In just 12 months (from August of 2025), the FDA could erase natural desiccated thyroid (NDT), a thyroid medication that has helped patients since the 1890s, because no manufacturer can complete their new licensing process in time.
NDT has been used to treat hypothyroidism since before the FDA was founded. It has helped generations of patients feel and function better, as standard synthetic thyroid medication doesn’t work for countless numbers of patients.
Now, the FDA has reclassified NDT as a “biologic drug.” On August 6, 2025, the FDA announced that manufacturers have only 12 months to complete the expensive and complicated Biologics License Application (BLA) process to continue selling it.
No manufacturer is expected to finish the process in time. If they don’t, it will be illegal to market or prescribe NDT in the U.S. after the deadline, meaning NDT could disappear from the market within a year.
For now, brand-name NDT like Armour Thyroid (AbbVie) and NP Thyroid (Acella) are still available. However, other popular options, such as Nature-Throid and WP Thyroid, remain off the market.
What worries many patients is that compounded NDTs, which are custom-made formulations that avoid immune-reactive fillers or allow for non-standard dosing, may be banned sooner at the state level.
Here’s why this matters:
- Many with Hashimoto’s or hypothyroidism feel best with both T4 and T3. NDT naturally contains both, along with other thyroid hormones.
- Synthetic T4-only drugs don’t work for everyone. Some patients continue to struggle with fatigue, brain fog, weight gain, and other symptoms even with “normal” lab results. This is mainly due to poor conversion of T4 to T3, which can be caused by various factors.
- Compounded NDT is the only option for some patients who can’t tolerate dyes, fillers, or standard pill sizes.
If compounded NDT is banned in your state, you may need to:
- Switch to a manufactured NDT like Armour or NP Thyroid (if still available).
- Use a combination of synthetic T4 (levothyroxine) and T3 (liothyronine).
- Work with a compounding pharmacy to make a synthetic T4/T3 combination (still allowed for now).
At RedRiver Health and Wellness, we have worked with tons of patients for whom standard synthetic thyroid drugs didn’t help and NDT did. Many of our patients have been taking NDT safely for decades.
If you’re on NDT, here’s what you can do right now:
- Talk to your doctor about a backup plan so you’re not caught off guard.
- Stay informed through groups like the Alliance for Natural Health and the Alliance for Pharmacy Compounding.
- The Alliance for Pharmacy Compounding is also advocating to protect compounded hormone replacement therapy, which the FDA is also threatening to take away. IT IS WORTH DONATING TO THIS ORGANIZATION!
- Share your story with lawmakers and advocacy groups so patient voices are part of the conversation.
- Sign the petition: Ask the FDA to allow the use of desiccated thyroid medication
The bottom line: these regulatory changes could make NDT more difficult or impossible to access AND more expensive, and now the FDA’s 12-month deadline makes it urgent.
Being proactive now will help you keep your health on track.