Shortage of Eltroxin 25mcgs - getting desperate !!

[Phoebelovessheep]

Once again I cannot find a pharmacy to supply my Eltroxin 25mcg - (now no problem with the 100s!!) has anyone any news on the shortage or know somewhere in Surrey that has them? I wrote a letter to my doctor stating I was unhappy with scoring 100s as they are not meant to be chopped up!! - no reply, just a 'get on with it' attitude.........Have been doing this now for a month and starting to feel not so good!!

[LouiseRoberts]

No info on shortage as far as I know. Have you tried these pharmacies:

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/treatm...

Louise

x

[Phoebelovessheep in reply to LouiseRoberts]

Thank you for the link - I sometimes just don't care to have to sort it all out myself - this is one of those times!! It should be so simple really! Cup of coffee and I am on it xx

[RedApple Administrator]

Why not call Mercurypharma directly and ask them - they're the best people to know about any shortages

Details here mercurypharma.com/contactus

[Phoebelovessheep in reply to RedApple]

Thank you x

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK]

You are, I hope, aware that Mercury Pharma have said that the Eltroxin tablets are identical to Mercury Pharma Levothyroxine and Forley Levothyroxine? More info. here:

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/treatm...

I was not aware of any supply problems since they became more readily available again in October 2012.

Maybe contact Mercury Pharma? It would not be the first time that pharmacies have been getting the wrong end of a stick.

No 1 Croydon

12-16 Addiscombe Road

Croydon, Surrey

CR0 0XT

United Kingdom

[phone]

[e-mail]

Rod

[Phoebelovessheep in reply to helvella]

Thank you for the info. I did ring them last time the problem arose and my surgery actually let me have 12 months of 100s!! as that was the minimum I could order - just gathering some energy to ring again re the 25s. I just get so sick of trying to sort it all out myself!!

[lynmynott Partner Thyroid UK in reply to Phoebelovessheep]

Do let me know how you get on and I can put something on the relevant page of our website as well as the news section.

[Phoebelovessheep]

Interesting !! hadn't thought about that but it makes sense. Whilst I was in the pharmacy this morning I overhead 3 telephone conversations in respect of other drugs and it was the same story - 'sorry, but we can't get blah blah blah because there is a manufacturer shortage' - crazy eh!! what are we all supposed to do in the meantime...........

[Hidden]

Hi Phoebelovessheep,

If you go to the home page of the BRITISH THYROID FOUNDATION and look at the inch columns on the left they have a telephone number for emergency supplies of Eltroxin which your pharmacist can call. Worth a try?.....

Xxx

[Phoebelovessheep in reply to Hidden]

Thank you for the information - will have a look today. I went to the big Boots near me yesterday and the pharmacist confirmed that the problem WAS the fact that the manufacturers won't sell in this country as they make more abroad!!! I am so angry at this and apparently there are many more drugs unavailable because of the same reason - TIME TO WRITE TO MY MP methinks !!! outrageous! xx

[Phoebelovessheep in reply to Hidden]

Thanks - that is actually the manufacturers number and have already tried that avenue so have 3 pharmacists - they really do not have any !!!!! x

[Hidden in reply to Phoebelovessheep]

Sorry....... Than I am a bit stumped! If I think of anything else....

Xxx

[RedApple Administrator in reply to Phoebelovessheep]

What did MercuryPharma actually say when you called them? Did they have an answer... have they stopped production for some reason?

[Hidden]

I had no idea about this. That's outrageous!! We are just pawns in the fat cats game of chess!!!!

Does anyone care about our health!!

Xxx

[Phoebelovessheep in reply to Hidden]

It is more than outrageous - I am so angry and am now determined to follow up on it!! x

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK]

One of the standard places to look about shortages is here:

pjonline.com/supply_issues_0

They have no mention of any levothyroxine issues since the well-known return of Eltroxin products in October last year.

Also, if it is a matter of selling medicines abroad, I suggest that you look at this link:

mhra.gov.uk/home/groups/is-...

That document includes this statement:

If a wholesaler chose to trade medicines for export that were in short supply in the UK and as a consequence the needs of patients in the UK were not met, the holder of a wholesale dealer’s licence could be in breach of the Regulations, and could face regulatory action against his licence, and/or criminal prosecution. The requirements apply to all holders of a wholesale dealer’s licence including pharmacists and pharmacy owners who hold a wholesale dealer’s licence.

So, a pharmacist in Boots saying that the medicine is being sold abroad could actually be an allegation of criminal activity. Definitely not at the pay grade of a staff or locum pharmacist in any branch of Boots.

If you believe that to be the case, I suggest you put in complaints to some or all of:

MHRA

Police

PALS

rpharms.com/

MP

Rod

[veronicacoath]

I just spoke to someone at Mercury Pharma who said they are not making the old Goldshield Eltroxin .25 or .50 tabs at the moment but their generic Levothyroxine tablets are exactly the same formula, and the same as Forley generics as well! All three brands have been amalgamated.

So the doc needs to put Levothyroxine by Mercury Pharma on the prescription.

Why is it all such a struggle?!

Veronica

[taylordentist]

I can assure you that levothyroxine and eltroxin are NOT the same animal........generic thyroxine varies widely in its strength. I am very sensitive to levels and the only way I can maintain my levels correctly is with eltroxin

[Luvvy64]

Hi all,

tried to get my prescription filled for Eltroxin last week at local ASDA and managed to get some in the 50's but when I went back for the balance they said that all strengths were unavailable!!!! I'm sick to death of worrying about getting prescriptions filled with the replacement which I need to function properly....not having to play Russian roulette with generic stuff which I know is no good!!!

Anyone got any info on when its coming back into production???

[veronicahoward]

We have today contacted our local M.P. about this matter which is a national disgrace. I spent some considerable time speaking to 4 foreign personnel at Mercury Pharma (a convenient name change), in particular in the medical information department and the information I received was vague, misleading and farcical in the extreme. I asked for the name of the Chief Executive and was told it was a John Beighton. I then asked the name of the manufacturers and was told it was ;Custom'.

As a retired lawyer, I do not accept the gravely misleading information being farmed out by these pharmaceutical companies and if I cannot get the medication I have been on for more than 40 years

I will seek a public inquiry in Parliament and there should be a call for judicial review. I will seek to find out about the Parliamentary Committee and its findings. I have paid into the NHS for many years and I am still a taxpayer and I also believer these organisations are breaching the Human Rights Act. Also, they can be challenged under the Freedom of Information Act to fully disclose what is happening with this medication and not hide behind marketing issues and manufacturing problems. I urge every affected by this to contact their M.P.'s

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to veronicahoward]

You might achieve more impact by creating a brand new post - rather than responding into the middle of an eight-month old thread.

That Mercury Pharma have handled this poorly is not to be denied. And this comes on top of the still unexplained issues with their Liothyronine.

Rod