Thyroid drugs information

Approved and funded brands of levothyroxine

Synthroid

• strengths: 25mcg, 50mcg, 100mcg

• active ingredient: levothyroxine sodium

• inactive ingredients: acacia, lactose monohydrate, magnesium stearate, povidone, purified talc and sucrose. Colouring agents are unique to each strength. Synthroid tablets are gluten free.

• markings: Synthroid tablets are round; orange (25mcg), white (50mcg) or yellow (100mcg) coloured; contain a score line; and are debossed with “SYNTHROID” and potency

• images: 25mcg 50mcg 100mcg

• sponsor: Viatris Ltd

• manufacturer: AbbVie Inc., Puerto Rico, United States of America

• other: This brand comes in a bottle.

• Synthroid datasheet (current: 2 June 2023)

• consent: NZ Gazette 1 April 2010

Levothyroxine (generic)

• strengths: 50mcg, 100mcg

• active ingredient: anhydrous levothyroxine sodium

• inactive ingredients: sodium citrate, maize starch, lactose, acacia powdered, magnesium stearate, purified water

• same formulation, from the same manufacturer, as the Goldshield levothyroxine that was temporarily available in 2008

• markings: white, uncoated, biconvex tablets, engraved on one face with “LT” and “50” (50mcg) or “100” (100mcg) on the other

• sponsor: Boucher & Muir (NZ) Ltd t/a Mercury Pharma (NZ)

• manufacturer: Custom Pharmaceuticals Limited (UK), Hove, United Kingdom

• other: This brand comes in blister packaging. Tablets must be swallowed whole (do not halve the tablets).

• Levothyroxine datasheet (current: 2 October 2024)

• provisional consent: NZ Gazette 6 November 2008 

most recent renewal: NZ Gazette 7 November 2024 (valid for two years from 17 November 2024)

Eltroxin (new formulation 2008; new shape & size 2024)

• strengths: 50mcg, 100mcg

• active ingredient: anhydrous levothyroxine sodium

• inactive ingredients: microcrystalline cellulose, pregelatinised maize starch, talc, colloidal anhydrous silica, magnesium stearate

• markings: white, round, bevelled tablets, imprinted with L01 (50mcg) or L10 (100mcg) on one face and "50" or "100" on the other

• images: 50mcg and 100mcg (current = prior to June–August 2024)

• sponsor: Pharmacy Retailing (NZ) Limited trading as Healthcare Logistics

• manufacturer: Aspen Bad Oldesloe GmbH, Germany (formerly: Glaxo Wellcome GmbH & Co)

• other: This brand comes in a bottle. Tablets must be swallowed whole (do not halve the tablets).

• Eltroxin (new formulation) datasheet (current: 20 March 2024)

• consent: NZ Gazette 16 November 2006

Not approved or funded brands of levothyroxine

Eltroxin (old formulation)

• active ingredient: levothyroxine sodium

• inactive ingredients: acacia powder, corn starch, lactose, magnesium stearate and colouring agents

• formulation approved and funded in NZ before 2008

• markings: 50mcg tablets are white, round, scored and debossed with "50"; 100mcg tablets are yellow, round, scored and debossed with “100"

• image: compare the tablets of the previous and new formulation of Eltroxin

• sponsor in New Zealand: none

• manufacturer: Aspen Pharmacare Canada Inc

• other: This brand comes in a bottle. Tablets can be split.

• Eltroxin (Canadian) datasheet (current: 28 July 2023)

Levothyroxine (Accord generic, rebranded from: Actavis)

• strengths: 50 and 100mcg (also 150, 200 and 300mcg)

• active ingredient: anhydrous levothyroxine sodium

• inactive ingredients: lactose, magnesium stearate, maize starch, stearic acid and pregelatinised maize starch. This formulation does not contain acacia.

• markings: 50mcg - white, circular, biconvex uncoated tablets impressed “C” on one face and the letters “T” and “A” on either side of a central division line on the reverse / 100mcg - white, circular, shallow convex uncoated tablets impressed “C” on one face and the letters “TC” on the reverse

• sponsor in New Zealand: none

• manufacturer: Accord-UK Ltd, Whiddon Valley, Barnstaple, Devon EX32 8NS, UK

• other: Accord, Actavis and Almus generic levothyroxine are exactly the same product.

• Accord Patient Information Leaflet (current: January 2024)

Not approved or funded brand of liothyronine

Liothyronine Sodium (generic)

• strength: 20mcg

• active ingredient: liothyronine sodium

• inactive ingredients: lactose, maize starch, powdered acacia, sodium chloride, magnesium stearate, industrial methylated spirit and purified water

• markings: white uncoated tablets, which are engraved with “GS 058” on one side and have a score line on the other that is not intended for breaking the tablet (see under: 'other')

• sponsor in New Zealand: Boucher & Muir (NZ) Ltd t/a Mercury Pharma

• manufacturer: Custom Pharmaceuticals Limited (UK), Hove, United Kingdom

• other: For doses lower than 20 micrograms, the tablet should be allowed to dissolved in water. Follow instructions in patient leaflet. Tablets come in container packs of 28 tablets.

• Liothyronine Patient leaflet (current: January 2025)

Thybon Henning 20

• strength: 20mcg

• active ingredient: liothyronine hydrochloride

• inactive ingredients: (pregelatinized) maize starch, microcrystalline cellulose, sodium carbonate, sodium thiosulfate 5H2O, colloidal silicon dioxide, hydrogenated castor oil

• markings: white, round, faceted tablets with a score line on one side and the identifier "1 B" on both sides

• images: 20mcg (other side)

• manufacturer: Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland GmbH 

• Thybon Henning 20 patient leaflet (in German, current: November 2024)

Approved and funded brand of carbimazole

Neo-Mercazole

• strength: 5mg

• active ingredient: carbimazole

• inactive ingredients: lactose, maize starch, sucrose, magnesium stearate, talc, gum acacia, ferric oxide, propyl hydroxybenzoate, gelatin

• markings: pale pink tablet, shallow bi-convex tablet with a white centrally located core, one face plain, with Neo 5 imprinted on the other

• image: 5mg

• sponsor: AFT Pharmaceuticals Limited

• manufacturer: Cenexi SAS, Fontenay-sous-Bois, France

• Neo-Mercazole Consumer Information Sheet (current: 21 August 2019)

• consent: NZ Gazette 9 June 2016

Not approved, but funded under Special Authority

Propylthiouracil (PTU)

• strength: 50 mg

• active ingredient: propylthiouracil

• inactive ingredients: lactose monohydrate, magnesium stearate, maize starch, povidone and sodium lauryl sulfate

• markings: white, round, biconvex and uncoated tablets, debossed with "PRESTAB" on one side; the other side is plain

• image: 50mg

• sponsor: AFT Pharmaceuticals Ltd

• manufacturer: Phebra Pty Ltd, Lane Cove West, NSW, Australia

• Propylthiouracil Consumer Medicine Information (current: 2 December 2021)

• Propylthiouracil Patient Information (NZ Formulary, March 2023)

• PHARMAC Notification: Listing propylthiouracil on the Pharmaceutical Schedule (17 April 2012)