Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans the Government has to ensure NHS patients throughout England continue to receive liothyronine after recent price increase in the cost of that drug to the NHS.

We are not aware of any recent price increase for this drug. If patients have a clinical need for a medicine, it is right that they get the most appropriate medicine for their condition.

The Regional Medicines Optimising Committee published its latest guidance on the prescribing of liothyronine in November 2018 and we can confirm that NHS England is working closely with clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) on the prescribing of liothyronine to support them with the implementation of guidance for CCGs on items which should not be routinely prescribed in primary care.

CCGs are expected to have regard to national guidance, and are responsible for developing their own local approaches to its implementation, taking into account local priorities and needs.