[Anonymous August 28, 1997 at 8:12 am Post count: 93172]

#1157599

Hi, Carol:

I don’t know how it’s done in England, but in the United States, before any drug can be prescribed by doctors on anything other than an experimental basis (in research studies) VOLUMES of research have got to be provided to the FDA, a government agency. My husband used to work for Parke-Davis Pharmaceutical, long, long ago. And he described to me the massive amounts of research that were mandated by the FDA, and the frustrations invovled in having something that looked promising and having to spend YEARS documenting the evidence. And then, having to wait years longer (quite literally) while the researchers at the FDA check the material submitted to them. That is why some drugs, commonly used in Europe, are either not prescribed here in the US or are years later in being prescribed. This is not to say that this is a fail-safe procedure. I don’t think anything is fail-safe, when it comes to drugs. But to suggest that the studies do not exist is, I think, a mistake — and also beside the point. It really does not matter if I, or my doctor, can cite studies that show that synthetic hormone works, and works in a superior fashion, to other replacement types in the majority of people. I have absolutely no doubt that such studies exist. I know too many people on synthetic hormone replacement who feel just dandy. So what? No drug or treatment option is going to work the same for everybody. What is important, and seems to be lacking, is a clear understanding about WHY they don’t work for some people. If that were better understood, then those people would not have to wait months or years, feeling lousy, trying to prove to their individual doctors that it just isn’t working.

[Anonymous August 28, 1997 at 10:32 am Post count: 93172]

#1054000

I don’t think that trials were run to prove that Synthetic drugs are
superior to natural thyroid replacement when they were introduced.

So here’s the challenge to the makers;

PROVE IT by supplying the evidence, details of the studies, outcomes
and dates please. Prove to us here that I am wrong, because I know
what I see, week in week out, in the thyroid newsgroups.

Make the studies accessible to doctors all over the World by re-publishing
the results, they NEED looking at objectively.

Carol

[Anonymous August 28, 1997 at 12:45 pm Post count: 93172]

#1157600

Bobbie,

I disagree with your point of it not mattering. It comes down
to choice and if studies were used, and were that powerful that
people (and doctors to that matter) have had their choice
taken away then over so many years, then it NEEDS looking into.

While you have got Graves Disease at least there seems to be
an end to the mountain, don’t you think that another bigger one
should not be put at your feet as soon as you are over that?

Carol

[Anonymous August 28, 1997 at 1:09 pm Post count: 93172]

#1157601

Bobbie,
Further to our discussion about the existance of sudies to
prove Synthetic thyroid drugs are better, you may like to read part of
a letter I had from someone today. So there is a strong possibility
I am right.
Carol

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They were grandfathered out of drug regulations
because it existed prior to 1938(?) or so when the US created
the Federal Drug Administration. What they are asked to show
is that the drug has what it says on the label in dose and that
there are no other regulated drugs tagging along. Armour was
grandfathered out, too, since it was “invented” back in the
1800s. It wasn’t until the late ’70s or so that they figured
out how to control the levels of T4 and T3 in it, and that is
all that they are asked to control. As near as I can tell……
for whatever that is worth.

There are a whole slew of drugs on the market now that never
would be there if they hadn’t been around for a long time.
Aspirin comes to mind.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[Anonymous September 9, 1997 at 8:47 pm Post count: 93172]

#1157602

What do you see on the thyroid newsgroups? What are patients indicating
week in and week out about synthroid vs natural or T4 vs combination
T4/T3 meds?

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