Guest guest Posted September 23, 2001 Report Share Posted September 23, 2001 Does anyone have a link for this please? Thanks, Sandy ALL INFORMATION, DATA, AND MATERIAL CONTAINED, PRESENTED, OR PROVIDED HERE IS FOR GENERAL INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED AS REFLECTING THE KNOWLEDGE OR OPINIONS OF THE PUBLISHER, AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED OR INTENDED AS PROVIDING MEDICAL OR LEGAL ADVICE. THE DECISION WHETHER OR NOT TO VACCINATE IS AN IMPORTANT AND COMPLEX ISSUE AND SHOULD BE MADE BY YOU, AND YOU ALONE, IN CONSULTATION WITH YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER. Sigh... New Smallpox Vaccine Nears Clinical Trials ---------------------------------------------------------------------- LONDON (Reuters Health) Sept 20 - Acambis Plc, the British biotechnology company charged with developing a new smallpox vaccine for the US, announced on Thursday that it expected to begin clinical trials on the drug early next year. Attention has focused on US vulnerability to biological attack since hijackers slammed passenger aircraft into New York and Washington last week, killing thousands. The atrocity has given new urgency to Acambis' work to make a smallpox vaccine that meets modern safety standards, more than 20 years after the deadly disease was officially eradicated. " A major effort is underway on this contract, with around one-fifth of our 100 research and development staff committed to the project, " said Acambis Chief Executive Brown. Later this year the firm will apply to US regulators for permission to start clinical trials in early 2002. Acambis had aimed to deliver the first doses of vaccine in 2004, but Brown said the process could now be speeded up. " We will do anything we can to meet this important requirement, " he said in an interview. Scientists say smallpox and anthrax pose the biggest germ-warfare threats, but only smallpox virus has pandemic potential. The disease was eradicated in 1979 after a vaccination programme, but military strategists are concerned that virus lots retained by the Soviet Union during the Cold War could fall into the hands of militant groups or rogue states. However, the old vaccine hardly meets modern safety requirements and can be kept for only 18 months. The Acambis vaccine should have a shelf-life of 5 years. Under the 20-year contract with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Acambis will deliver an initial 40 million doses of the vaccine. The deal is worth an estimated $343 million to the small, Cambridge-based firm. Forsyth, biotechnology analyst at stockbroker de Broe, said the US government may decide to buy more vaccine to protect its people against attack. Acambis also said it has identified a potential vaccine against the mosquito-borne West Nile virus that has invaded North America in recent years. The company expects to start a clinical trial in 2002, meaning the drug could be on the market in 3 or 4 years. The research is also being funded by a US government grant. Brown said that West Nile virus infection was also a big problem in Israel where several companies had expressed interest in signing a deal with Acambis to obtain the rights to distribute the vaccine. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright © 2001 Reuters Ltd. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 23, 2001 Report Share Posted September 23, 2001 I found it. Never mind. Sandy ALL INFORMATION, DATA, AND MATERIAL CONTAINED, PRESENTED, OR PROVIDED HERE IS FOR GENERAL INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED AS REFLECTING THE KNOWLEDGE OR OPINIONS OF THE PUBLISHER, AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED OR INTENDED AS PROVIDING MEDICAL OR LEGAL ADVICE. THE DECISION WHETHER OR NOT TO VACCINATE IS AN IMPORTANT AND COMPLEX ISSUE AND SHOULD BE MADE BY YOU, AND YOU ALONE, IN CONSULTATION WITH YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER. Sigh... New Smallpox Vaccine Nears Clinical Trials ---------------------------------------------------------------------- LONDON (Reuters Health) Sept 20 - Acambis Plc, the British biotechnology company charged with developing a new smallpox vaccine for the US, announced on Thursday that it expected to begin clinical trials on the drug early next year. Attention has focused on US vulnerability to biological attack since hijackers slammed passenger aircraft into New York and Washington last week, killing thousands. The atrocity has given new urgency to Acambis' work to make a smallpox vaccine that meets modern safety standards, more than 20 years after the deadly disease was officially eradicated. " A major effort is underway on this contract, with around one-fifth of our 100 research and development staff committed to the project, " said Acambis Chief Executive Brown. Later this year the firm will apply to US regulators for permission to start clinical trials in early 2002. Acambis had aimed to deliver the first doses of vaccine in 2004, but Brown said the process could now be speeded up. " We will do anything we can to meet this important requirement, " he said in an interview. Scientists say smallpox and anthrax pose the biggest germ-warfare threats, but only smallpox virus has pandemic potential. The disease was eradicated in 1979 after a vaccination programme, but military strategists are concerned that virus lots retained by the Soviet Union during the Cold War could fall into the hands of militant groups or rogue states. However, the old vaccine hardly