Some New Zealand women are now unable to source HRT patches as a long-running shortage worsens. A new survey shows the desperate measures patients are taking to source the patches, which are used to manage menopause symptoms and prevent serious health problems. Pharmac says it is working on solutions but supply issues will last until next year.
Around one in 10 women who use hormone patches say they are unable to source the menopause treatment at all – even after shopping around multiple pharmacies. Shortages of the most commonly-used hormone replacement therapy (HRT) patches have become so severe that bulk-buying agency Pharmac has acknowledged some people will now miss out. In an update on Friday, Pharmac reiterated that supply of Estradot-brand patches remained “very limited” and “some people will not be able to get” the funded treatment.
The supply problem was likely to continue until next year, the agency said. Around 60,000 New Zealand women use HRT treatments, which release estrogen into the body in a controlled way and help to mitigate menopause symptoms and prevent long-term illnesses. Napier-based GP Dr Samantha Newman, who has a special interest in menopause treatment, began surveying HRT patch users last week to understand the impact of the worsening shortage.
Out of more than 700 respondents in an online survey, 70 per cent said they had been told by their pharmacist they had no patches available. Around 8 per cent had gone to five or more pharmacies be.
