Liothyronine sodium - Thyroid cancer and Parathyroid cancer

See narrative below (Aug 2019) for recommend use.

NOTE:
Licensed, bioequivalent liothyronine CAPSULES have entered the market at a considerably reduced price and the APC recommend that:

- the most cost effective preparation should be prescribed (currently capsules) in all new patients
- prescribers should consider switching existing patients from tablets to capsules - for discussion with the patient at next review

The APC noted the additional information provided in the Liothyronine capsules - briefing paper below

The APC recommends a RED status for the use of liothyronine monotherapy in oncology – thyroid and parathyroid disease.

Prescribing in thyroid and parathyroid cancer should only be addressed by specialists in secondary/tertiary care. Thyroid cancer patients who have completed their treatment usually need to take levothyroxine for life and should be managed in the same way as patients with hypothyroidism.

The NHS England and NHS Clinical Commissioners’ guidance: ‘Items which should not routinely be prescribed in primary care: Guidance for CCGs’ states:
? ‘Liothyronine is used for patients with thyroid cancer, in preparation for radioiodine ablation, iodine scanning, or stimulated thyroglobulin test. In these situations it is appropriate for patients to obtain their prescriptions from the centre undertaking the treatment and not be routinely obtained from primary care prescribers.’