Estrogen Shortages Are Worsening Beyond Patches

Injections and creams are becoming harder to find as menopause treatment demand rises

Demand for menopause medications is now outstripping supply across several estrogen products in the United States. After months of limited availability for estrogen patches, pharmacies and drug-shortage trackers say some injectable and vaginal estrogen treatments are also becoming difficult to obtain. The shortage has been linked to more women seeking hormone replacement therapy after the FDA eased a long-standing cancer-risk warning last year, Reuters reports. CVS and other pharmacies say supply-chain problems are intensifying, with patients moving from scarce patches to gels, creams and injections, creating a ripple effect. Manufacturers including Viatris and Amneal say they have increased output, and one Vermont plant is operating around the clock, but shortages continue.

The FDA said that patch supply had nearly doubled over the previous year but still lagged behind demand. It maintains that there is no formal nationwide shortage of patches because, according to an HHS statement cited by NBC News, “nationally, at least one version remains available from at least one manufacturer at any given time, even if certain brands or strengths are difficult to find.” A gynecologist at Yale New Haven Hospital told the outlet, “I guess the FDA folks haven't been a patient or a prescriber. I cannot think of a day in the last many months that I haven't had a call from a panicked patient about unavailability of the patches.” A consumer advice piece recommends that people having trouble finding patches try another pharmacy or use mail order.