NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / New Zealand

Nationwide shortage of hormone replacement therapy causing concern

RNZ
21 Oct, 2020 09:05 PM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Many women rely on HRT to battle menopause. Photo / 123RF

Many women rely on HRT to battle menopause. Photo / 123RF

By Eleish Foon of RNZ

An Auckland woman is desperately worried that she - and others who rely on hormone replacement therapy - will soon be without their usual supplies.

Tens of thousands of New Zealand women are on some form of hormonal replacement treatment known as HRT.

For more than 15 years, Julie (who only wants to be referred to by her first name) has been using HRT to battle ongoing symptoms of menopause - the stage in life where a woman stops having regular periods.

She had been told to cut the patches she uses in half but she's afraid the delicate balance of hormone treatment will be altered to inefficient levels.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

After following up with her local pharmacy, Julie discovered her 25mcg dose of Estradot patches and the 50mcg patches were almost out of supply, and she was advised to cut her patches in half to balance her levels.

"If I have to now start mucking around with new formulas and new doses, it could take ages. I'm going to turn into an absolute nightmare overnight ... be hot and sweaty and just the hormone levels would just fluctuate and I've managed to keep them even for years. It is really bad - just terrible."

She was frustrated to be dismissed by pharmacies and "had a big ring around" to see if there was more HRT supply across Auckland city.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

They told her: "No, there is nothing in the country and it is a big problem," she said.

The global shortage of the hormone estradiol is also causing a shortage of some contraceptives.

Earlier this month, thousands of women were forced to change oral contraceptives because supplies of some pill brands ran out, including Brevinor, Brevinor 1/28, Norimin and Necon.

The pharmaceutical company Pfizer did not expect them to be back in stock until mid-February 2021.

Discover more

New Zealand|education

Universities hope international students take up offer to return to NZ

21 Oct 08:10 PM
World

Irish focused on getting through to Christmas

21 Oct 07:18 PM
World

The pandemic's real US toll? 300,000, and it's not just from the coronavirus

21 Oct 07:15 PM
Opinion

Letters: Putting schools back in the fairness zone

22 Oct 04:00 PM

Pharmac has confirmed the reason for the delays of HRT prescriptions were due to the pandemic.

In a statement, Pharmac director of operations Lisa Williams said: "The supplier of our funded oestradiol patches (brand name Estradot), Novartis, has advised Pharmac that, due to Covid-19 related delays, they don't expect to have Estradot patches back in stock until December.

"To ensure patients can continue treatment with hormone replacement therapy we are funding some alternative brands."

Seventy-five per cent of menopausal women suffer from a variety of symptoms including night sweats, poor sleep quality, vaginal dryness, itchy skin, mood swings, anxiety, depression, poor memory and weight gain.

HRT helps about 95 per cent of women with these symptoms.

Wider impact

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

College of General Practitioners president Dr Samantha Murton said the shortage was also affecting New Zealand's transgender population.

"I have a very small number of people who are the transgender population using HRT. When there is a shortage of supply or we have to change things, it can be quite disturbing for a lot of people and will also have quite a significant impact on their life."

Julie was concerned that if her HRT supply did run out she could run the risk of facing major depression and experience other tough symptoms.

Murton said widespread delays for some medication was a costly reality for doctors, patients and pharmacists which would only worsen in the months to come.

"It is difficult all around, not just for patients but also doctors too having to write alternative prescriptions. It is costly and tricky for a lot of people."

Save

    Share this article

Latest from New Zealand

New Zealand

'A newfound faith': Rapist says the Lord will help him as he’s sent to jail

New Zealand

Auckland Harbour Bridge lanes may close as 90km/h gusts hit city

New Zealand

Murder victim's eerie message played in court


Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from New Zealand

'A newfound faith': Rapist says the Lord will help him as he’s sent to jail
New Zealand

'A newfound faith': Rapist says the Lord will help him as he’s sent to jail

Joshua Tepania was jailed for eight years for raping a younger woman after work.

14 Jul 07:00 AM
Auckland Harbour Bridge lanes may close as 90km/h gusts hit city
New Zealand

Auckland Harbour Bridge lanes may close as 90km/h gusts hit city

14 Jul 06:50 AM
Murder victim's eerie message played in court
New Zealand

Murder victim's eerie message played in court

14 Jul 06:25 AM


Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

06 Jul 09:47 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP