Women in the UK are facing renewed shortages of certain hormone replacement therapy (HRT) products, with experts warning that these shortages could persist for weeks. HRT is widely used to help manage menopause symptoms and comes in various forms, including gels, sprays, patches, pills, creams, and intrauterine systems.
Understanding HRT
According to the NHS, HRT typically involves two hormones: oestrogen and progestogen, which replace levels lost during menopause. Women who have undergone a hysterectomy only require oestrogen-containing HRT. In the 2025-26 period, nearly 2 million women in England aged 40 and above were prescribed HRT for menopause symptoms, as reported by the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA).
Current Shortages
This week, the Department of Health and Social Care issued a medicine supply notification indicating that FemSeven Conti patches are currently out of stock and are expected to remain unavailable until late November. These patches contain estradiol, a type of oestrogen, and a synthetic progestogen called levonorgestrel. Additionally, there are shortages of various Estradot patches, which also contain estradiol, with no resolution expected until January.
The ongoing supply issues have been a concern since December 2024, when shortages of some products first began. Sobia Qasim, a pharmacist at the online pharmacy Curely, expressed the emotional toll of these shortages, stating, "When you have found an HRT treatment that helps you sleep, manage hot flushes and feel more like yourself, being told it is unavailable can be unsettling."
