Alumus or Teva

[boo16]

Just opened a pack of Almus brand drug to find inside the PIL is Teva and the drug strips are Teva.

Are they the same brand?

[Anthea55]

I get Almus levothyroxine from Boots and it is Accord, both the PIL and the blister strips. Mine are 50micrograms.

[boo16 in reply to Anthea55]

Thanks.

Very weird.

The drug is not Levo as I get the branded Eltroxin as Teva gave me problems. It is a drug that states on my script ( not to dispense Teva but any other brand) but it is Teva inside) How can this be if they are different companies!

Not sure how to sort this as I have been taken off another drug as Teva again gave me problems.

[Anthea55 in reply to boo16]

The expert on here is helvella . He will be able to help you better than I can.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to boo16]

Almus is not a manufacturer - it is an "own label supplier".

Think Stockwell at Tesco, Choceur at Aldi, Oaklands at Lidl, Be Good To Yourself at Sainsbury.

All Almus products are supplied by other pharmaceutical companies who simply change the outer packaging.

Theoretically, every medicine, in every dosage, under Almus labelling, could be supplied by a different company. (The only thing that prevents that is there are not enough companies! )

For some medicines, the company supplying the medicine changes without any obvious sign. However, we have yet not seen that happen with levothyroxine.

Another own label supplier, Northstar, even supplies levothyroxine from two different manufacturers - obviously having two different formulations.

The product licence/manufacturer authorisation will always be on the outer packaging. Typically, for levothyroxine in 28-tablets packs, along one of the long edges.

You simply have to check the packages - every time - before you leave the counter in the pharmacy.

(Which is a difficulty if they are posted or delivered, or picked up by someone else.)

You cannot assume that the pharmacist will notice.

However, you can help yourself by checking before going to the pharmacy. My medicines document has this information for UK thyroid hormone products. This would not help if the manufacturer changes but I will update the document if I find out anything has changed.

[boo16 in reply to helvella]

Thanks Hevella that’s very clear.

Not sure how I can be sure of what is in the inside once it has been dispensed. The pharmacist (Boots) made sure that that it wasn’t Teva ( on the outside anyway) Well, another months meds hits the dustbin! 🥺

Other pharmacies ignore the script if I don’t pick up and just put in Teva. Don’t know why I have such issues with this brand and I take 16 different meds a day.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to boo16]

It will say Almus in big letters! On the main slab front of the pack.

Just took a picture of my Almus levothyroxine 100 microgram - which shows the bottom long edge:

PL 0142/0105 PL Holder: Accord, Barnstaple, EX32 8NS, UK

That means it is Accord product. And, if you got it in Accord packaging, it would have exactly the same PL number.

I have not got any Teva product in Almus packaging to show you that.

Picture of Almus levothyroxine showing Accord

[boo16 in reply to helvella]

Thanks. Just checked the package and in tiny white writing it does say TEVA. ( I struggle with white writing on coloured background)

Pharmacist even showed me the package to prove it wasn’t TEVA. I will know for next time. You are a star!

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to boo16]

For a pharmacist not to know where to look, even a pharmacy assistant, is seriously bad.

[Anthea55 in reply to boo16]

If that's the case you should take it back. Show them where it says Teva and insist that you get the correct product. If you don't do that they will get it wrong next time.

What else does it say on the box? Does it say Levothyroxine or not? Did your doctor increase your dose? If he did they might not have been able to get the extra small amount as Eltroxin so substituted it. Eltroxin is the brand, but it's still levo.

So - go back and get them to sort it out.

[Anthea55 in reply to Anthea55]

Do let us know how you get on when you go back to the pharmacist.Good luck!

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

boo16

What is the medication?

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Is this levothyroxine

Which dose size

Accord is also boxed as Almus via Boots or Northstar via Lloyds

Accord don’t make 25mcg tablets

Northstar 25mcg is Teva

[boo16 in reply to SlowDragon]

As per my post, it’s not levothyroxine. I get Eltoxine.

As I got it from boots, I wonder if that is why?

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to boo16]

Eltroxin is just a brand name for levothyroxine

Eltroxin is absolutely identical to Mercury Pharma brand. Both are made by Advanz. Pharmacies database often lists as Advanz

thyroiduk.org/if-you-are-hy...

As it’s Teva inside the box return it