The f ight to beat shortage of HRT

Tsar role will emulate Covid vaccine chief Kate Bingham

SAJID Javid is to appoint an HRT tsar with orders to solve a shortage of hormone replacement medicine that has left thousands of menopausal women desperate for help.

It comes as the Government is accused of showing a ‘total disregard’ for sufferers’ health.

The Health Secretary said he was determined to improve the situation, which has seen women run out of HRT with no idea of when supplies will resume.

Last night he pledged to model the role on that of Kate Bingham, who chaired the UK’s highly successful Covid vaccine taskforce.

Hormone replacement therapy helps to alleviate the debilitating symptoms of the menopause, including disturbed sleep, hot flushes, anxiety and joint pain.

If treatment is stopped suddenly the health problems return, affecting women’s wellbeing, relationships and jobs. But there has been an acute shortage for weeks, said to be due to global supply issues and high demand.

Mr Javid’s move follows deepening concern from MPs and campaigners that women are being left to suffer because Ministers are failing to take the issue seriously enough. It comes as:

Local NHS authorities are accused of worsening the situation by only offering a few HRT treatments;

Women are being forced to ask friends on holiday abroad to act as ‘HRT mules’ to fly back with supplies;

They are rationing their HRT, with Tory MP Caroline Nokes – who is affected – calling the situation ‘chaos’;

A Minister admitted it will be June before supplies of certain HRT brands are back to normal;

Trans women – those born male – are getting HRT to help feminise their bodies, although experts believe not enough of them receive it to impact overall supply;

Mr Javid told The Mail on Sunday: ‘I know just how much women rely on HRT and that some have been struggling to get certain medicines. I’m determined to do all I can to make sure that supplies are meeting hugely rising demand and there is equitable access. will be urgently convening a meeting with suppliers to look at ways we can work together to improve supply in the short and long term.

‘It’s also clear to me that we need to apply some of the lessons from the Vaccine Taskforce to this challenge, so we will soon be recruiting for an HRT supply chairperson.’

Labour MP Carolyn Harris, chairwoman of the Government’s Menopause Taskforce, said Ministers had a ‘total disregard’ for women’s health by failing on a pledge to cut HRT prescription fees.

In October it was announced that women in England would only have pay a single annual prescription fee for HRT, rather than every month, saving up to £205 a year. But this will only come into effect next April – not this month as Ms Harris said she was led to believe.

Industry sources say the shortages are the result of increased demand, but Ministers also blame Covid-related global supply issues.

Awareness campaigns, the Government’s cost initiative and waning concerns about HRT’s possible side-effects have all led to more women opting for the treatment.

Some firms have reported a tenfold increase in demand for HRT products over the last year.

But the situation is exacerbated by local health authorities restricting the range of HRT medications they keep to hand, claims expert Tina Backhouse. She said not all NHS clinical commissioning groups include a wide range of HRT in their drug inventories.

Ms Backhouse, of the pharmaceu ‘I tical firm Theramax, added: ‘When we have shortages, this issue of restricted options of drugs really bites. That’s what we are seeing now. There’s a definite postcode lottery when it comes to HRT.’

A compounding factor is the sheer range of HRT, with some taken as tablets, while others comes as gels, patches and sprays, not to mention the different strengths.

Women often try several types before finding one that works well for them.

The shortage has seen women go to desperate lengths. Dr Channa Jayasena, a consultant in reproductive endocrinology at Imperial College London, said: ‘A lot of women are getting friends to go to other countries, such as India, on holiday to bring back a massive pack of HRT. That’s not good. There’s a risk about purity and whether you’re taking the right stuff.’

Katie Taylor, founder of the support group The Latte Lounge, said: ‘We’ve had messages from hundreds of women, many of whom are just absolutely desperate.

‘They can’t get their usual prescription, so a lot of them are driving for hours to go to four, five or six different pharmacists.

‘Others are Googling to see whether they can buy HRT on the black market, or asking friends who are going overseas to bring them back some patches or gels.’

Women’s Health Minister Maria Caulfield said suppliers had assured her that depleted stocks should be back to normal by June.’