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HRT: Why are some women finding it so hard to access Hormone Replacement Therapy?

麻豆社 Radio 4's Woman's Hour hears about shortages and how women can get support.

Menopausal women are reporting being forced to turn to the so-called black market as demand for prescriptions for Hormone Replacement Therapy in England has doubled in the last five years.

In October, the Department of Health announced that women would be able to get a year's supply of a HRT drug for 拢9.35, the cost of a single NHS prescription. But last week, the government minister Maria Caulfied said that this would not be implemented until April next year.

Tina Backhouse is the General Manager of Theramex, one of the largest suppliers of HRT in the UK. She joined Emma Barnett on 麻豆社 Radio 4鈥檚 Woman鈥檚 Hour to discuss the shortages and what鈥檚 being done to help women.

The minister for women鈥檚 health, Maria Caulfield, said: 鈥淚 understand how distressing an HRT shortage is for women who need these medicines and we鈥檝e been doing everything we can to ensure women can access HRT. Many HRT products, including alternatives to the limited number experiencing supply issues, are available.鈥

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Duration:

11 minutes