There are 34 menopause symptoms, which can be as specific as a hot sweat or as utterly vague as insomnia, irritability, anxiety and itching. Photo / 123rf
There are 34 menopause symptoms, which can be as specific as a hot sweat or as utterly vague as insomnia, irritability, anxiety and itching. Photo / 123rf
The funding for the drug, which comes in gel form and can be simply applied to the skin once a day, came into effect today and is available with a doctor’s prescription.
It contains the hormone estrogen, which will help with estrogen deficiency symptoms in women who are at least six months past their last natural period.
The funding comes amid a global shortage of transdermal estrogen patches, which also deliver medication through the skin – the safest way to take estrogen as it does not carry the small increased clot risk that oral estrogen does.
Head of digital and marketing at Pharmaco New Zealand, Christine Ivers, said the latest funding announcement is “great news” for New Zealand women, particularly as demand has tripled for oestrogen sources over the last few years – with many more women going onto HRT.
Pharmac is funding new hormone replacement therapy (HRT) medication ‘Estrogel’, which is set to help Kiwi women manage some symptoms of menopause.
“Estrogel is the only funded gel on the market, and is now available to women with a prescription,” Ivers said.
She said the gel was easy to apply, with a quick swipe required down your arm once a day.
“We encourage women to speak to their GPs if they think they are experiencing symptoms of menopause. They can then explore how newly-funded medicines such as Estrogel might help benefit their quality of life.
Clinical director of Menodoctor, Dr Linda Dear, said the funding was a “huge step forward” for Kiwi women and showed that women’s health around menopause in New Zealand matters.
“Widening access and choices available to women using HRT is always a positive step.”
Clinical director of Menodoctor Dr Linda Dear.
Dear said the funding solves two “major stresses” that have been causing a large amount of anxiety for women in New Zealand.
“Firstly, the stress of not being able to source oestrogen patches due to global supply problems.
“And secondly, the stress of the extra financial costs involved in obtaining a gel. This funding gives women more options and lowers the cost barrier. It will also help doctors become more aware of the existence of oestrogen gels, and to offer them to women as another HRT option.”
The announcement was also welcomed by Christchurch endocrinologist and noted menopause expert Dr Anna Fenton, who said women requiring patch estrogen therapy have had to manage their way through four years of supply issues with no obvious relief in sight.
“This has created enormous anxiety and difficulties for women and their medical providers,” Fenton said.
“New Zealand still has relatively limited options for oestrogen therapy compared to Australia, the UK, Europe and the USA. Widening the options and choice in the market can also potentially support many women who cannot take oral oestrogen or who have had adverse reactions to or issues with access to patch therapy.”
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