The conventional thyroxine (T4) treatment is ineffective for a large minority of patients who are unable to convert T4 to the active T3, which every cell in the body requires. Many endocrinologists who say there is no such conversion problem are ignoring this medical fact and all that is required is for the thyroxine to be titrated. Once the correct level is reached, the patient will regain his/her normal health. Sadly, not all people convert T4 into T3 at the same rate. The Resin T3 Uptake test is used to determine those exact issues.

These NHS patients should be allowed a trial of natural desiccated porcine thyroid extract (Armour Thyroid, Erfa Thyroid, Westhroid and Nature Throid), which contain T4, T3 and other unspecified hormones and chemicals, plus calcitonin.

In July 2004, TPA-UK sent a copy of a letter from the Medicine and Healthcare Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to all NHS endocrinologists, British Thyroid Association (BTA) and British Thyroid Foundation (BTF). The MHRA letter explains that Armour, Nature Throid, Erfa Thyroid and Westhroid can be made available to those people who need it, subject to it being prescribed by a doctor. We received, as expected, positive and negative responses.

However, although we gave clear facts about Natural Desiccated Porcine Thyroid Extract to BTA and BTF, the Executive Committee of the BTA and BTF refuse to accept this information and, preferring to ignore it, are misrepresenting the true facts concerning the safety and efficacy of the above four brands of NDT, and thus giving the erroneous impression that the above are unsafe products. I have been in correspondence with BTA and BTF on numerous occasions asking that they update their Statement on Armour Thyroid versus T4 monotherapy and T4/T3 versus T4 monotherapy on their respective websites, but was astounded to receive a final response from their BTF Director saying The Trustees of the British Thyroid Foundation note the comments in your letter and we stand by the details provided in our previous letter of 11th May. We now consider this matter closed and shall not be entering into any further correspondence with you on this subject. On 28th August 2007, we asked Professor AP Weetman (then President to BTA) and Dr Abrahams (Secretary to BTA) to update their statement on their web site. Professor Weetman told me this will be discussed during the November 2007 Meeting of the Executive Committee. Since that date, we have heard nothing further from the BTA.

We are most concerned that BTA and BTF is disseminating information that is not in accordance with the true facts as set out in their policy statement. If you are a medical practitioner, I hope you will do everything in your power to support our endeavours, so that BTA, BTF and TPA might work together towards presenting, to the public and the medical profession, an accurate exposition of ALL the facts connected with the diagnosis and treatment of hypothyroidism.