April 2024 - Current NHS Drug Tariff Liothyronine Prices

[helvella]

The April 2024 NHS Drug Tariff has been published and my blog has been updated.

Changes from last month

The tariff price for Liothyronine 20microgram tablets has risen to 6232 (from 4010)

The tariff price for Liothyronine 5microgram tablets has fallen to 11871 (from 12338).

❗️See the blog post for full explanation.

Link to a blog post of Monthly NHS Drug Tariff prices for Liothyronine products from January 2023 onwards.

Current NHS Drug Tariff Liothyronine Prices

helvella.blogspot.com/p/cur...

Also includes link to information for Scotland.

The details for March 2024 were posted here: healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

The details for May 2024 are posted here: healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Older NHS Drug Tariff Liothyronine Prices

helvella.blogspot.com/p/old...

[Guineapiggy]

Why does the NHS still buy from this source when liothyronine is available elsewhere in the world at cheap prices? It seems completely illogical to allow the source company to make so much money out of other peoples misery by over pricing. I'm sure the NICE thyroid guidelines were written only as a way to save the NHS money, and not in anyone's best interest, by dismissing the value of liothyronine to so many people.

[Zephyrbear]

What is the reasoning behind the more than 50% increase in the price of 20mcg Liothyronine tablets from Advanz? They can’t possibly use that old “development and manufacturing cost” chestnut they used whilst hiking the prices up by 6000-odd % last time (which worked out for them so well…) Are they just up to their old tricks hoping nobody notices and the NHS just continue paying up or, worse still, take it away from patients again… 🤬

[Cornwaller]

You can buy Liothyronine from around the world for a small fraction of these prices. The NHS is just about the biggest buyer of pharmaceutical products in the world and with that purchasing power they should be buying at the lowest prices. The only conclusion that squares with the facts is that the organisation is incompetent with our money.

And this is not something to do with "big pharma". Liothyronine is not a patented medicine and is manufactured around the world by numerous small and large companies which would be delighted to supply the NHS at a sensible price.

[mstp]

Would there be any mileage in contacting the relevant govt. minister and asking him or her to ask the question?

[helvella in reply to mstp]

I pretty much ALWAYS encourage contact. However political protocol is that you should not contact MPs other than your own directly so direct to minister will probably be ignored.

Hence, contact your own MP. And also contact the DHSC directly.

And anyone and everyone you can think to contact!

For those in the three nations with a measure of devolved government, contact your other representatives as well. It might be that their different structures permit emails direct to ministers.

For all, consider ALSO contacting known political rivals. We are approaching a General Election this year which sometimes means ears which have been deaf since the last GE somehow start working again.

[mstp in reply to helvella]

Just written to my MP!

[TaraJR]

@helvella do you have any idea why the price has gone up by 50%? I think it's something to do with categories of dugs, and reimbursement, but I really don't understand it.

Patient groups have said for a while that the price of T3 had reduced by over 80%, but the April tariff seems inexplicable, and most alarming.

[helvella in reply to TaraJR]

No - but the NHSBSA seem to do some sort of averaging across available products.

The DM+D has more detailed information by product but is not quite the same as the tariff.

helvella – Dictionary of medicines and devices (dm+d)

The NHS’ dm+d is a dictionary of descriptions and codes which represent medicines and devices in use across the NHS. The dm+d data is refreshed weekly and contains a huge variety of information.

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

I wish I could pick up all the relevant in formation from DM+D in one go - but I can't. (Theoretically possible but needs enhanced access and technical understanding.)

[Klawd]

Thank you for enlightening us Hellvella and the effort you've put in researching & keeping us aware. I feel infuriated by this........Is No one in the NHS thinking.....'Why are we paying this?'!!!!! Dah!

I really want to contact my MP, DHSC ( need to google who that is first and anyone else I can think of, however I really dont feel capable of composing a competent letter and the more of us who do it the more chance of it havin any clout 🤞

Hope I'm not being cheeky but I wondered if someone else has already done this if they would be kind enough to put the template on here so us lesser able bodies could copy it? Please

Thank you in anticipation 🤗

[helvella in reply to Klawd]

I understand why people want templates! There are lots of reasons. But many MPs make a specific comment - something like which they will take into account such letters, but it just adds to a counter. Whereas an individually written letter might get a proper response.

[Klawd in reply to helvella]

OK, I understand, thank you. I will try......the ol brain just dosent function so good these days 😵‍💫

[joydot]

thats quite a reduction from the dark years of profiteering

[helvella in reply to joydot]

Still massively overcharged - especially for 5 and 10 microgram products - considering costs in Germany and France - let alone Greece (when available) and Turkey.

[joydot in reply to helvella]

it’s wierd. The nhs can’t help itself…

[sparkly]

Could anyone explain to me what NHS indicative price and drugs tariff price mean? Does this have anything to do with why chemists are reluctant to supply certain brands because they end up out of pocket?

Delete photo if not allowed, sorry

.

[helvella in reply to sparkly]

You are not the only one who is confused!

The NHS Drug Tariff price is the amount the NHS will automatically reimburse the pharmacy.

But the NHS Indicative Price seems to be the price that the NHS thinks the product is being offered at by the supplier. But I do not know how this all works and clearly pharmacies are all too often unable to acquire their supplies at less cost than the NHS reimbursement. Hence they make losses.

[sparkly]

Take viatris 20mcg indicative price £147 and drug tariff £40. So would chemist would be £107 out of pocket if they supplied you them? That surely couldn't be the case. If it then this is why chemists say can't supply and you can understand why. No business would happily take that loss Hope someone in the know or who might work in a pharmacy comes along and can explain