Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will commission research on the impact of the withdrawal of liothyronine (T3) and its subsequent replacement with T4 on (1) the health and well being of patients, and (2) the cost to the NHS.

The Department has no plans to commission such research. NHS England will continue to monitor the implementation of the guidance Items which should not be routinely prescribed in primary care: guidance for CCGs published in November 2017 and will review it at regular intervals to address any unintended consequences. A copy of the guidance is attached. NHS Clinical Commissioners will reiterate to clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) by the end of July 2018 that the intention of the guidance was to end the routine prescription of liothyronine only where it was clinically appropriate to do so.