Re: Erfa 'Thyroid' no longer available without a prescription!

[Guest guest]

HI SHEILA

From their reply it looks like other countries are also going to be changing

their regulations, and I think it looks grim, as it appears to concern synthetic

T3 as well and Mexico is close to America.

I wonder if the TPA should start buying up the stocks that are available.

How do you see this developing, and could there be a reason for

mymexicandrugstore offering 13% off their drugs.

Are you sure that the UK NHS have not had a hand in this.

Is it possible you could see what the situation is with Mexico.

Kathleen

>

>

> Dear Member

>

>

>

> I have today heard from www.valuepharmaceuticals.com

> <http://www.valuepharmaceuticals.com/> that from 10th January 2012,

> they will no longer be able to supply natural thyroid extract (i.e. Erfa

> 'Thyroid') without a prescription.

> From: Enquiries [mailto:enquiries@...]

> Sent: 30 December 2011 19:40

> Sheila

> Subject: Re: Prescriptions from the UK

>

>

>

> Hi Sheila

>

>

>

> We will still need a prescription even to ship to the UK now. For all

> Countries regulations are changing.

>

>

>

> Regards,

>

>

>

> valuepharmaceuticals.com <http://valuepharmaceuticals.com/>

>

[Guest guest]

Unfortunately Kathleen TPA cannot even contemplate stocking up on prescription drugs.   Even if we did, it would be illegal for us to sell them or even give them away.   Also customs would be very suspicious if a very large amount was ordered, as it would obviously not be just three months supply for one person.    So unfortunately that is a complete non starter.

LilianI wonder if the TPA should start buying up the stocks that are available.

[Guest guest]

>

>

> Dear Member

>

>

>

> I have today heard from www.valuepharmaceuticals.com

> <http://www.valuepharmaceuticals.com/> that from 10th January 2012,

> they will no longer be able to supply natural thyroid extract (i.e. Erfa

>

>

This is very worrying...They say all countries regulations are changing, does

this mean that this country is stopping the imports?? That would be so typical,

if they cant get us one way they make sure they get us another :( X

[Guest guest]

lILIAN

It was just a thought, but how long can your supplies last for.

Kathleen

>

> Unfortunately Kathleen TPA cannot even contemplate stocking up on

> prescription drugs. Even if we did, it would be illegal for us to sell

> them or even give them away.

>

> Lilian

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi everyone,

I haven't posted here for a while, mainly because I have been feeling a million

times better since starting on erfa. I'm really worried about what will happen

now. The thought of going back to how I was before on levo is just terrifying.

I have managed to put an order in with value pharmaceuticals today and I just

hope that it can get through before the Jan 10th deadline. I guess a lot of us

are going to have to start looking around for an alternative. I gave up on

trying to persuade my GP a while ago, but I'm thinking about switching GPs and

trying again. Maybe now that I'm not so ill, I'll have the energy to fight my

corner.

This is really bad news! Thank you everyone for keeping us informed.

Georgie

>

> Unfortunately Kathleen TPA cannot even contemplate stocking up on

> prescription drugs.

[Guest guest]

I would think I have about a months supply left.    That is why I ordered a couple of days ago, giving it about a month to arrive.    The thing is, they have not indicated that they will be sending what I have ordered (before 10th January), or whether they will not be sending it at all.

Lilian

It was just a thought, but how long can your supplies last for.

Kathleen

[Guest guest]

Hi,

I've searched and searched.... what I can't find is WHICH regulation has

changed... Is it possible to ask which regulation has changed? Does anyone

else have any idea where we can find out?

x

>

>

>

> from Value Pharmaceuticals - 30th December 2011:

>

> Dear Valued Customer,

>

> Due to recent changes in regulation, Value Pharmaceuticals will no

> longer be able to accept a personal declaration for prescription

> products.

[Guest guest]

Have just started taking Erfa and it's working great for me so am pretty gutted

about this. Seems very strange considering UK law allows us to buy/import it

without prescription.

As for Mexico, its legislation is totally different from the USA's, so its

proximity to USA probably isn't an issue. My Mexican drugstore often has special

discounted offers so the current sale is just one of their usual offers, I'm

sure. I hope!