meets modern safety requirements and can be kept for only 18 months. The Acambis vaccine should have a shelf-life of 5 years. Under the 20-year contract with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Acambis will deliver an initial 40 million doses of the vaccine. The deal is worth an estimated $343 million to the small, Cambridge-based firm. Forsyth, biotechnology analyst at stockbroker de Broe, said the US government may decide to buy more vaccine to protect its people against attack. Acambis also said it has identified a potential vaccine against the mosquito-borne West Nile virus that has invaded North America in recent years. The company expects to start a clinical trial in 2002, meaning the drug could be on the market in 3 or 4 years. The research is also being funded by a US government grant. Brown said that West Nile virus infection was also a big problem in Israel where several companies had expressed interest in signing a deal with Acambis to obtain the rights to distribute the vaccine. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright © 2001 Reuters Ltd. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 19, 2011 Report Share Posted August 19, 2011 Hi All, I've just come off the phone to the stand-in doctor (my GP is on holiday) to get the results from Monday's blood tests... All they tested for thyroid wise was TSH which is showing as 4.6 (reduction from 9.7 in June) so they want to keep me on 50mg per day. I pointed out that my symptoms have not improved whatsoever and she said that they should maybe get me and to discuss medication and that it may be worth checking my free (?) T4 just in case. I asked her about the possibility of taking a natural thyroid replacement to provide T3 and T4 at the same time and she reiterated what the other doctor said which was pretty much, " we prescribe Levothyroxine " . I said that I had been reading up on the natural replacement and she suggested bringing in the article; so, bombard me with data to support please! She mentioned that my inflamation count was very high and wondered out loud if that could be related to my thyroid. She said that it was odd that I'd even been tested for this as it wasn't normal in thyroid tests but when I explained about the viral meningitis she said that made sense but that it COULD be my thyroid causing - not sure how it would affect, any suggestions? The only thing she was good on was saying that it's not worth waiting for my 1st September appointment with lovely GP; she thinks it should be brought forward so I can get help sooner despite it only being two weeks away. Only problem is I live in Camberley (where GP is) and work in Windsor so it's not always easy getting there / back with work, etc. and I'd rather have as few appointments as possible to keep me in the office earning money! I can't fault her on helpfulness but I feel quite low (ha!) as I was really hoping the fact nothing has changed would mean they'd up my dose and I'd feel better. I'm so sick of feeling like this tubby mass of exhaustion.. when / how is it going to be FIXED??!! Tara Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 19, 2011 Report Share Posted August 19, 2011 Hi i felt exactly like this until i spoke to and went and demanded a trial of T3 now things are looking right up and i'm doing very well, just got to sort vitamins and minerals out within the body.I was what i described myself as a fat wreck in pain no energy and i wasted everyday sleeping. I went from 6 stone to 15 stone on thyroxine now on T3 i'm stating to loose a bit of weight naturally which is fantastic. Good luck with your fight! love Sha xxxxxxxxxxxx > > Hi All, > > I've just come off the phone to the stand-in doctor (my GP is on holiday) to get the results from Monday's blood tests... > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 19, 2011 Report Share Posted August 19, 2011 Tara - your GP does sound very helpful and obviously wants to do whatever she can to help you find wellness again. A TSH of 4.6 is FAR too high, and according to the BTA, ACB Guidelines on Thyroid Function Testing, they state categorically that to reach a diagnosis, TSH should be taken with a measure of free T4 - but it would be better still to get your free T4 and free 3 tested too - and tests done to see whether you have thyroid antibodies. Considering that she knows little about natural thyroid extract, I would ask her to read my rebuttal to the British Thyroid Association's Statement on 'Armour Thyroid - v - L-thyroxine-only therapy'. Their statement they have published on their web site which many readers believe, but which is in fact, giving both misleading and incorrect information which I put right, citing over 140 references to the scientific evidence and studies done to show they are wrong, and asking them to amend their Statements which they have never done so to this day - this will hopefully tell her a lot she needs to know http://www.tpa-uk.org.uk/resp_bta_armour.pdf .. There are a large minority of us who need either synthetic T3 or natural thyroid extract as we are unable to convert this mainly inactive thyroid hormone into the active hormone T3. The other information she would find useful I have typed out below, because the following is what a lot of doctors have come to believe over the years, again, which are not true, so I have written out the true facts below: If your GP wants to know how to prescribe Armour or any of the other three different brands of natural thyroid extract (Nature Throid, Erfa 