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Thyroid conditions and blood tests Thyroid drugs available in New Zealand |
2011 News articles:
2010 News articles:
2011Changes to Medicines Regulations enter into force: brand substitution by pharmacists(Published: 21 August 2011) On 1 August 2011, several changes to the Medicines Regulations 1984 entered into force. These changes include an amendment of Regulation 42(4). Under new Regulation 42(4), a pharmacist may supply an alternative brand of medicine even if your doctor has written a specific brand of medicine on the prescription. A pharmacist may do this if the following conditions are met:
If you have suffered from side effects from any brand of medicine, this should be enough to prevent the brand substitution as the condition under (d) will not be met. However, thyroid patients’ claims about the side effects of the new formulation of Eltroxin have not always been taken seriously by health professionals. What can you do? If you have reason to believe that your pharmacist might not give you your preferred brand, ask your doctor to write on the script:
If you go to the pharmacy with your script, always check that you receive the correct brand. More information
Changes regarding brand substitution by pharmacists: update(Published: 6 June 2011) Last year, we reported that the Ministry of Health was considering changing the rules that allowed a pharmacist to substitute an alternative brand of a prescribed medication. The Government has since then approved these changes. The changes will take effect some time this year (exact date unknown). More information
Iodine tablets for healthy pregnant and breastfeeding women(Published: 6 June 2011) Iodine is essential for the development of the brain and nervous system of unborn babies and infants. Pregnant and breastfeeding women have an increased need for iodine and need to eat a well-balanced diet with iodine-containing foods such as well-cooked seafoods, low-fat milk products, eggs, some cereals and fortified bread. If salt is used, they should choose iodised salt. But even with such a well-balanced diet, it is difficult to get enough iodine from food alone. For that reason, the Ministry of Health is advising healthy pregnant and breastfeeding women to supplement their diet and take a daily 150 mcg iodine-only tablet from confirmation of pregnancy until the discontinuation of breastfeeding. Fully subsidised iodine-only tablets are available from the brand NeuroKare at your local pharmacy. You can ask your doctor or midwife for a prescription. The Ministry advises that its recommendations do not apply to women with pre-existing thyroid disease who should be individually managed to ensure normal thyroid function during pregnancy. More information is available on the website of Medsafe and the Ministry of Health. Please, note that most information is written for healthy people without thyroid disease. 2010Goldshield: Renewal of Provisional Consent(Published: 12 December 2010) On 11 November 2010, the Minister of Health renewed the provisional consent to the sale, supply or use in New Zealand of Goldshield levothyroxine. Ministry of Health proposes changes regarding brand substitution by pharmacists(Published: 7 June 2010) In February 2010, the Ministry of Health published proposals to change the Medicines Regulations 1984 and the Medicines (Standing Order) Regulations 2002. Currently, Regulation 42(4) of the Regulations requires a pharmacist to dispense the brand of medicine specified by the prescriber, unless the prescriber authorises substitution of another brand. Among the reasons for changing the current Regulations, the Ministry states that "(t)here are a number of circumstances in which substitution may be required, such as where a discontinued or temporarily unavailable brand of medicine has been prescribed, or where changes to subsidy rules mean that a patient would otherwise have to pay the full cost of the prescribed brand. Ministry of Health proposal
What does this mean for thyroid patients? If these changes go ahead, it means that even if your prescription says Synthroid or Goldshield, the pharmacist can - legally - give you another brand such as Eltroxin (new formulation)! Considering that - in spite of more than 1,400 reports of adverse reactions - many pharmacists still deny that there is anything wrong with that brand, the condition that 'there are no clinical reasons why substitution should not occur' is not likely to stop certain pharmacists from giving patients a brand that they clearly do not want. What can you do? If you want to make sure that your pharmacy gives you the brand of medication that you want, ask your doctor to:
The proposed changes are intended to take effect in the second half of 2010. We will keep on monitoring this. Goldshield packaging changed(Published: 7 June 2010) On 11 March 2010, Boucher & Muir (NZ) sent a letter to pharmacists about the packaging of Goldshield Levothyroxine. As patients using Goldshield will know, the packaging of their levothyroxine mentioned Forley Generics Ltd and not Goldshield as the sponsor of these drugs. This has now changed. Stocks of the 50mcg and 100mcg tablets of levothyroxine have already been released onto the market in the new packaging. What has changed? Instead of Forley Generics, the packaging will now mention Boucher & Muir (NZ) Ltd t/a Goldshield Healthcare (NZ) as the sponsor of the levothyroxine. Nothing else has changed! There have been no changes to the formulation of the tablets or the site of manufacture (in the UK). New manufacturer of Eltroxin (original formulation) in Canada(Published: 7 June 2010) As of 17 December 2009, GlaxoSmithKline is no longer manufacturing the original formulation of Eltroxin in Canada. The new manufacturer is Aspen and the distributor in Canada is Triton Pharma Ltd. On our behalf, Allan Campbell (Temuka Pharmacy) has sought and received confirmation from Triton Pharma that at present this change will have no effect on the manufacturing process, site of manufacture, or ingredients. We can, therefore, reassure everyone that the Eltroxin currently made in Canada is still the same as the original formulation that used to be supplied and funded in New Zealand until mid 2007. We will keep on monitoring this. When the Eltroxin manufactured by Aspen will come in from Canada is uncertain; that depends on the size of the stock of GSK made Eltroxin that Canada Drugs* has in storage. We also do not know yet whether the change in manufacturer will lead to any changes in the packaging. But the most important message is clear: the formulation of the tablets has not changed! * Most patients in New Zealand that use the original formulation of Eltroxin, order it online from Canada Drugs at www.canadadrugs.com. New formulation of Nature-Throid(Published: 7 June 2010) RLC Labs Inc (Arizona, USA) has changed the formulation of Nature-Throid. active ingredients: inactive ingredients: * Lactose monohydrate is present in traceable amount as a diluent in the USP Thyroid Powder. What has changed? The old formulation contained sodium starch glycolate, which has been replaced with croscarmellose sodium for improved disintegration. In the clear film coat, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (hypromellose) has been replaced by the opadry. Carnauba wax, used for the old formulation, is no longer required for polishing. other changes: the new tablets now have the following imprints: N on one side, 025 on the other side (16.25 mg) |
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