Sigmapharm liothyronine

[sandi]

With my latest prescription for liothyronine I was dispensed Sigmapharm, manufactured by Waddell. (This wasn’t in a marked container but that information comes from the patient information sheet they attached to the bottle.) I can’t find this listed on the ThyroidUK list of meds. Is it the same as one of the listed ones or is it not included on the list for some reason?

Thanks.

[helvella Administrator]

It is in my list of UK products:

helvella - Thyroid Hormone Medicines

helvella has created, and tries to maintain, documents containing details of all thyroid hormone medicines in the UK and, in less detail, many others around the world.

This link takes you to a page which has direct links to the documents from Dropbox and Google Drive, and QR codes to make it easy to access from phones.

The UK document contains up-to-date versions of the Summary Matrix for tablets, oral solutions and liothyronine available in the UK.

helvella.blogspot.com/p/hel...

The Thyroid UK list is entirely managed by Thyroid UK. I cannot say anything about why that product is not on their list.

Basically the same product used to be available in the UK as an import under the SigmaPharm name, but the USA version. It had the same ingredients but different dosages and tablet markings.

Then SigmaPharm produced a new version and had it approved by the MHRA. This is now found in pots which say Viatris.

Yes, all confusing.

[sandi in reply to helvella]

Thanks. It didn’t come in any pot but had been put in little bottles and a leaflet stuck to each. I was also a bit bemused as the manufacturer is noted as a packaging company (Wasdell Packaging Ltd)?! Wondered what they’d given me especially as I couldn’t find it on the TUK list. So the pharmacies might know it as Viatris rather than SigmaPharm if that is what is on the pots?

I’m not very happy with it compared to the Teva and to whatever I had years ago that was never accompanied by any identifying information. Will discuss with my GP but wanted to make sure what I was talking about first. Thanks.

[helvella Administrator in reply to sandi]

Yes, the "Packaging" bit does look odd! But they do have a specialist pharmaceutical packaging operation.

This product would usually be regarded as an "own-label supplier" product. (Like Almus levothyroxine is just Accord in a different card outer box.) And then it would have the same PL number. But SigmaPharm and Viatris appear to have separately applied for licenses so these numbers are different - despite it being the same product!

I hate it when pharmacies re-package products which are already pre-packaged. (Assuming that is what happened.) I think it is because of the child-safety rules regarding the lids. But you can request they do not do this - for example, if you have difficulty in opening the child-proof top and can assure them there are no children in your home. But you have to get in and demand that when the prescription is presented.

[sandi]

Ditto on the repackaging issue. I much prefer the original containers with a batch number and expiry date. Also they split the SigmaPharm over three bottles each of which was then put in its own large box - total waste. The Teva had come in the original pots so this threw me when these three large ish boxes in a carrier bag size package were handed over when I collected this last prescription!

I must say though the Teva pots are very child proof and one proved too adult proof too!

[helvella Administrator in reply to sandi]

Can you double-check they are UK SigmaPharm tablets? The markings are different and shown in my documents.

Suddenly wondered if they were typical USA-style 100 packs being divided.

[sandi]

Yes, they have the capitalsigma/73 on them (sorry can’t figure out how to type it on the iPad keyboard!)

[sandi]

The leaflet says they “come in bottles with a child resistant closure containg 28 or 112 tablets and a 2g canister of silica gel and a cotton plug”. So no excuses for the pharmacy decanting into their own bottles of 28 without gel or plug or batch or expiry date!

[Wired123]

I’ve been taking Sigma for a few years, it comes in a white pot/bottle with 90 tabs. It includes the silica and the cotton too. I always ask for the original bottles.

[helvella Administrator in reply to Wired123]

The 90 count pots will probably be USA product.

What Liothyronine Sodium Tablets look

like and contents of the pack:

Liothyronine Sodium 5 microgram Tablets

are white to off-white, round tablets,

embossed with “ ∑

76 ” on one side and

plain on the other side, and 6.35 mm in

diameter.

Liothyronine Sodium 20 microgram Tablets

are white to off-white, round tablets,

embossed with “Σ” above a scoreline and

“73” below the scoreline on one side and

plain on the other side, and 6.5 mm in

diameter.

Liothyronine Sodium Tablets are supplied

in bottles with a child-resistant closure,

containing 28 or 112 tablets and a 2g

canister of silica gel and a cotton plug.

mhraproducts4853.blob.core....

Check the markings. The USA products have different markings:

Σ 18

Σ 19

Σ 20

I'd not be surprised if your prescription gets shifted to the UK version at some point.

[Wired123 in reply to helvella]

I’ve specifically got Sigma on my prescription, but you’re right it could be shifted and that’s no bad thing of it saves NHS cash and I’m still getting the same drug. I didn’t do well on other brands of T3z

[helvella Administrator in reply to Wired123]

If at some point you get told they can't get SigmaPharm, check whether they can order Viatris.

[helvella Administrator]

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