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Spain menopause hormone therapy use triples amid medication shortages
The use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for menopause in Spain has tripled in recent years, rising from 3% to 9% of women in the climacteric stage. Despite this increase, experts suggest that usage remains low, as approximately 1.2 million women—representing 20% to 25% of the population with severe symptoms—could benefit from these treatments.
This rise in usage is attributed to the withdrawal of previous health risks associated with HRT by the FDA, which had previously linked the treatments to increased risks of breast cancer and cardiovascular issues based on contested studies.
However, the medical community is currently facing a supply crisis. The shortage of Lenzetto, an estradiol spray funded by the Spanish Ministry of Health, has caused a ripple effect, leading to scarcities of other hormone delivery methods such as patches and gels. In response to the shortage, health authorities in Catalonia have announced plans to authorize pharmacies to prepare magistral formulas to ensure continued access for patients.
Entities
Asociación Española para el Estudio de la Menopausia · Lenzetto · Maddalena Santirocco · Societat Catalana d'Obstetricia i Ginecologia · Spain
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 3 SOURCES] A shortage of the estradiol spray Lenzetto has led to a scarcity of hormone patches and gels. www.lacronicabadajoz.com · www.informacion.es · www.farodevigo.es
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Hormone therapy use in Spain has tripled in recent years. www.informacion.es
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Lenzetto sales increased from 13,000 units in 2018 to 123,000 in 2024. www.informacion.es
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Health authorities in Catalonia will authorize pharmacies to prepare magistral formulas to address hormone therapy shortages. www.informacion.es
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Approximately 1.2 million women in Spain could benefit from hormone therapies for severe symptoms. www.informacion.es