Levothyrox : 60 000 boxes of the old formula have already been sold

CHAMUSSY/SIPA

Published the 05.10.2017 to 11: 05

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Lévothyroxeffets secondairesmédicament

Patients under Levothyrox refer to the old formula. According to the drug Agency (MSNA), 60 000 boxes of the old formula of Levothyrox have already found a taker since Monday. This represents about half of the boxes (130 000) to be made available to patients since the beginning of the week.

The Euthyrox, the old formula of this medicine against the disorders of the thyroid, is manufactured by the German laboratory Merck, as the Lévothyrox. “There remains, therefore, 70 000 boxes for the patients who are going to be able to dispose of it in the coming days “, says the MAN, who ensures that the stocks are not depleted.

60 000 boxes during transit

“There is a stock of 60 000 additional boxes that could be made available by the end of the week “, the agency says, which provides ” working with Merck in order to allow other supplies Euthyrox “.

Several sources are still state of stock-out of Euthyrox. According to Philip Lance, president of the Syndicate of Pharmacists of the Bouches-du-Rhône, the pharmacies of the Paca region are already running out of the old formula, and the public authorities do not provide for the replenishment, “he explains,” on France 3.

The Voice of the North cites the testimony of many patients who complain of not having access to the old formula, due to lack of available stocks for the assays the most common. “Like other pharmacists, we received the boxes to the account-drop and, as a result, since Monday morning, we had to say no to a thirty patients ! We re-launched our wholesaler, but it is in rupture, ” says a pharmacist at a regional daily newspaper.

Other options in the mid-octobbre

The health agency had recommended to physicians to prescribe the Euthyrox only, and as a “last resort” for patients who complain of side effects persistent cramps, headache, dizziness, hair loss) that they attribute to the new Levothyrox.

“As soon as the 2nd half of October, patients will have the Levothyrox other brands [based drugs with the same active ingredient, levothyroxine] -that is not called Levothyrox – but I remember all the French that the new formula is better and more stable “, said on Wednesday Agnès Buzyn to the press. The minister of Health encourages those who do not have a problem not to change medicine.