Thyroid Association of New Zealand Inc.

Levothyroxine - Synthetic T4

As of 1 November 2008, there are two Levothyroxine medications on the Pharmaceutical Register, meaning they are funded by Pharmac.   Eltroxin by GlaxoSmithKline, and Goldshield's version, commonly known as Goldshield.

Also available at some pharmacies are other options, Synthroid, Almus, Teva. These versions are not funded and will cost you. It pays to check with pharmacies before submitting your prescription, as they may not stock the particular variety you prefer.

Prescribing Information for Goldshield.

Adults up to 50yrs -  take 50-100 a day. May adjust by 50 every 4-6 weeks.

Adults over 50yrs - initially up to 50mcg a day. Adjust according to clinical response.

Cardiac Disease - initially 25 a day. May increase by 25 every 2-4 weeks.

As Goldshield does not have the right to use the name Eltroxin in New Zealand, their medication is being marketed under the name Levothyroxine. The current batch has packaging that does not mention Goldshield as the manufacturer.  Instead, the product licence holder is Forley Generics Ltd which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Goldshield Pharmaceuticals Ltd.  Further batches (due around March 2009) will be available in New Zealand-approved packaging with Goldshield Healthcare (NZ) as the sponsor. To make sure you are actually receiving the Goldshield Levo, they should come in blister packs in a box. The box artwork can be seen here. Some people have been given Eltroxin in a bottle labelled Levothyroxine! This is not legal. If your prescription states Goldshield levo, you should receive it in blisterpacks not bottles. Aother illegal practice we are hearing about... making patients take a bottle of 1000 pills (you can demand only what you need for a month at a time),

The medsafe data sheet for Goldshield can be read here.

It is recommended that when you go onto an alternative levothyroxine, you start with a reduced dose of 50% (half) your usual dose of Eltroxin.
Dosing Regime:
1/2 normal dose for 10 days
3/4 normal dose for 10 days
full dose for 10 days
then request a new set of blood tests from your doctor. There is a possibility that you may not need as high a dose as on the Eltroxin.

4 Dec '08 - We are receiving reports of Pharmacies running out of Synthroid & Goldshield. Some folk have actually been told there is no more!! This is not true. However, there does appear to be a shortage in the North Island.   Goldshield based thier supplies on information from Pharmac. Pharmac have obviously well underestimated the number of patients who were likely to switch from Eltroxin. Healthcare Logistics are the suppliers of Synthroid and Goldshield (as a subsidised medicine) should be stocked by every wholesaler. If your regular pharmacy is not keeping their stocks up, you can move your prescription to another pharmacy. The Pharmacy holding the original prescription makes a "certified true copy" which they keep for their dispensed portion of the prescription and annotates the original to say what has been dispensed, and gives it back to the patient.  If your pharmacist tells you it is not possible, tell them to check with HealthPAC.
Update Emergency supplies will be delivered to wholesalers by Friday. All wholesalers' back-orders will be completely filled by the following Friday. Those areas that run out for whatever reason i.e. panic prescription filling, can phone  0800 565 633 , and they will receive an emergency supply within 2 days. They (Abdul Azam) cannot apologise enough to all thyrodians of NZ. The demand to change to Goldshield (Forleys) has exceeded expectations.

Update Feb. '09 - It has been reported that the demand for the alternative levo has been closer to 50% of all levo users, not the 20% first estimated. Many professionals/govt officials thought the symptoms were ‘pyschosomatic’…. It seems the patients are saying something different

http://www.medsafe.govt.nz/profs/PUArticles/Eltroxin-Feb09.htm
"Four brands of levothyroxine now have Ministerial consent for distribution in New Zealand. These brands are Eltroxin (GlaxoSmithKline), Synthroid (Abbott), Goldshield Levothyroxine, and Eutroxsig (Sigma). The Eltroxin and Goldshield Levothyroxine brands are fully subsidised by PHARMAC."

Update 30 June 2009 - Notification has been received today, that Synthroid will be funded as of 1 August, 2009.

Thank you to Allan & Helen Campbell for the some of the information on this page.