Abstract:
Recent changes in New Zealand have altered the availability
of propylthiouracil. It is no longer a ‘funded’ medication but
is only available via an ‘Exceptional Circumstances’
application to the Pharmaceutical Management Agency
(PHARMAC). Because of this a number of patients in our
practice were changed from propylthiouracil to carbimazole.
We report a patient who developed agranulocytosis following
this change in medication which led to her death from
Aspergillus pneumonia.