Lévothyrox : 70 000 calls to the toll-free number

ALLILI/SIPA

Published the 27.08.2017 at 10h43

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LévothyroxthyroïdeANSM

The national security Agency of the drug (MSNA) does not expect to receive many calls. In just 2 days, its toll-free number answered more than 70 000 patients worried treated by Lévothyrox, reports Le Parisien.

Overwhelmed, the teams of the MSNA had to be strengthened to respond to all requests regarding this hormone replacement thyroid. They are now 90 people, up from 50 at the launch of the toll-free number.

The agency has provided to our colleagues from Paris that “the vast majority of callers are people who need to be reassured, “but which” do not present absolutely not all of of adverse side effects “. The green number (0800 97 16 53, open Monday to Friday, from 9 hours to 19 hours) has, indeed, been opened to address the concerns around the new formula of the Lévothyrox.

The excipients in question

Many users of this drug have experienced headaches, intense fatigue as well as digestive disorders since the arrival of the new formula in April. In a petition put online two months ago, a patient puts in question the change of excipients, in particular the presence of lactose, and requires that the laboratories are back to the old formula. More than 148 000 people have already signed this petition.

For its part, the MSNA provides that these amendments ” do not change neither the efficacy nor the safety profile of the drug.” It calls, however, the sick, victims of adverse effects of the report on the reporting portal of the ministry of Health, signalement-sante.gouv.fr.