In 2017 NHS England was asked by Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) to undertake consultation for their guidance on “Items which should not routinely be prescribed in primary care.” Liothyronine (T3) was listed due to it being an item under the category, “Items which are clinically effective but where more cost-effective products are available, including products that have been subject to excessive price inflation.”
Thyroid UK was a stakeholder of this consultation and attended meetings and participated in the consultation.
However, previous to the consultation, CCGs across the UK had already decided that T3 should not be prescribed and informed all surgeries and hospitals in their area to stop prescribing and withdraw Liothyronine T3 from patients who are already on it (which we consider unethical).
CCGs do not have the legal right to order clinicians to stop prescribing or withdraw T3 from patients. The final say on whether a doctor should prescribe lies with the doctor him or herself. However, many doctors are worried that they could get into trouble for prescribing liothyronine (T3) and are therefore doing as they are told by the CCGs.
Thyroid UK is aware that some patients have appealed to their local CCG and have been re-prescribed their Liothyronine T3 so it is definitely worth fighting the decision.
Starting the Liothyronine T3 Campaign
Thyroid UK decided to run a campaign to stop the NHS cost-cutting exercise and to fight for patients’ rights in regard to receiving an effective diagnosis and appropriate treatment for people with thyroid disorders in the UK, and we need your help to do this.
Our campaign started by asking you to contact your MP using our template documents whilst we targeted the Secretary of State for Health and the Minister of State for Health.
We suggested that if you had had your liothyronine (T3) withdrawn, you should collect any evidence you can gather about why you need T3 (including any test results that show you either have the DIO2 polymorphism and/or low T3 levels as well as a list of symptoms that improved when you started taking T3) and make an appointment to see your GP to discuss this.
Thyroid UK has communicated with various organisations regarding our campaign and we have sent out a number of Press Releases.
Campaign updates
- The 2022 T3 Prescribing ReportWe want to ensure that Integrated Care Boards follow the guidance rather than continue to refuse Liothyronine (T3) to patients who need it. Levothyroxine is the standard medication for hypothyroidism but not all patients have their symptoms resolved with this… Read More »The 2022 T3 Prescribing Report
- T3 Prescribing SurveyTogether with our thyroid partners, we ran a survey in November 2019 to look into the prescribing practices of CCGs across England since the NHS England guidance was published – the T3 Prescribing Survey 2019. Our survey clearly shows that… Read More »T3 Prescribing Survey
- Our #T3CampaignWe are working hard to ensure that patients can access the thyroid medication they need such as liothyronine, hence our #T3Campaign. If you want to find out more about our #T3Campaign, you can find all the information you need on… Read More »Our #T3Campaign
- We are working with RMOC to clarify the guidance they published in November 2018Thyroid UK and other thyroid groups have been working with RMOC to clarify the guidance they published last November. We all felt that their guidance was not clear enough for CCGs and clinicians in respect of some patients needing T3.… Read More »We are working with RMOC to clarify the guidance they published in November 2018
- Article in RMOC newsletterYou may be aware that a coalition of thyroid organisations, including the British Thyroid Association (BTA), worked together on a Dossier for the Lord O’Shaughnessy in respect of the harm being done to patients in respect of the NHS England… Read More »Article in RMOC newsletter
- Lord O’Shaugnessy DossierThyroid UK, along with other thyroid groups including the British Thyroid Association, has worked on a dossier that was requested by the Lord O’Shaughnessy, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Care. He wanted to see clear evidence that NHS… Read More »Lord O’Shaugnessy Dossier
- The dossier has been sent to Lord O’ShaugnessyThe dossier of evidence requested in the Regret Debate led by Lord Hunt in respect of liothyronine has been worked on for many weeks by Thyroid UK, The Thyroid Trust, Improve Thyroid Treatment Campaign Group, Midlands Thyroid Support Group, British… Read More »The dossier has been sent to Lord O’Shaugnessy
- Loose coalition forms to gather evidence for Lord O’ShaugnessyA very good meeting was held at the House of Commons with Thyroid Trust, ITT, Midlands Thyroid Support, Norfolk Thyroid Group, TPA, BTF and BTA. It was agreed that we would all work on a document with evidence for Lord… Read More »Loose coalition forms to gather evidence for Lord O’Shaugnessy
- The Regret debate in The House of LordsAs you may know, Lord Hunt of Kings Heath led a regret debate in the House of Lords on Wednesday 20th June, which went really well. What you may not know is that the person who actually first brought the whole… Read More »The Regret debate in The House of Lords
- Lord Hunt secures debate in The House of LordsLord Hunt of Kings Heath has secured a Motion to regret – Branded Health Service Medicines (Costs) Regulations 2018 on Wednesday 20th June in the House of Lords at around 7pm. The actual Motion is: Lord Hunt of Kings Heath to move… Read More »Lord Hunt secures debate in The House of Lords
- Meeting with NHS England and NHS Clinical CommissioningThyroid UK and ITT travelled to London yesterday to meet with NHS England and NHS Clinical Commissioning to voice our concerns about T3. The meeting was attended by Julie Woods, CEO of Clinical Commissioning and Alex Williams, Deputy Director, Medicines… Read More »Meeting with NHS England and NHS Clinical Commissioning
- Parliamentary debate on hypothyroidismAn adjournment debate has been tabled by Vince Cable MP, Leader of the Liberal Democrats for Monday 21st May at 2.30pm, so we have designed a template email that is shorter than the other one and includes the debate info.… Read More »Parliamentary debate on hypothyroidism
- Improving T3 Prescription in the UK – a Joint Campaign on behalf of Thyroid PatientsWe need your help! Please contact your MP We are pleased to announce that Thyroid UK has been working with ITT (Improve Thyroid Health) and TPA (Thyroid Patient Advocacy) on a joint report entitledImproving T3 Prescription in the UK –… Read More »Improving T3 Prescription in the UK – a Joint Campaign on behalf of Thyroid Patients
- NHS Board decides on the question of deprescribing T3NHS England gave its decision at a board meeting this morning about whether liothyronine will be deprescribed by the NHS. Read a transcript of the meeting Liothyronine Of those respondents who either agreed or disagreed with the recommendations, only 16% agree… Read More »NHS Board decides on the question of deprescribing T3
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