What is HRT and who uses it

Hormone replacement therapy helps women manage menopause symptoms using oestrogen and progestogen. Almost two million women in England aged forty and above were prescribed HRT in twenty twenty-five to twenty twenty-six.

Which products are currently short

FemSeven Conti patches are out of stock until late November. Various Estradot patches are also short, expected to remain unavailable until January. Estradot shortages began in December twenty twenty-four.

Why these shortages matter

Sehar Shahid, a member of the National Pharmacy Association's board, said shortages of Estradot are the second longest running individual medicine shortage in the UK.Certain HRT products are specialised and cannot always be easily substituted.

“Certain HRT products are specialised and cannot always be easily substituted for an alternative.”

What alternatives are available

For FemSeven Conti, alternatives include Evorel Conti, Estradot Conti thirty slash ninety-five and Estradot Conti forty slash one thirty. For Estradot, alternatives include Estraderm MX and Evorel patches. All contain estradiol.

Expert advice on switching

Paula Briggs, a consultant in sexual and reproductive health and former chair of the British Menopause Society, said keeping the same dose of estradiol is key.

“If we're using the same dose of oestrogen delivered in a similar patch through the skin, really there is no need to worry.”

What needs to happen next

Sehar Shahid urged the government to convene a taskforce to address supply chain issues. Demand for HRT is rising by more than ten percent year on year, making future shortages likely.