PETITION SUBMITTED TO THE GMC AND VARIOUS MEDICAL ESTABLISHMENTS [2005]
This is the first petition of which I have knowledge. It was begun by Diana Holmes and was couched as a ‘formal complaint against the clinical practice of the majority of the medical profession with regard to the diagnosis and management of hypothyroidism on four counts’ [these were specified within the petition] It was presented to the GMC in person by Diana and copied to numerous other medical establishments. It had 3000+ signatories. For more information, you would need to go to ‘Thyroid Petition for United Kingdom – Developed by Diana Holmes’ at
http://thyroid.about.com/library/weekly ... tition.htmPETITION SUBMITTED TO THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY FOR WALES [NAfW][2008]
This was fronted by Dr Sarah Myhill on behalf of hypothyroid patients and I was involved as the petition co-ordinator. The petition called upon the NAfW to investigate the non-diagnosis and mismanagement of hypothyroidism in Wales with a view to producing recommendations to rectify the situation. 1433 signatures were submitted. For further information and to see the completion report, go to
http://www.assemblywales.org/completion ... 37__e_.pdfI think it worth mentioning here that this completion report shows responses from the medical profession only – but no details of the mass of information [including scientific information] sent in by myself, the petitioners and other hypothyroid support organisations, nor was an opportunity provided for us to present our case in person as has been the case in Scotland.
WORLD THYROID REGISTER [BEGUN AROUND 2009-2010]
Begun in the UK by Dr Gordon Skinner, the register seeks better care for thyroid patients, to date it has 5346 signatories plus approximately 40,000 affiliates. Go to
www.worldthyroidregister.com and click ‘UPDATES’ to see details of signatories, then click ‘AFFILIATES’ which shows the affiliated memberships, including those in the UK, USA, Europe and the Peoples’ Republic of China. Sadly Dr Skinner passed away on the 26th of November 2013.
INTERNATIONAL HORMONE SOCIETY THYROID PETITION [PRE 2011]
This petition was compiled on behalf of hypothyroid patients worldwide by Sheila Turner of TPA-UK, Susanne Kӧnig [France], Sabine Seichter [Germany], Lyn Mynott of ThyroidUK and Janie Bowthorpe of stopthethyroidmadness [USA] . It was entitled, ‘Patients Petition for the Better Diagnosis and Treatment Choice for Hypothyroid Patients’. By 2011 it had 2075 signatures. For more information go to Patients Petitions, Consensus 1 at
www.intlhormonesociety.orgTHYROID CHANGE [2012]
Begun in the USA by Michelle Theresa and entitled, ‘Endocrinologists: Patients with Thyroid Dysfunction Demand Better Care,’ it has 15,426 signatories to date. To see the website and for access to the petition please visit
www.thyroidchange.org .
BEST PETITION [2013]
Set up via the 38 degrees group by Diane Bamford, this petition is entitled:- Better Endocrinological Services and Treatment for Thyroid Patients [BEST]. To date this petition has 3,338 signatures. Go to
www.thyroiduk.org.uk click ‘CAMPAIGNS’ on the left of the screen and then click onto the UK petition shown above (B.E.S.T) for access to further information and the petition.
WHO PETITION
Set up by a hypothyroid patient and entitled Better Treatment for Hypothyroidism, it was intended that this petition be delivered to the World Health Organization. To date it has 413 signatures. For more information go to
www.avaaz.org/en/petition/Better_treatm ... hyroidism/E-PETITION
Started by Lyn Mynott of ThyroidUK, this petition requests that the UK government fund research into T3 and/or Natural Desiccated Thyroid. This petition which recently closed had 5214 signatures. Go to
www.thyroiduk.org.uk and again click ‘CAMPAIGNS’ and scroll to bottom entry to see more detail on this e-petition.
REGISTER OF COUNTER EXAMPLES
Set up by Sheila Turner of Thyroid Patient Advocacy [TPA-UK]. The purpose of the list is to register counter examples to T4 only therapy by means of a questionnaire which hypothyroid patients can complete. The register provides numerous examples of hypothyroid patients who do not do well on T4 only. This has 2469 signatures at the time of writing see
www.tpauk.com for further information.
SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT PETITION
Lodged in December 2012 by Lorraine Cleaver, Sandra Whyte and Marian Dyer, you have been a supporter of this petition so I’ll only say that the world hypothyroid community is watching, waiting and fervently hoping for a positive outcome to this petition for hypothyroid sufferers everywhere.