HRT medicine Utrogestan restricted in UK amid shortages
Ministers are restricting an hormone replacement therapy medicine for menopause symptoms to two-month prescriptions as the supplier struggles to meet soaring demand.
Utrogestan is expected to be in intermittent supply until late this year, according to the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC). Officials said its manufacturer, Besins, was increasing supply but still unable to fill the gap.
On Friday, the government issued a serious shortage protocol (SSP) for Utrogestan 100mg capsules. Pharmacists can only dispense a maximum of two months’ supply for every prescription so women who undergo HRT can keep accessing treatment.
The DHSC said SSPs were a standard procedure frequently deployed to manage and prevent temporary medicine supply issues.
“Today’s decisive action will mean more women will be able to access this medicine, and I want to reassure women that the vast majority of HRT products are in good supply,” said women’s minister, Maria Caulfield.
“The overall supply of HRT products has improved considerably over the last year and I am encouraged by how the industry is responding to the growth in demand and our continued calls for action to boost supply to meet it.”
Caulfield added: “We continue working to help ensure continuity of supply – which is a key part of increasing support for menopausal and pre-menopausal women and improving their quality of life.”
While 22 SSPs were issued for HRT products since April last year – when Britain experienced an acute shortage – the DHSC said only two remained in place: Friday’s order on Utrogestan and another for Progynova 100 microgram patches.
Some HRT medicines were added to the list of products that cannot be exported from or hoarded in the UK so as to ensure adequate supply
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