Stranded woman unable to find life-saving medication

cnn ^ | 4/20/10 | Simon Hooper

[Nachum]

London, England (CNN) -- A woman stuck in the United Kingdom because of the ash cloud and unable to secure medication for a life-threatening condition has called on the U.S. government to take urgent action to help stranded Americans return home.

Danielle McCarthy has been stranded in London since Thursday when she was due to fly home to New York after attending a sales conference.

But McCarthy's situation is complicated by the fact she needs to take a synthetic thyroid hormone, Synthroid, daily as a result of having her thyroid removed because of cancer.

[brytlea]

What? You mean they don’t have synthroid in all of the UK? I find that incredibly difficult to believe....

[ClearCase_guy]

I hope she makes it home. Then she will once again have access to the medical care she needs — at least for a couple of years. Since Obamacare will move this country in the direction of the UK, I suspect that this trouble may recur for her, right in her own backyard.

[poobear]

Is FedEx and other overnight planes grounded as well? Are there any municipal strips open? Does the NHS offer this drug or is too expensive for the surfs over there?

[fatnotlazy]

They have a generic version, which apparently she won’t take.

[brytlea]

I’m really not buying this story.... I have had dogs on thyroid and both of my inlaws were on thyroid meds. It’s important to take but there are a number of versions of the meds. It’s hard to imaging she has such a complicated system that only one version will work on her. Perhaps she is prepping for a lawsuit.

[edcoil]

Wait until all these global warming and cap and trade laws kick in and she has to wait for a horse and buggy from China to deliver medicine.

[boxerblues]

lol the whiny American is not getting a lot of sympathy from the commenter's on CNN

[bcsco]

But Judith Taylor of the British Thyroid Foundation told CNN that Levothyroxine was available in the UK, though not by the Synthroid brand name. In the UK it is known by its generic name or by the brand name Eltroxin.

From the article. Levothyroxine is the generic equivalent. It seems the woman needs to see a doctor who should be able to provide a temporary prescription. That would seem to be the easiest route. The article doesn't say whether she has.

[cherry]

I’m not buying it either....she wants her 15”....one thing...thyroid supplement stays in your body for some time....and why she can’t take the generic version is beyond me....hospitals regularly substitute generic thyroid for Synthroid...

[SWAMPSNIPER]

Hurrican season is coming. It's hard for me to stockpile my meds because I can't get refills ahead of time. In other words if I have a 30 day supply on the books and try to refill 15 days later the pharmacy computer won't allow it.

My doctor has never been stuck in the woods for any period of time, he is oblivious!

[Chickensoup]

There are good reasons certain people cannot take generic Synthroid. I am one of them. I pay premium.

Remember generics only have to have 60% of the active ingredients found in Brand Names.

[Nepeta]

I have not had a thyroid gland since 2001. You don’t fall over in a stupor if you run out and miss a day or two. I take a generic version of the medication.

[freespirited]

They have it, they just dont use the same brand name. And I suspect all she would need is a faxed Rx from her doctor since that is all US residents need to import prescription drugs from the UK. Excluding narcotics and other scheduled substances, of course.

[taxcontrol]

They have the generic version which this lady says her body does not absorb as well.

[JoeGar]

She’s a whiner. She has good alternatives.

[brytlea]

Be interesting to see who she tries to sue. ;)

[cricket]

Not sure what could be done here; but certainly could be better handled at personal level. This story keeps mentioning cost of drug; as if this were paramount; which it appears to be NOT at all the case. This emphasis/defense makes me suspect as to whether this was handled with best consideration.

Whatever, this is Obama Government; Obama staffed Embassies. This IS Obama CARE. ..Repeal or get used to it.

(If this had been Oprah; wonder is same MO would have applied; or just 'Jane Doe-Brown' from Harlem. Honestly don't know; maybe; maybe not. . .)

[spectre]

So her body doesn't absorb it as well..she still gets some of the life-saving ingredient she needs.

Better yet, she should go to the ER.

[svcw]

My daughter has no thyroid function and because there is no function as opposed to low function (I guess) the synthetic thyroid does not work for her. If she misses medication she can only go about two days before the symptoms kick in.
Having said that, that's my daughter not this woman.