'Thyroid' or 'Westhroid' we can supply you with these. There are many of us who get this prescribed within the NHS - I have been getting my Erfa 'Thyroid via NHS free prescription for the past 7 (almost 8) years. The MHRA state that doctors can prescribe this unlicensed drug if the recommended NHS drug (L-Thyroxine) does not bring their patients good health. FACTS ABOUT NATURAL THYROID EXTRACT (ARMOUR THYROID, ERFA ‘THYROID’, NATURE THROID AND WESTHROID) There are serious misconceptions amongst the medical profession concerning the true facts about Natural Desiccated Porcine Thyroid Extract (NDT) such as Armour Thyroid, Erfa„ Thyroid‟, Nature Throid and Westhroid as an alternative to thyroxine (T4) only therapy, where a significant number of patients and their medical practitioners find the synthetic product to be ineffective in restoring their optimal health. Although the following information may not be relevant to your current patients, would urge you to keep it for reference for the benefit of any future patients who do not thrive on T4 only. Thyroid extract is often the most suitable medication for patients who complain of feeling unwell, even though their Thyroid Function Tests may show acceptable levels of hormone whilst taking T4 only. Thyroid patients are desperately seeking an understanding and partnership with their NHS doctors to get the best treatment possible. We believe that every patient has the right to optimal treatment. Given that a number of thyroid patients do not respond well to thyroxine alone and continue to have many of the debilitating clinical symptoms of hypothyroidism, we feel that NHS doctors should be made aware that they can prescribe natural thyroid extract within the NHS to those patients who do not regain their normal health on thyroxine. Many Practitioners believe wrongly that they are not allowed to do this. UNTRUE There are a number of misconceptions about NDT which we would like to rectify, as it is important that all medical practitioners are given the correct information. Medical Practitioners believe they cannot prescribe NDT UNTRUE Armour Thyroid, Nature Throid, Westhroid and Erfa „Thyroid‟ are the brand names of natural, desiccated porcine thyroid extract. Branded NDT is authorised by the United States Federal Drug Administration (FDA) as medicine that is standardised to the specification of the United States Pharmacopeia. The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency has not objected to the importation of NDT, as it is a FDA authorised prescription medicine, standardised to the USP and is for the treatment of patients with thyroid disease, for whom the UK licensed thyroxine is unsuitable. Consequently it can be prescribed to patients who need it, subject to it being prescribed by a doctor. Please see letter and Emails from MHRA to TPA regarding this. Thyroid extract quality is not consistent – UNTRUE On their respective websites, the British Thyroid Association and the British Thyroid Foundation suggest that: " Armour is prepared from desiccated animal thyroid and the preparation and purification of this product may not be at the same rigorous standards of more modern medications " This is either erroneous or a deliberate attempt to mislead UK medical practitioners and patients. Forest Pharmaceuticals, the manufacturer of Armour Thyroid, state that the amount of thyroid hormone present in the thyroid gland may vary from animal to animal. To ensure that Armour tablets are consistently potent from tablet to tablet and lot to lot, analytical tests are performed on the thyroid powder and on the tablets to measure actual T4 and T3 activity. Different lots of thyroid powder are mixed together and analysed to achieve the desired ratio of T4 to T3 in each lot of tablets. This method ensures that each strength of Armour will be consistent with the USP official standards. All brands of desiccated porcine thyroid contain a mixture of thyroid hormones: T4 (thyroxine), T3 (triiodthyronine) in the proportions usually present in pig thyroids (approximately 80% T4 and 20% T3). One grain (about 60 mg) of desiccated thyroid contains about 38 mcg of T4 and 9 mcg of T3.[1] Because the preparation is whole thyroid gland, each 60 mg tablet also contains over 59 mg of all of the other constituents of pork thyroid glands. Armour Thyroid, Nature Throid, Westhroid and Erfa ‘Thyroid’ are made from bovine extracts – UNTRUE We contacted the Drug Information Pharmacist of the Professional Affairs Department at Forest Pharmaceuticals, who state that Armour Thyroid comes from United States grain-fed domestic pig thyroid. The thyroid extracts do not come from bovine thyroid. The reason some confusion may have arisen could be because many years ago, the manufacturers did produce a thyroid product, called 'Thyrar' (not to be confused with Thyrolar), that was made from bovine thyroid. The disease status of porcine animals born, raised, and slaughtered in the USA or Canada can be accessed through the World Health Organization, Office Internationale des Epizooties (OIE) website at http://www.oie.int Here you will find that the USA and Canada are classified as being free of List 'A' porcine diseases including foot-and-mouth disease, swine cholera, swine vesicular disease, and African swine fever. This disease information can also be confirmed through United States Department of Agriculture USDA Animal Plant and Health Inspection Service (APHIS). Armour is a natural preparation of USP grade desiccated thyroid powder derived