"The United States is experiencing an estrogen patch shortage that involves several manufacturers and is expected to continue through the end of the year. This shortage is the direct effect of more demand."
"Estrogen patch prescriptions increased 72 percent between 2021 and the fall of 2025, according to medical record data from Epic Research. They picked up further after the Food and Drug Administration in November removed a black-box warning that had linked hormone therapy to cancer and heart disease."
"For decades, many women didn't get medication that could have significantly improved their lives, because doctors and patients thought treatment was too risky, and symptoms weren't taken seriously."
"As welcome as the recent attention to women's health is and as much as I still worry about unmet need, I'm seeing signs that the pendulum might be swinging too far from estrogen for no one to estrogen for all."
A patient experienced menopause symptoms after chemotherapy but faced challenges accessing hormone therapy due to a shortage of estrogen patches. The shortage is linked to a 72% increase in prescriptions since 2021, driven by a shift in attitudes towards menopause treatment. The FDA's removal of a black-box warning has further fueled interest in hormone therapy. While the growing focus on women's health is positive, there are concerns about the balance in treatment approaches, as some women may be over-prescribed estrogen without proper consideration.
Read at www.nytimes.com
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