Menopause Treatment Shortages Worsen: Beyond Patches

Women across the United States are confronting an expanding crisis in accessing hormone replacement therapies (HRT) essential for managing menopause symptoms. Initially focused on estrogen patches, the shortages have now critically impacted injectable and vaginal estrogen products, exacerbating the difficulties faced by patients.

This situation has intensified following the FDA's removal of a significant boxed warning last year, which had previously cautioned about potential health risks associated with some hormone therapies. This change led to a surge in demand for HRT, as women felt more comfortable pursuing treatment.

Pharmaceutical consulting firm ProPharma noted that the scarcity may stem partly from women switching to alternative HRT products as patches became harder to find. Reports from the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists confirmed that multiple estradiol injection and vaginal cream products are now in shortage, on backorder, or under allocation.

Multiple healthcare providers and pharmacies have cited persistent supply-chain issues and a 'domino effect' from the prolonged patch shortages. Manufacturers, including Viatris and Amneal, have reported significant demand increases and are working to expand production capacity, with some plants operating around the clock. Despite these efforts, supply has not yet met the elevated demand.