

When someone reports that a particular medicine cannot be obtained by their pharmacy, I always suggest they consider contacting the pharmaceutical company/manufacturer directly.

We have had many occasions when the information given by the pharmacy to the member has not been accurate.

Examples with good outcomes have included:

• There were issues, but they are now, or will very shortly be, resolved;

• There is no issue and it is not clear why the pharmacy said there was;

• The product has a new branding - and is now only available under the new name;

• Give the pharmacist some information and they will be able to get the product.

And examples with bad outcomes:

• The product is no longer available;

• There is an issue that will not be resolved in the time required;

• The product has been recalled.

Quite often, members have found that the pharmaceutical company/manufacturer can and will advise how a pharmacy can obtain stock. At the worst, you can find out from an authoritative source that there really is an issue that will not be resolved. With pharmacies, you will almost always have at least one extra company - the distributor - between the pharmaceutical company/manufacturer and the pharmacy, allowing confusion to enter.

Chain pharmacies can make things more difficult by preventing individual pharmacists ordering directly from companies. Even then, they can ring the manufacturer and pass on information to others in their organisation.

Some pharmaceutical companies/manufacturers have been extremely helpful to members who have contacted them.

The company name is not always the same as the brand name. You can find the company name on the packaging (though in smaller letters and possibly on the back or bottom) and at the bottom of the Patient Information Leaflet. For example, Mercury Pharma is a brand name but the company is Advanz.

Contact details for most, possibly all, UK pharmaceutical companies/manufacturers can be found here:

medicines.org.uk/emc/browse...

Or the British National Formulary's list:

bnf.nice.org.uk/guidance/in...

[Patriciawoodward in reply to helvella]

Thank you. Very helpful.

[helvella Administrator in reply to Patriciawoodward]

Let us know if you find out more!