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The Public Citizen Armour Thyroid Scandal
Public Citizen Is Becoming a Public Menace! | ||||||||||
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September 2003 -- Back in May, the Ralph Nader-founded group Public Citizen's "Worst Pills, Best Pills" newsletter issued a poorly researched condemnation of Armour Thyroid, claiming that the drug should be on the publication's "Do Not Prescribe" list due to a variety of perceived concerns. The article, which was heavy on accusations and short on actual facts, was essentially a poorly researched opinion piece presented as medical facts, and rehashed the same tired old arguments and mythology about Armour Thyroid. At the time, I asked "What went wrong with this supposed consumer right champion?" and sent them a letter and wrote an article, outlining my concerns with their shoddy effort. http://thyroid.about.com/library/weekly/aaworstpills.htm I did not receive a response to my letter, but one patient did receive an email responding to her concerns. And you will be absolutely astounded at how Public Citizen has graduated from unfounded opinion to total misinformation, and is now insisting that Armour is a non-prescription herbal supplement available over-the-counter! Their response came from Betty Blount, an RN, who wrote an error-laden email that illustrates how misinformed the organization truly is when it comes to thyroid drugs. Interesting, it also shows that the organization is defending its earlier positions on the basis of a series of major -- and potentially dangerous -- medical errors, which are outlined here, along with an assessment of the inaccuracies. http://thyroid.about.com/cs/thyroiddrugs/a/publiccitizen.htm Also, Betty Blount sent a letter by regular mail to another reader, again illustrating the lack of knowledge about thyroid drugs. http://thyroid.about.com/library/drugs/blblountletter.htm Finally, last week, I wrote another lengthy letter to Sidney Wolfe, MD, of Public Citizen/Worst Pills, Best Pills, regarding their misguided and error-filled condemnation of Armour Thyroid, and asking that information be corrected and that they attempt to repair some of the damage done. My letter is online: http://thyroid.about.com/library/drugs/blwolfeletter.htm. I'm still waiting for a promised response from Public Citizen, and have yet to receive anything as of publication of this newsletter. It's unfortunate that what was once a champion of consumer rights seems to have bought into the corporate position wholesale, and, when faced with the facts, has chosen to defend its inaccuracies -- to the detriment of the consumers it claims to represent and serve. If you're as perplexed and indignant as I am about this situation, read the articles, and contact Public Citizen directly yourself to let them know that thyroid patients will not be poorly served by groups that claim to represent our interests... | ||||||||||
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All information is intended for your general knowledge only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for specific medical conditions. You should seek prompt medical care for any specific health issues and consult your physician or health practitioner before starting a new treatment program. Please see our full disclaimer. | ||||||||||