Before I post this, I want to remind everyone that as I am writing this, the FDA has not made an official statement concerning desiccated thyroid, and I want to avoid excessive fear mongering and undue speculation by underscoring that.
But with that being clarified, the American Association of Health Freedom (AAHF) has just today issued an article about the desiccated thyroid shortage that you might find of interest.
Concerning Time Caps Labs and being told to cease production, the article states: The FDA has decided to classify the company’s product, available for over a century, as an unapproved new drug. Since the new drug approval process is prohibitively expensive for a non-patentable substance, the FDA is in effect banning the natural product. The purpose? Presumably to protect the profits of other, inferior drugs that have been FDA approved.
And I especially appreciate this comment: As famed physician Dr. Jonathan Wright observes: “Natural thyroid has never killed or severely harmed anyone since its first use in the 1890s, prior to the FDA itself. It is a mainstay not only in the treatment of hypothyroidism but also in ‘healthy aging’ therapy. That the FDA should even be thinking of requiring a new drug approval for a safe, 100 plus year old natural treatment is outrageous.”
Kudos and appreciation from all thyroid patients go to Dr. Jonathan Wright, besides AAHF for giving acknowledgment of this issue!
Better treatment with Desiccated Natural Thyroid has been my main focus as a thyroid patient activist since 2003 and with great conviction. I and millions of others whom this website and book represent know how GOOD this medication is and we definitely appreciate this kind of support. 
Yes, millions of us have had our lives change ten-fold thanks to this safe and effective 110 year old medication. You can read just a touch of those changed lives on the Stories of Others page.
In their Overview, the AAHF explains:
The American Association for Health Freedom (AAHF), currently in the process of merging with the Alliance for Natural Health (ANH), is part of an international organization dedicated to promoting sustainable healthcare and freedom of choice in healthcare through good science and good law. We protect the right of natural-health practitioners to practice and the right of consumers to choose the healthcare options they prefer. Since 1992, we have worked to shift the medical paradigm from an exclusive focus on surgery, drugs and other conventional techniques to an “integrative” approach incorporating food, dietary supplements and lifestyle changes. This is the way to improve health and extend lives while reducing the costs of healthcare back to a sustainable level.
You can read more on their Overview by clicking the link above. And if you need to communicate with anyone, provide facts and all your concerns to your congresspersons. Here’s a template letter to use or change, and there are other good ones circulating in many good thyroid or facebook groups and forums out there.
P.S. Dr. John C. Lowe has also provided a very informative and well-reasoned editorial pertaining to our current shortages.
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This entry was posted on Tuesday, September 1st, 2009 and is filed under hypothyroidism. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
Laurie said:
Sep 02, 09 at 1:18 amI’ve been productive today. I’ve written to my senators, congressmen and have drafted several letters to the local and national media outlets. I’ve also had a great conversation with my new dermatologist who was checking out my dry skin/skin rash/hair loss complaints. I made reference to my hypo; he started flipping back through my chart and asked me if I had ever tried Armour. I almost fell off the table. Only two people in my city use that word. Me & my nurse practitioner And most of the time, it’s whispered. Like it’s a real bad thing, you know! Our conversation continued and I was fortunate to let him know some info he was not even aware of (does the word REFORMULATION ring a bell???. He was very interested in hearing more about Nature-Throid too and asked me to please bring in my last 10 thyroid lab results when I returned in late October for a follow-up. It’s been a good day. I think a cookie is in order.
Colleen Coble said:
Sep 02, 09 at 8:37 amI called my compounding pharmacy today and they are having no trouble getting desiccated thyroid to make into their formulations. They actually had a little bit of Naturethroid on hand that they’re going to send me but when it’s gone, I’ll try their compounded version. They haven’t heard anything from the FDA. They ship all over the country. It’s H & H Compounding in Grenada MS if anyone is interested and having trouble getting it. They usually get my stuff out to me within 24 hours.
I wrote my congressman this morning too, just to let him know that we must keep the supplies available!
Diane said:
Sep 02, 09 at 12:31 pmWhen I hear the FDA is involved I am wondering who (large Pharma) is buying off the manufacturers and FDA so that we have to compound (more expensive) or go without.
I will be in the looney farm for the exhausted! I can’t take synthroid and the synthethic T-3 formulation.…it only gives me heart palps .…
Who benefits from stopping Armour production?.….… Yes it is a drug that has helped millions live a more normal life for a hundred years without side effects! Let’s break what works???? I think there needs to be an investigation of the stortage of WHO tapped the FDA on the shoulder.….….….…..and started all this!!! That’s what we should be writing our congressmen about.
Alice Cavallo said:
Sep 02, 09 at 5:08 pmHi Everyone!!! I, too, am very upset about the shortage of natural thyroid, and the reason that could be behind it. My pharmacy has about 6 months supply that he is saving for me, but after that the problem will really hit home. Has anyone ever heard about Low Dose Naltrexone?? It began as an approved drug about 20 years ago, under just the name Naltrexone, it’s purpose being treatment for drug/alcohol addictions. There are some doctors that have been having success using it for thyroid patients. It is apparently a jewel of a drug, used for many autoimmune diseases.…MS, Parkinson’s, Crohn’s, and many more. I have provided my doctor with some material I printed off the internet site. There are a number of clinical trials being carried out around the world for a number of illnesses. If you want more info., go to http://www.lowdosenaltrexone.org. Also if you google the name, you will find much info. The web site is very large, and my advise is to read it ALL, so that you can talk intelligently to your doctor. The small reference to the thyroid is found here:When you get to the home page, scroll down, and you’ll see a number of blue boxes. Click on “What is LDN.” When you get to the page, scroll down to the phrase“What Dose and frequency should my physician prescribe.” Under notable exceptions you will find the reference. Please read everything. This can’t be gotten at your local pharmacy. It must come from a compounding pharmacy. Do NOT get the slow release form, and also see the note about the filler to use…The site has the best compounding pharmacies listed. The only other thing we will have left, and who?knows who it might help, will be the awful Synthroid along with a synthetic T3, Cytomel. Let’s hope that this is just a nightmare that will not materialize. But, friends, make sure you google the names of your Senators and Congressmen/women. Let them know what is happening at the the FDA and their buddies in Big Pharma. There are 2 million of us in the USA, we must take the time to make our voices heard. May God bless us every one.…