Menopausal women ‘blindsided’ as Pharmac changes hormone replacement patch supplier

By Checkpoint of RNZ

A doctor says women feel blindsided by a decision to switch the supplier of hormone replacement patches for menopausal women without public consultation.

Pharmac will change to the Mylan estradiol transdermal patches, conditional on getting full Medsafe approval by July 1, as the supplier has assured the agency it can produce enough to meet the demand.

However, Dr Linda Dear told Checkpoint the Mylan brand was not as effective for some women, and often led to symptoms under control on another patch returning.

She said some had a rash where the patch was, or had headaches or felt nauseous.

“There’s plenty of women who are happy on Mylan, but there’s plenty of women who aren’t, and for those women this is quite a frightening announcement for them,” she said.

Dear added women felt particularly anxious about losing the Estradot brand.

“For some women, for some reason, that seems to be the only type of estrogen that helps them.”

She said it felt like a kick in the teeth, especially as the decision came with no public consultation.

“A lot of women are angry, a lot of women are upset, anxious, and I think if people felt like they’d been a bit more consulted ... to give their opinions and their stories.

“There are some women feeling like they’ve just been left in the lurch.”

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