General News

It was recently annouced by Forest Laboratories, Inc., maker of the commonly used hormone durg therapy, Armour Thyroid, that they do not have enough active ingredient in stock to produce the medication. This will have a significant effect on a lot of people who rely on this therapy.

What makes Armour Thyroid so unique is the  fact that it is considered a natural hormone replacement therapy because it is derived from the thyroid glands of USDA approved grain fed pigs. Studies have shown that patients who are on a combination therapy of hyroxine (T4):Liothyronine (T3) feel better than

when they are onThyroxine (T4) alone. Hypothyroidism affects millions of Americans and Armour Thyroid is a better therapy for this condition because it provides both of the key hormones T4 and T3.

The good news is that Fusion Rx Compounding Pharmacy has a large supply of Thyroid USP, which is the same powder used by Forest Laboratories to make Armour Thyroid. As a compounding pharmacy we can provide Armour Thyroid to the patients that need them. Furthermore, if for any reason we are unable to get the natural (pig derived) Thyroid USP, Fusion Rx Compounding Pharmacy can custom make the 4.2:1 ratio of T4:T3 that is found in Armour Thyroid by using synthetic Levothyroxine and Liothryonine (T3) powder.

Fusion Rx Compounding Pharmacy is also capable of formulating medication as a sustained release capsules. Even though the immediate release tablets of Armour Thyroid do an adequate job of replacing the thyroid hormone, in many patients it is not effective enough. These medications are dosed once daily in the morning. What ends up happening is that the patient receives a surge of hormone in the morning and by the evening the effects of the hormone have worn off. Our compounding pharmacy, with the physician's order, can compound thyroid hormones in a sustained release capsule so that the medication is released over 8 hours.