This is section will provide an update on relevant news and ongoing membership information.
We have now 2940 registered members on the World Thyroid Register. I have approached the Chairpersons of several Thyroid associations to seek potential affiliation of their organisations to the World Thyroid Register; I emphasise that this does not involve anything other than agreement in principle to the strategy but there is no intended transfer of names to the World Thyroid Register. I will keep members up to date on developments.
I am pleased to say that two notable thyroid associations have agreed to potential affliation with the World Thyroid Register; I am grateful to these two associations for their early support for the WTR. We are slowly gaining respectability and credibility and I hope will make a difference in the not too distance future. I am approaching Thyroid Associations in the UK, Europe and the USA and will keep you informed vis a vis their position as potential affliates. I have recently made further contact with 3 major thyroid associations to establish if they will enjoin as potential affliates of the World Thyroid Register. (added January 2011)
I am afraid that I have again been reprimanded and this time by Dr. John Lowe, USA. He has kindly pointed out that there have indeed been comparitive trials between synthetic thyroid hormones and thyroid extracts and has provided a number of references which I will be studying in detail. (added December 2010)
There is therefore kind of bad news in that Armour thyroid has not presently licensure in the USA but good news in that there have been comparitive studies which - if of sufficient quality - will provide invaluable evidence towards obtaining licensure of this most useful preparation.
As some of you will know there was an excellent meeting of the Thyroid Patient Advocacy Group (TPA) which was kindly organised by the Chairperson Sheila Turner and everyone who attended agreed it was a great success. (added October 2010)
I noted in the Telegraph and the Daily Mail a small paragraph describing a patient who had been undiagnosed with hypothyroidism for 6 years. They clearly do not realise that this is the least of it and I have used this opportunity to write to these newspaper highlighting the need to increase media awareness regarding this serious shortfall in patient care in the United Kingdom. You will find this under the Letters section. (added January 2011)
We are steadily increasing the number of registered and affiliated members. We have over 2000 registered members and approximately 30000 affiliated members in the USA with 5000 affiliated members in Europe. In addition, we have opened discussions with colleagues in Shanghai and I will keep you abreast of this potentially important development. (added March 2011).
This is an interim update to advise that in the near future Armour Thyroid will not be imported into The United Kingdom which is a serious matter and I am presently investigating this in conjunction with thyroid advocacy. Erfa which is a licensed product from Canada seems to be equally efficacious in the patients attending the Louise Lorne Clinic in Birmingham in the relatively limited experience of my prescribing Erfa during the last year. (added October 2011).
The World Thyroid Register has 2940 registered members. I propose that we galvanise the first action in February 2012. I will now contact the affliate groups in the US, Europe and Asia to obtain precise numbers who will join our solicitation in February and will advise you of progress of the International dimension of our campaign.
The first Action is scheduled for March 2012, this has been added under the tab Four-Action Strategy. (added January 2012).
Thank you for the feedback and input on the representative document; it is quite clear that notwithstanding my attendance at a Scottish Grammar School there are serious grammatical shortfalls in the document which has been modified accordingly. I am presently working through every input and will incorporate these or come back to you if in the event of a difference of opinion. (added January 2012).
February 7th 2012
Please note that my last draft of the document (See under Four Action Strategy) suggested that ST Coleridge was 250 years old when he wrote the Rime of the Ancyent Marinere; this has now been corrected from 1978 to 1798.
Aye yours,
Gordon RB Skinner
