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Written question asked by Lord Elliott of Ballinamallard (Ulster Unionist Party) on Monday, 31 October 2016, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 2 November 2016. It was answered by David Mowat (Conservative) on Tuesday, 8 November 2016 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Thyroid Gland: Medical Treatments

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many patients are receiving natural desiccated thyroid on NHS prescription.

Answer

Information is not collected centrally on the number of people prescribed medicines. Information is available on the number of prescription items dispensed for desiccated thyroid.

The number of Levothyroxine Sodium and Liothyronine prescription items written in the United Kingdom and dispensed in the community in England in 2015, by drug name 1

Drug

Items (000’s)

Armour Thyroid

3.8

Efra Thyroid

0.5

Levothyrox/Liothyronine

0.1

Nature Thyroid

0.2

WP Thyroid

- 2

Total 3

4.6

Source: Prescription Cost Analysis system data provided by NHS Digital

Notes:

1 Desiccated thyroids are a combination product which contain the active ingredients ‘levothyroxine sodium & liothyronine’ which are both thyroid hormones. Different brands and strengths of desiccated thyroids are currently prescribed in England.

2 Less than 50 prescription items dispensed.

3 Total figure may not sum due to rounding.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
50985
Session
2016-17
Subjects
Diseases Medical treatments Prescriptions Thyroid gland
Contains statistics
Yes
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk