Congressman Abe Hamadeh of Arizona’s 8th Congressional District has contacted Dr. Martin Makary, Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), regarding recent FDA actions that could affect the availability of desiccated thyroid medications.
Hamadeh wrote to Dr. Makary on behalf of constituents who depend on these medications and are worried about possible market restrictions. He highlighted the needs of his district’s large veteran and senior population, noting their reliance on consistent access to thyroid medications.
“Arizona’s 8th Congressional District has a significant veteran and senior population who depend on consistent access to thyroid medications. Many of these patients have found desiccated thyroid medications to be more effective than synthetic alternatives for managing their thyroid conditions. Any disruption to their treatment regimens could have serious health consequences and undermine the doctor-patient relationship,” wrote Congressman Hamadeh.
In his letter, Hamadeh asked the FDA to answer several questions by September 5, 2025, including what specific actions the agency is taking regarding drugs like Armour Thyroid, what evidence supports any potential restrictions, whether a comprehensive analysis has been done on how restrictions would affect patients, and what steps will be taken to ensure continued patient access if changes occur.
He raised concerns about federal agencies making decisions that might interfere with medical choices best left between patients and physicians. “I have heard from veterans, mothers, and other individuals in my district, who believe their health will be negatively affected by the elimination of these medications,” stated Congressman Hamadeh. “They have all shared their positive experiences with these drugs and their belief that their quality of life could be negatively impacted without them. This is of deep concern to me.”
Hamadeh added that he trusts Dr. Makary and his team will consider patient concerns seriously: “I have confidence that Dr. Makary and his team will give serious consideration to the concerns of these patients, and I look forward to providing his team’s answers to my constituents,” Congressman Hamadeh stated. “The FDA’s primary mission should be ensuring drug safety and efficacy, not unnecessarily restricting access to medications with established track records of safety and effectiveness and I believe the Trump administration is committed to that mission.”
Hamadeh was elected in 2024 after defeating Gregory Whitten in the general election with 56.5% of the vote compared to Whitten’s 43.5%.
