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Action on Eltroxin now urgent

Jackie Blue MP
National Party Associate Health Spokeswoman

8 September 2008

Action on Eltroxin now urgent

Immediate action is needed to resolve an unfolding crisis of ill health from a new formulation of Eltroxin, a medicine used to treat an underactive thyroid, says National Party Associate Health spokeswoman Jackie Blue.

“Ever since patients started taking the new formulation earlier this year problems started to surface.

“What started as a trickle of bad reactions to Eltroxin is now an avalanche.

“I don’t buy the excuses. Medsafe and Pharmac have known about this problem for months and nothing has happened.

“It has been left to Pharmacists to scramble around to find alternative stocks from overseas.

“But the stocks coming in aren't subsidised so there's a cost to the patient, which is a problem for some.”

Dr Blue, a former breast physician, says reports to the Centre for Adverse Reactions Monitoring (CARM) in Dunedin have skyrocketed.

“Earlier this year the number of adverse reports was less than 50. Now it’s up to 800.

“This problem is real. It’s not psychosomatic. People’s lives have been turned upside down as a result.

“I’d urge anyone suffering ill health as a result of the new formulation Eltroxin to report it to CARM either through their pharmacist, GP, or email carmnz@stonebow.otago.ac.nz .

“Maybe then the Government just might begin to appreciate that there is an unfolding crisis,” says Dr Blue.


ENDS

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