During 2009, the unprecedented shortages of natural desiccated thyroid drugs -- like Armour Thyroid and Nature-Throid -- has caused major shortages, backorders, and concerns for patients. The following is key coverage of the issue in 2009.
Save Natural Thyroid Coalition Formed to Help Protect Thyroid Patients' Rights
Based on legitimate concerns regarding the future of natural desiccated thyroid drug, thyroid patients and practitioners have banded together, in a coalition designed to help protect their rights to natural desiccated thyroid drugs, under the banner "Save Natural Thyroid." Find out how to participate in the "Save Natural Thyroid" coalition and effort.
Attention Thyroid Patients: Armour Thyroid Is NOT Off the Market
June 24, 2009 -- Here we go again...once again the rumors are flying about Armour Thyroid, and as usual, they're simply not true. The natural thyroid drug known as Armour Thyroid is NOT off the market, or going off the market, and production has NOT been shut down. There is, however, a short-term shortage of three dosages of Armour.
Forest Pharmaceuticals: Armour Thyroid and Thyrolar are Still Back Ordered
July 1, 2009 -- Varying strengths of Armour Thyroid have been unavailable, on back-order, and going through mysterious "production delays" for more than two years and counting.Armour Thyroid's Spring 2009 Reformulation Causing Problems
July 2, 2009 -- During the Spring of 2009, the natural desiccated thyroid drug, Armour Thyroid, apparently underwent a reformulation of fillers that has caused the medication to become less effective for a number of patients.
Thyroid Drug Maker Forest Laboratories in Hot Water With Justice Department
July 8, 2009 -- According to an article in the New York Times, the Department of Justice (DOJ) is charging drug company Forest Laboratories -- which makes thyroid drugs Levothroid, Thyrolar and Armour Thyroid with defrauding the government. According to the DOJ, Forest has fraudulently obtained millions of dollars through the illegal marketing of some of their popular antidepressants.Natural Thyroid Drug Update from RLC Labs - Maker of Nature-Throid, Westhroid
July 9, 2009 -- I had an opportunity talk at length this week with both Rick Cox, the CEO of RLC Labs -- the company that makes natural desiccated thyroid drugs Nature-Throid and Westhroid -- and RLC's Chief Science Officer, Dai Jinn.Armour Thyroid Unavailable To Most Thyroid Patients
July 28, 2009 -- As of late July 2009, all but one dosage size of the natural desiccated prescription thyroid drug Armour Thyroid, made by Forest Labs, is unavailable and backordered until August.Medco Thyroid Scandal: Misleading Thyroid Drug Shortage Notices
August 6, 2009 -- Major mail-order pharmacy Medco Health was disseminating a misleading and highly suspicious notice to doctors, suggesting a nationwide shortage of natural desiccated thyroid drugs, and urging doctors to switch patients to levothyroxine.
