Why is there a shortage of HRT?Causes and Mechanisms of UK Supply Problems in the Treatment of Menopause

The government is new recently Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) Tsar Helps to deal with the drug shortage of menopause..

Over 1 Million Women Use HRT in the UK Treating the symptoms of menopauseBut increased demand Leading to supply issues for certain products..

Davina McCall Is presenting Channel 4 documentary, Sex, mind, menopauseAs well as the latest advances in HRT Impact of Menopause on Women in the Workplace..

The program is Set to publish “zip code lottery” With menopausal medications, GPs across the UK cannot prescribe the latest treatments.

This is what you need to know About the mechanism of HRTWhy there was a supply problem, and what is going on about it.

What is HRT?

HRT stands for Hormone Replacement TherapyReassuring treatment Symptoms of menopause..

Most women take a combination of the hormones estrogen and progestogen, and the drug is given as a tablet, skin patch, gel, vaginal cream, pessary, or ring.

Women who do not have a uterus can take estrogen on their own.

HRT works by supplementing hormones that the body stops producing during menopause or after surgery to remove the ovaries.

According to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice), certain HRTs are used by about 1 million women in the UK to treat the symptoms of menopause.

according to To NHSHRT products help treat most symptoms of menopause, including:

• Hot flashes
• Night sweats
• Uneven mood
• Vaginal dryness
• Decreased libido

Why is there a shortage of HRT?

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) said HRT prescription In the UK, it has more than doubled in the last five years, from 238,000 in January 2017 to nearly 538,000 in December 2021.

Also, according to the Ministry of Health (DH), the number of prescriptions has increased by 38% over the last seven years.

DH states that increased demand is driven by increased awareness of menopause and increased confidence among GPs in prescribing HRT.

It has been reported that these factors led to a shortage and caused women to share prescriptions, and some are said to have committed suicide due to debilitating menopausal symptoms suffering without medication.

Wednesday, April 27 Caroline Nokes, Conservative lawmakers and women and the chairman of the Equality Committee BBC Radio 4 Women’s Hour Its demand has grown over the years.

She said she was short of HRT and relied on a “nice colleague” to bring her medicine, but added that she felt “unpleasant” about it.

According to DH, most of the 70 HRT products available in the UK remain in good supply, but a limited number of products, including Estragel, have supply problems.

On Friday, April 29, Besins Healthcare UK, which manufactures Oestrogel, said it was on track to meet the growing demand for friction treatments.

She said she plans to increase supply from June so that women can receive longer-term prescriptions and more people can start treatment.

A spokeswoman for the company said it continued to deliver to wholesalers who “supplied twice the amount supplied at this time last year.”

“The goal is to meet demand, including an increase in average dose per prescription and an increase in demand in June 2022,” she added.

What is being done to address the lack of HRT?

At the end of April, the government announced that Madeleine McTernan, Secretary of the Vaccine Task Force, was appointed to lead the new HRT Supply Task Force.

Her role is to support the HRT supply chain and identify ways to address the shortcomings faced by some women with a limited number of products.

DH also said it has issued a serious shortage protocol (SSP) that limits the dispensing of three high-demand products to give women access to the HRT they need.

These are Oestrogel Pump Pack 750mcg / Actuation Gel, Ovestin 1mg Cream, and Premique Low Dose 0.3mg / 1.5mg Sustained Release Tablets.

This means that supply is limited to 3 months per person for “equal” distribution.

According to the Department of Health (DHSC), women with prescriptions for 3 months or more do not have to pay extra for inaccessible treatments.

These SSPs are due to expire on July 29 and aim to enable local pharmacists to deliver the three designated HRT products according to the protocol rather than the prescription, without seeking the prescribing permission. It is said that.

DH also increased access by allowing women to pay a one-time fee equivalent to two single prescription fees (currently £ 18.70) for all HRT prescriptions for one year. , States that it is taking steps to reduce the cost of HRT.

Known as a prepaid certificate, this certificate means that women have monthly access to HRT, reducing supply pressure while keeping HRT costs low. This will take effect from April 2023.

Additional report from Press Association