[Guest guest]

The net is closing in, its just like a war. Don't despair, there are still

other places to get medicine, I have been on thiroyd and thyroid-s both of which

are very good. Though I wonder how long it might be before we are trying to buy

up thyroid glands and discussing how we can consume them!

Our illness is just so profitable that they (Big Pharma) cannot afford to allow

us to become well, and the battle for our bodies and our enslavement to their

many drugs for our many symptoms is what it is about. I am sure its not only

hypothyroid patients though, as when you look at diabetes treatment the drugs

are pushed when diet could resolve the problem for many. How many diabetic

patients have died because of this and their dangerous drugs.

We must not give in to them, keep working around the obstacles they put in our

path. We are going to win this war, keep fighting because our cause is right

and they are wrong. What ever happened to the politicians who are supposed to

protect us and our health service, they stood by and watched it taken over by

Big Pharma.

[Guest guest]

Hi Kathleen - there is no point in TPA buying up stocks of

thyroid medication because it doesn't have a long sell by date and such

practice is not fair on other folk who have need to buy their medication

online. Also, to stop this happening, purchasers of drugs from Internet

Pharmacies have limitations put on the amount they can buy.

As far as I am aware, the new legislation affects all prescription

drugs, whether synthetic or natural.

I have no idea how this might develop in the future or which

Internet Pharmacies might be affected. I have written to International Pharmacy

to see whether this will affect them.

The legislation being referred to is explained here - http://www.rxrights.org/your-thoughts/its-back-old-reimportion-bill-gets-new-life

..

It says that the bill is a revamped one which they have been

trying to put through for a number of years. It is now called

the Stabenow/Snowe Bill. You can investigate this further by

reading the full details here - http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=s112-319

where the Bill is said to: " Set forth provisions governing the sale of

prescription drugs through an Internet site. Includes the dispensing or selling

of a prescription drug in violation of this Act as a prohibited act under FFDCA " .

Luv - Sheila

From their reply it looks like other countries are also going to be changing

their regulations, and I think it looks grim, as it appears to concern

synthetic T3 as well and Mexico is close to America.

I wonder if the TPA should start buying up the stocks that are available.

How do you see this developing, and could there be a reason for

mymexicandrugstore offering 13% off their drugs.

Are you sure that the UK NHS have not had a hand in this.

Is it possible you could see what the situation is with Mexico.

Kathleen

.._,___

[Guest guest]

They have a telephone number Lilian if you go to their web site www.valuepharmaceuticals.com .

Also, email them and ask them to confirm that your order will be sent off

before 10th January and that for this order, no prescription is required. Carol

has written to say that she has just sent off an order and it has been

confirmed. Perhaps they were too keen and just sent you out the notification

about the requirement for a prescription in the future, and forgot to confirm

your order.

Luv - Sheila

I would think I have about a months supply left. That is why I

ordered a couple of days ago, giving it about a month to arrive.

The thing is, they have not indicated that they will be sending what I

have ordered (before 10th January), or whether they will not be sending it at

all.

Lilian

[Guest guest]

hello sheila,  fyi, I ordered erfa from a canadian source 2 years ago and  that required a rx, I am in virginia usa, sincerely, sandraOn Sat, Dec 31, 2011 at 7:17 AM, SheilaT <sheila@...> wrote:

 

Dear Member

As promised, I have now received feedback from Afshin Adibi (owner of www.internationalpharmacy.com ) regarding any production of a prescription when purchasing natural thyroid extract (Armour Thyroid) and asking whether he has been notified of this. He tells me that so far, he has had no problems with customs clearance in the UK and has not received any notification that customers will need to produce a prescription if they wish to purchase 'prescription drugs'. He says that if British customs stops allowing personal import without a prescription, then he will not be able to ship. 

He tells me that he is not familiar with www.valuepharmaceuticals.com but agrees that the supply of natural thyroid extract is very tight in the UK at this time and he has asked me to let him know if we hear anything from British Customs.

So, those of y ou who are purchasing Armour Thyroid from International Pharmacy are OK at the present time.

Sheila

 

[Guest guest]

Hi Sheila

Do you know if this restriction on natural thyroid meds may well spread to

synthetic T3 ?