from porcine thyroid glands. The above named NDT meets all the requirements set by the USP for thyroid medications and manufacturing specifications are tightly controlled, contrary to the BTA and RCP‟s current misconceptions about desiccated thyroid. The natural porcine thyroid powders are not sterile products nor are they designed to be such. The finished lots are tested for, and meet all USP compendial requirements, including those for the absence of Salmonella and E.coli pathogens. The manufacturers also verify that the Total Aerobic Plate Count (TAPC) does not exceed 10,000 Colony Forming Units per gram (CFU/g). The entire thyroid process is performed in accordance with the FDA Current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) requirements. After processing, the thyroid products are packaged, stored, and handled in a manner to prevent any cross-contamination. SO WHY THE CONTINUED MISCONCEPTIONS? The BTA Statement on natural desiccated porcine thyroid extract has incorrect information regarding the reasons why NDT is not currently licensed in the UK. They also give out incorrect information about the reason NDT was withdrawn after synthetic thyroxine had been developed in the 1970's. This was NOT due to quality control problems; the suggestion that it was is blatantly untrue, and there are NO studies to support it. Luv - Sheila All they tested for thyroid wise was TSH which is showing as 4.6 (reduction from 9.7 in June) so they want to keep me on 50mg per day. I pointed out that my symptoms have not improved whatsoever and she said that they should maybe get me and to discuss medication and that it may be worth checking my free (?) T4 just in case. I asked her about the possibility of taking a natural thyroid replacement to provide T3 and T4 at the same time and she reiterated what the other doctor said which was pretty much, " we prescribe Levothyroxine " . I said that I had been reading up on the natural replacement and she suggested bringing in the article; so, bombard me with data to support please! 1 of 1 File(s) FACTS ABOUT NATURAL THYROID EXTRAC1.doc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 22, 2011 Report Share Posted August 22, 2011 Do you know what, I could ruddy well kiss you all for the reams of information and unfailing support you have given me since I first posted! I was resigned to feeling like poo forever and, whilst I appreciate it's probably because I'm a bit fragile (!), I could cry with happiness for the comfort you've given me that there is so much more I can do to get better. You're a fantastic bunch and you are very much appreciated. Tara Tara - your GP does sound very helpful and obviously wants to do whatever she can to help you find wellness again. (gently snipped!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 23, 2011 Report Share Posted August 23, 2011 Okay, just getting my list together for the docs... could anyone please shout if I've missed anything that would be beneficial? Free T4 test Free T3 test Thyroid antibodies - had this one earlier this year and was fine, should I still request? Inflammation - they'll do this one anyway due to the meningitis recently but I'll get the numbers from them to try and determine if it has a bearing (she's intimated before that this may be one of the reasons I feel like poo but I didn't actually get figures) I'm presuming that the free T3 test will identify whether the levothyroxine T4 is being used to create the T3 hormone, yes..? And that if there are low levels of T3 then I'm probably going to need either NDT or a T3 drug as well...? I'll also go armed with my swanky new documentation detailing why 4.6 TSH is too high. Sorry if I sound a bit slow; not only is it blummin' confusing to a newbie but we ALL know what it's like to have brain fog on top of everything else ) I read and I read and I read but I'm not entirely sure how much of it is actually going in..! Tara Tara - your GP does sound very helpful and obviously wants to do whatever she can to help you find wellness again.... (gently snipped) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 23, 2011 Report Share Posted August 23, 2011 You need to ask also for specific vitamins and minerals to be tested to see if any are low in the reference range. These are ferritin, vitaminB12, folate, magnesium, vitaminD3, copper and zinc. Should any of these be low, the thyroid hormone cannot be fully utilised at the cellular level. When you get the results, remember to get the reference range for each test done and post them here so we can help with their interpretation. Luv - Sheila Okay, just getting my list together for the docs... could anyone please shout if I've missed anything that would be beneficial? Free T4 test Free T3 test Thyroid antibodies - had this one earlier this year and was fine, should I still request? Inflammation - they'll do this one anyway due to the meningitis recently but I'll get the numbers from them to try and determine if it has a bearing (she's intimated before that this may be one of the reasons I feel like poo but I didn't actually get figures) I'm presuming that the free T3 test will identify whether the levothyroxine T4 is being used to create the T3 hormone, yes..? And that if there are low levels of T3 then I'm probably going to need either NDT or a T3 drug as well...? I'll also go armed with my swanky new documentation detailing why 4.6 TSH is too high. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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