Hypothyroid Patient

HYPOTHYROID PATIENTS PETITION

Diana Holmes (author of Tears Behind Closed Doors) has organised this Hypothyroid Patients Petition.


We the undersigned wish to lodge this petition with the General Medical Council as a formal complaint against the clinical practice of the majority of members of the medical profession with regard to the diagnosis and management of hypothyroidism on four counts:

1. Over reliance on thyroid blood test results and a total lack of reliance on signs, symptoms, history of the patient and a clinical appraisal.

2. The emotional abuse and blatant disregard by the majority of general practitioners and endocrinologists over the suffering experienced by untreated/incorrectly treated thyroid patients and their lack of compassion over the fate of these patients.

3. The unwillingness of the majority of medical practitioners to step outside the prescribed protocol for the correct diagnosis and treatment of hypothyroidism, in order to bring patients to optimal health, with the level of medication in order to achieve this, and their refusal to prescribe alternative thyroid treatment for patients on individual clinical grounds e.g. a combination of T4/T3, T3 alone or natural thyroid treatment (Armour Thyroid to USP).

4. The continuing reluctance to encourage debate or further research on hypothyroidism.

In addition we formally request an independent investigation into patients who are hypothyroid, which includes examination of clinical results of patients treated by private doctors (whose work is outside NHS directives), and comparative examination of clinical results of patients treated by NHS practitioners who diagnose and manage hypothyroidism.

Failure to address these issues will result in a vote of no confidence in the General Medical Council.

This petition will be lodged with the GMC as a formal complaint and presented to: - the Overarching Body to the GMC, the Commission of Healthcare, Health Minister, Department of Health, Dame Janet Smith, Patient Concern, The British Medical Journal, The British Medical Association, The Journal of Nutritional and Environmental Medicine, The Royal College of General Practitioners, The Royal Society of Medicine, Society of Endocrinology, Medical Protection Society, Medical Defence Union, The World Health Organisation, The European Court of Human Rights, The Times, the BBC and ITV, The British Thyroid Association/British Thyroid Foundation at the earliest possible opportunity.

For the sake of all thyroid patients, both diagnosed and as yet undiagnosed, we must achieve the aims set out in this petition and believe that patient empowerment and people power is the most effective way of doing this.