HRT prescriptions will be limited to three months in bid to curb shortages
HEALTH Secretary Sajid Javid last night placed a three-month limit on HRT prescriptions to curb shortages.
Pharmacists will get the power to veto long-term prescriptions of certain drugs so more women can get hold of them to ease their menopause symptoms.
A scramble for 12-month prescriptions has added to current supply shortages.
The Serious Shortage Protocol will apply to rub-on treatment Oestrogel — which may be in short supply into summer — plus Ovestin cream and Premique tablets.
Mr Javid said: “I want to reassure women I have listened to their concerns and will not hesitate to take decisive action to ensure they can access the HRT they need.
“We will leave no stone unturned in our national mission to boost supply of HRT.
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“This next step will ensure women across the UK will be able to reliably access this vital medication and maintain this lifeline for millions who need it.”
It comes after ministers this week set up a HRT Supply Taskforce to avoid future shortages.
Taskforce chief Madelaine McTernan said: “This is a step in the right direction of tackling the supply issues women are facing and ensuring ongoing, reliable supply.”
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Fabulous Menopause Matters
An estimated one in five of the UK’s population are currently experiencing it.
Yet the menopause is still whispered in hush tones like it’s something to be embarrassed about.
The stigma attached to the transition means women have been suffering in silence for centuries.
The Sun are determined to change that, launching the Fabulous Menopause Matters campaign to give the taboo a long-awaited kick, and get women the support they need.
The campaign has three aims:
- To make HRT free in England
- To get every workplace to have a menopause policy to provide support
- To bust taboos around the menopause
The campaign has been backed by a host of influential figures including Baroness Karren Brady CBE, celebrities Lisa Snowdon, Jane Moore, Michelle Heaton, Zoe Hardman, Saira Khan, Trisha Goddard, as well as Dr Louise Newson, Carolyn Harris MP, Jess Phillips MP, Caroline Nokes MP and Rachel Maclean MP.
Exclusive research commissioned by Fabulous, which surveyed 2,000 British women aged 45-65 who are going through or have been through the menopause, found that 49% of women suffered feelings of depression, while 7% felt suicidal while going through the menopause.
50% of respondents said there is not enough support out there for menopausal women, which is simply not good enough. It’s time to change that.