I do get some T3 on the NHS, but not enough. It will be bad news if they start

to restric the supply.

Do you know if this is a long term policy to restrict all buying of drugs on the

net ?

[Guest guest]

Where is Value Pharmaceuticals based? The address on their website says Vanuatu in the Pacific.

Are the regulations they refer to specific to Vanuatu?

From: SheilaT <sheila@...>Subject: Erfa 'Thyroid' no longer available without a prescription!thyroid treatment Date: Saturday, December 31, 2011, 12:17 PM

Dear Member

As promised, I have now received feedback from Afshin Adibi (owner of www.internationalpharmacy.com ) regarding any production of a prescription when purchasing natural thyroid extract (Armour Thyroid) and asking whether he has been notified of this. He tells me that so far, he has had no problems with customs clearance in the UK and has not received any notification that customers will need to produce a prescription if they wish to purchase 'prescription drugs'. He says that if British customs stops allowing personal import without a prescription, then he will not be able to ship.

He tells me that he is not familiar with www.valuepharmaceuticals.com but agrees that the supply of natural thyroid extract is very tight in the UK at this time and he has asked me to let him know if we hear anything from British Customs.

So, those of y ou who are purchasing Armour Thyroid from International Pharmacy are OK at the present time.

Sheila

[Guest guest]

Hi , sorry, but I can tell you no more than I already know.

This is a case of having to wait and see if other Internet Pharmacies are being

told that they can no longer sell prescription drugs without a prescription. International

Pharmacy in the US have not yet received any notification as yet, but no doubt

we will soon find out if this affects others.

I do know there have been talks in the past about restricting

all prescription drugs from being sold without a prescription, and somehow, I

think such a restriction would be a mighty cross for them all to bear.

Luv - Sheila

Hi Sheila

Do you know if this restriction on natural thyroid meds may well spread to

synthetic T3 ?

I do get some T3 on the NHS, but not enough. It will be bad news if they start

to restric the supply.

Do you know if this is a long term policy to restrict all buying of drugs on

the net ?

[Guest guest]

I thought Value Pharmaceuticals had based themselves in Vanuatu

in the Pacific to escape the US rules, as I know that Afshin from International

Pharmacy had considered the option of moving his business into the middle of

the Indian Ocean where apparently, he could escape such rules. Perhaps they are

being 'got at' in the same way that Afshin has been in the past as 'they' have

tried to close down his business but he fought back with tooth and nail. I

think anybody else under the circumstances would have packed up long ago, but

Afshin is made of sterner stuff. It could be that the owner of Value

Pharmaceuticals is looking for an easy way out, but we need to wait and see if

anything develops further and other Internet Pharmacies start sending out

similar notifications to their customers.

Luv - Sheila

Where is Value Pharmaceuticals based? The address on

their website says Vanuatu in the Pacific.

Are the regulations they refer to specific to Vanuat

[Guest guest]

Can I just check something - the email I received says they cannot sell ANY

prescription medication without a prescription and can no longer accept the

personal declaration.

If it's ANY prescription medicine then surely it can't just be pressure from

ERFA manufacturers or just to do with that particular medicine. I keep seeing

posts about ERFA but what about every other medicine we are buying?

I did buy HC and T3 from Value but now buy them from International but the email

I got made me fear I just won't be able to buy any medicines without a

prescription - the fact that it relates to all medicines makes it sound like

it's bigger than just an issue with ERFA to me?

Apologies if this has already been noted but I just can't keep up.

[Guest guest]

That's a good point. Maybe we are too quick to imagine it is some bad news

about thyroid medication in particular. Sheila has written to ask them what

legislation they are referring to.

Miriam

> I did buy HC and T3 from Value but now buy them from International but the

email I got made me fear I just won't be able to buy any medicines without a

prescription - the fact that it relates to all medicines makes it sound like

it's bigger than just an issue with ERFA to me?

[Guest guest]

Since being on Erfa (previously Armour) I have not needed any medication from my doctor, except diabetes medicine. This has been for several years.

Before when the thyroxine only stopped working, I was very ill and had umpteen prescriptions for every symptom (and I must have had every symptom listed).

