Patients switch brands after drug's side effects

Nearly 400 reports have been made to the Centre for Adverse Reactions Monitoring about the change of formulation to the thyroid drug Eltroxin.

Centre director Dr Michael Tatley said many of the 375 reports described symptoms that may be related to altered thyroid functioning.

Symptoms include weight gain, lethargy, visual disturbances, memory problems and muscle weakness.

Some reports have also documented eye pain and itchy eyes.

Eltroxin, made by GlaxoSmithKline, is the only option subsidised by government drug funding agency Pharmac.

The new formulation has been dispensed in New Zealand since about October last year.

South Canterbury chemist Allan Campbell is campaigning to have an alternative offered. He has received dozens of letters about problems patients have had since GlaxoSmithKline changed the formulation of Eltroxin last year. He has reported his concerns to Medsafe.

Campbell said almost all patients reported that their adverse reactions to the drug went away when they switched to non-subsidised options.

A Christchurch woman, who wanted to be known only as Val, said she had taken the old Eltroxin formulation without problems since 1983, but trouble started when she got the new formulation and disappeared when she changed brands.

- © Fairfax NZ News