In two letters addressed to the Minister of Health, pharmacists criticize the crisis management of Levothyrox.
The Levothyrox affair continues to generate ink. While the Minister of Health, Agnès Buzyn, confirmed on Tuesday that the old formula of the drug would be available from October 2, pharmacists criticize the minister’s choices.
In two open letters sent to Agnès Buzyn, these health professionals report that they were not consulted. They are indignant at having been informed of the return of the old formula to their pharmacies by the media. “It is believed that today, we pharmacists are considered as mere distributors of drugs”, they regret in one of these letters spotted by Egora (see below).
Poor crisis management
For these professionals, the solutions provided by the Minister are a source of concern for patients. By opting for the return of the old formula and the sale of new drugs, the minister would have “endorsed the fact that the new formulation may present risks”, they believe.
The parallel sale of the 2 drugs will create confusion among patients, they continue. A legitimate concern that is difficult to answer now. Denouncing a lack of consultation, pharmacists raise that they will be on the front line to answer patients’ questions. But will their words be legitimate in the eyes of patients when the minister wants “patients to have a choice”?
An opinion shared by the Union of dispensing pharmacists’ unions. In a letter, its president Gilles Bonnefond said he feared the “out of stock from the first week” if the prescription and coverage conditions are not specified as quickly as possible. “If we are neither consulted nor informed, we will not be able to accomplish our work as a drug professional, our role of actor of good use, our public health mission and the dissemination of good information”, he notes. .
The minister wants to be reassuring
Invited on RMC this Tuesday, the minister wanted to provide some clarifications. She indicated in particular that “the old formulation would be reserved for patients who have not been able to get used to the new formula and who experience very debilitating side effects”.
Patients who tolerate the new Levothyrox well should therefore not switch to another product. The Minister has, moreover, affirmed that the new formula is “an excellent more stable drug” than the preceding one.
From mid-October, other drugs manufactured by laboratories other than Merck should be available in order to “diversify the therapeutic offer”.
I keep my commitments to thyroid patients: the old formula of #Levothyrox will arrive on 02/10, the alternatives mid-October. pic.twitter.com/Eybgy1ySdR
– Agnes Buzyn (@agnesbuzyn) September 26, 2017
Better inform patients
Aware that patients were insufficiently informed by this modification, Agnès Buzyn also announced the launch of a mission on patient information. This was entrusted to the emergency doctor Gérald Kierzek. He should meet with regulatory agencies, patient associations, health professionals and journalists to offer an information system directly aimed at patients.
Over 3 million people with thyroid disease take this drug. For the time being, 9,000 people have reported adverse effects (dizziness, hair loss, cramps, etc.) to the National Medicines Safety Agency (ANSM). And about sixty patients have already lodged a complaint.
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