However, I have been getting it without prescription. Big pharma are not losing out because I still buy it so they are getting the money for it. So who is losing out by us buying it direct without a prescription.

We are allowed to buy it, them not sell it. So it cannot be our doctors, government or NHS otherwise we would not be allowed to buy it. So why are they against selling (outside the US) presription drugs. By keeping things as they were who was losing out, but gaining by having it restricted?

I cannot think of anyone or any organisation. In fact they will be losing. The pharmaceutical companies will be losing, because they must know how difficult it is for us to be diagnosed and prescribed the right stuff and the pharmacies who sell them are losing out by not being able to do so any more.

And NO government, or profit making organisation, does anything for altruistic reasons.

Lilian

[Guest guest]

Has anyone ever tried using the pharmacy in Germany which is listed in the

Internet pharmacy files as selling Erfa? I've had a look at the site as I know a

bit of German, but when you search for Erfa the only result is for something

called Wobenzym N, which Is a digestive aid.

[Guest guest]

Does anyone have any experience of getting a NHS/private prescription of Erfa

and the costs involved. I've only just read of the problems so I'm a bit in

shock and trying to think of solutions to stop me panicking!

First plan I will try my Dr, he knows I'm on Erfa and doesn't seem bothered as

I've paid for it myself for years, they do my yearly checkup wth no fuss. What

are my options here, he is still allowed to write a NHS prescription isn't he?

If they don't want to pay can he write a private prescription there and then? Is

there more chance of that?

Googling I see my local hospital now hold private surgeries, no prices, but says

you don't have to join, but they offer lots of things including private

prescriptions, they wouldn't have my records though would they to prove I needed

thyroxin, don't want to pay out for an apointment for nothing.

I really want to go armed with as much info as possible, I had all the upset

when we couldn't get Armour so changed to Erfa and took ages to get used to it,

I don't want all that upset again.

Thank you for bringing this to our attention, it would have been a lot worse

finding out just as I went to order some x

[Guest guest]

Hi,

I have a private prescription from Dr Skinner (I don't have to see him to get a

repeat prescription I can just request one) I get my prescriptions filled by a

pharmacy in Surrey. It's where I used to get my Armour from until they stopped

exporting it.

Erfa 2 grains 90 tablets £33.45

Erfa half grain 90 tablets £27.09

Postage & Packaging £7.20

Hence I have just ordered 500 tablets from Value Pharmacy as it is much, much

cheaper and these will last me about a year and a half.

I would recommend that people order before the 10th Jan and then worry about

where to get the next lot in a year or so! The rules will probably changed again

by then or the pharmacies will have worked out how to get round it.

Hope that helps.

Dawn M

> Does anyone have any experience of getting a NHS/private prescription of Erfa

and the costs involved. I've only just read of the problems so I'm a bit in

shock and trying to think of solutions to stop me panicking!

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Sheila, I have been taking Erfa for nearly about 18 months and this has

really helped, as I have posted before I had the most terrible joint and muscle

pains on Levothyroxine but since being on natural thyroid extract all the pains

have gone, I even have blood tests to prove that it was causing me inflammatory

arthritis at the time of taking levothyroxine. I still have one hip joint that

I get a bit of pain and was diagnosed with bursitis and had steroid injections

in both hips, one of which was successful but the pain went away for a couple of

months in both hips. I don't know what I am going to do regarding not being

able to get Erfa without a prescription, maybe a private doctor on the doctors

list can get the prescription for us. However, I do not look forward to trying

out another brand of NDT and starting all over again trying out different

brands. I was wondering if the 'big boy network' i.e. the Masons, as many

doctors and politicians are in the Masons and I was wondering if this male only

stupid organisation is behind masterminding this whole thing just to prop up

their friends in the big businesses?

Thanks. Ann

Dear Member

Below my message to them, you will see

> that they have indeed confirmed that they will now need a prescription

> to ship to the UK.

>

>

>

> If you feel this could cause a problem for you, please check out other

> reputable Internet Pharmacies where you can buy thyroid hormone

> replacements, either synthetic T4, T3, natural thyroid extract or

> Cortef without a prescription. You will find this list in our Internet

> Support Forum FILES, under the Heading 'Internet Pharmacies'

> thyroid treatment/files/INTERN\

> ET%20PHARMACIES/

> <thyroid treatment/files/INTER\

> NET%20PHARMACIES/>

>

>

[Guest guest]

It will depend on where the Internet Pharmacies are obtaining

their supplies. If you have been getting other prescription medicines from

valuepharmaceuticals (or hoping to in the future) then it would be best to ask

them first if these will be available without prescription.

What we are learning is coming out in drips and drops, but so

far, the information we have received about prescription only medicines has

come from no other Internet Pharmacy.

Luv - Sheila

Can I just check something - the email I

received says they cannot sell ANY prescription medication without a

prescription and can no longer accept the personal declaration.

If it's ANY prescription medicine then surely it can't just be pressure from

ERFA manufacturers or just to do with that particular medicine. I keep seeing

posts about ERFA but what about every other medicine we are buying?

I did buy HC and T3 from Value but now buy them from International but the

email I got made me fear I just won't be able to buy any medicines without a

prescription - the fact that it relates to all medicines makes it sound like

it's bigger than just an issue with ERFA to me?

[Guest guest]

I have been getting natural thyroid extract (first Armour

Thyroid, and more recently, Erfa 'Thyroid' from my NHS doctor for over 8 years.

My NHS endocrinologist recommended it for me and my GP therefore, respects my

endocrinologist and writes me prescriptions for it. More and more doctors in

the UK are now prepared to prescribe their patients natural thyroid extract

because they know the one and only NHS recommended treatment of levothyroxine

(T4) therapy only is not making their patients well again.

The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency has

stated (see attached) that NHS doctors CAZN prescribe unlicensed medicine,

including Armour Thyroid, Erfa 'Thyroid', Nature Throid and Westhroid to those

patients not doing well on thyroxine only so long as they are prepared to take

full responsibility for prescribing an unlicensed medicine. Gather all the

facts to show your doctor about natural thyroid extract and if necessary, ask

for a referral to an endocrinologist of your choice who is prepared to

recommend it.

I have learned that if you really want something badly enough,

you can get it, but it may need some effort and perseverance to get the

information over to the authorities. My doctor and endocrinologist refused to

help me in the beginning, until I gave them the facts. Check out the 'Facts

about Armour' document attached and also, you could copy out the information in

the rebuttal that is on our web site, that I sent to the BTA after they

published their statement (misleading and incorrect in parts) about Armour

Thyroid http://www.tpa-uk.org.uk/resp_bta_armour.pdf

.. You can also see the facts about the cost of NDT to the NHS which is less

than £20 per month, the average cost of prescriptions per head apparently in the

UK.

It is about time that our doctors were MADE to start questioning

statements from the Royal College of Physicians and the British Thyroid

Association that they NEVER back up with references to scientific research or

studies. They are failing abysmally in their duties as a doctor by not questioning

them. However, it is up to us, the patient, to give them the true facts, and

TPA can, and does, do this, and now many doctors are starting to realise the

value of natural thyroid extract.

If your doctor really cared about your health, and he can see

how well you are since starting natural thyroid extract, he should write you a

prescription for Erfa 'Thyroid'.

Luv - Sheila

Does anyone have any experience of getting a NHS/private prescription of Erfa

and the costs involved. I've only just read of the problems so I'm a bit in

shock and trying to think of solutions to stop me panicking!

First plan I will try my Dr, he knows I'm on Erfa and doesn't seem bothered as

I've paid for it myself for years, they do my yearly checkup wth no fuss. What

are my options here, he is still allowed to write a NHS prescription isn't he?

If they don't want to pay can he write a private prescription there and then?

Is there more chance of that?

Googling I see my local hospital now hold private surgeries, no prices, but

says you don't have to join, but they offer lots of things including private

prescriptions, they wouldn't have my records though would they to prove I

needed thyroxin, don't want to pay out for an apointment for nothing.

I really want to go armed with as much info as possible, I had all the upset

when we couldn't get Armour so changed to Erfa and took ages to get used to it,

I don't want all that upset again.

Thank you for bringing this to our attention, it would have been a lot worse

finding out just as I went to order some x

No

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FACTS ABOUT NATURAL THYROID EXTRAC1.doc

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