Women will only be able to receive certain hormone replacement therapy (HRT) products for just three months to improve the overall supply in the UK.
Health Secretary Sajid Javid has issued serious shortage protocols (SSPs) to limit the dosage of Oestrogel, Ovestin cream and Premique Low Dose to three months delivery per person to “even out” the spread.
This is in response to concerns that longer prescribing cycles are putting pressure on the availability of some HRT products.
However, women who have a prescription for more than three months will not have to pay additional fees for treatment to which they do not have access, said the Ministry of Health and Welfare (DHSC).
Javid said: “I want to reassure women that I have listened to their concerns and I will not hesitate to take decisive action to ensure that they have access to the HRT they need.
“We will not leave a stone unturned in our national mission to increase the supply of HRT – and this next step will ensure that women in the UK have reliable access to this vital medicine and maintain this lifeline for millions who are need it.
HRT can help relieve severe menopausal symptoms, including hot flashes, night sweats, low mood, anxiety, and difficulty sleeping.
The SSP will expire on July 29, and DHSC said pharmacists are expected to “use their professional judgment” to decide how to apply them.
HRT prescriptions have more than doubled in England in the last five years, according to the NHS. OpenPrescribing data show that nearly 538,000 prescriptions for HRT treatment were issued in December, compared to 238,000 in January 2017.
As demand outstrips supply, the company behind the popular HRT treatment, Oestrogel, recently said it was on track to meet growing demand. Besins Healthcare UK said it plans to increase supplies – so that women can receive longer-term prescriptions and more people start hormone replacement therapy – from June.
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On Thursday night, Javid announced that he had appointed Madeleine McNernan, director general of the Covid Vaccine Task Force, to lead a new HRT task force, which the government said would “apply the lessons it learned from the coronavirus vaccine.” .
McTernan said: “This is a step in the right direction to address the supply problems that women face when it comes to accessing HRT and ensuring a current, reliable supply.
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