Accord Supply Issues

[carnation]

Just enquiring if there are supply issues with Accord levo.

I have been going to the same local pharmacy for some years and always had good service. Until last week.

I went to collect my prescription and they tried to give me Teva, saying they couldn’t dispense to ‘patient choice’.

So I contacted the GP and asked for Accord to be specified. And today they said they weren’t prepared to order Accord and I had to have Teva!

So is there a shortage? Or are they being difficult?

Not looking forward to ringing around to track some down, and potentially changing pharmacy 🙁

Thanks.

[helvella Administrator]

Boots have usually supplied Accord - though mostly packaged as Almus.

Though it appears possible they have recently more often supplying it in Accord packaging.

[Anthea55]

Don't be worried about ringing round to find a pharmacy which stocks what you want.

My local pharmacies didn't have Teva, so I typed into my browser "pharmacies near me". This gave me a useful list and a map, so I started with the nearest outside my local town. The first one on my list assured me that they had Teva in the right size, so I went there with my prescription and got it.

Definitely worth doing. Reminds me of the days when we had Yellow Pages and their jingle was 'Let your fingers do the walking'!

[carnation in reply to Anthea55]

Thank you. Not concerned about ringing around. Just annoyed that I will have to find a pharmacy that is not so near. I could walk here or pass on my way to town. They used to be nice people!!

[grumpyold]

Accord is specified on my prescriptions but my local pharmacy still tries to fob me off with any old generic brand they have in stock, and tell me they cannot get Accord.

I then phone the Lloyds pharmacy in the next village, and they often have it. Have you a Lloyds near you? Also, as Helvella says, Boots supply Almus which is the same as Accord.

[carnation in reply to grumpyold]

Thank you but we no longer have a Lloyds within sensible distance. Might have to resort to boots.

[SmallBlueThing in reply to carnation]

I get mine posted (at no cost) from Lloyds. Initially disappointed that, despite their promises, they only once managed to supply Eltroxin, but I don't have a noticeable problem with Accord. I imagine their postal pharmacy to be a huge, well-supplied place, but there are frequent delays for one of my prescriptions, despite the notification that the item's in stock, at the time of ordering, and no national shortage announced.

[Pfhh in reply to SmallBlueThing]

Lloyds on line are not efficient. They sent me Teva which I texted to. Spoke to customer service at Lloyds and they advised to get the gp to put preverence on prescription. They also made a note on my records. Still they sent another batch of Teva. 8 boxes of medication returned and destroyed. A complete waste of money.

[DoeStewart]

Got my script yesterday, 2 months worth of Accord ? I normally get MP or Accord and both of these brands suit me. As others have advised, try another pharmacy to obtain what you want

[Shellian]

I have also had trouble getting my Accord levothyroxine. The chemist days that although they request Accord the wholesaler continues to send other generic makes. ( probably cheaper to the Pharmacy?) After two weeks they eventually did get some. Had this problem the last two times.

[Regenallotment Ambassador]

I was offered Accord and Mercury pharma this week and can’t have either (lactose). They also told me they can’t order in what the want despite trying it all arrives at random.

I’m beginning to think there is a systemic issue with the ordering process that doesn’t respect the NICE guidelines for Levothyroxine prescribing where patient should stay on medication that suits them.

I’m just doing some investigating with supplier and then I’ll write to my MP and ask him to investigate with Ministry of Health. My hunch is these prescribed medications wholesalers have too much power. My pharmacy use 9 suppliers and rang them all. So trying from the manufacturer end to figure out what is going on and then I’ll report back.

Hubby said we should form a buying cooperative and set up our own online pharmacy, I wonder how many hoops and regulations would stop us?

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