Spanish health authorities address menopause medication shortages

The Spanish Agency for Medicines and Health Products (AEMPS) has announced measures to address supply shortages of several hormonal medications used to treat menopause symptoms. The scarcity primarily affects treatments containing estradiol, a hormone used to compensate for declining estrogen levels.

Supply of the transdermal spray Lenzetto is expected to begin recovering in mid-November, though full normalization may continue through 2027. This shortage, which began in March, has increased demand for alternative estradiol treatments, such as hormonal patches, leading to availability issues for certain presentations.

Regarding specific products, Evopad patches (25 and 50 microgram doses) are expected to return to supply on November 5. Oestraclin gel is also facing low stock, with replenishment anticipated in the first week of November. While the manufacturer of Estradot announced it will cease marketing the product once current stocks are exhausted, the AEMPS noted its limited market share will minimize the overall impact.

To mitigate the impact on patients, the AEMPS has enabled access to limited units of Lenzetto as a foreign medication. Pharmacists can process these requests through designated regional contact points, with the Agency evaluating petitions within a maximum of 48 hours.