New law could see hormone replacement therapy free for menopausal women
HORMONE replacement therapy would be free for menopausal women under a proposed new law.
Labour MP Carolyn Harris wants prescription charges scrapped.
It is currently available on prescription for £9.35 a time in England but is free in Scotland and Wales.
And Ms Harris is “extremely confident” that she has enough MPs to back her private member’s bill, which will get a second reading this month.
She said: “Is this government really prepared to let women in England suffer if they can’t afford to treat the symptoms of their menopause, while women in Wales and Scotland get access to their medications for free?
"Talk about doing English women a disservice.”
The drug tops up levels of oestrogen and progesterone to ease symptoms of menopause including hot flushes, night sweats and mood swings.
Fabulous’s Menopause Matters, which launched yesterday, is campaigning to make HRT free on the NHS and for all employers to pledge to put menopause support at the heart of their workplace policies.
We are calling for:
- Free HRT on the NHS for everyone
- All employers to put menopause support at the heart of workplace policies
- Action to bust taboos and help women thrive in menopause
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is the most effective way to treat symptoms and doctors say that for most women the benefits far outweigh the risks.
But a flawed 2002 US study linking HRT to breast cancer has left many women reluctant to take it, and GPs refusing to prescribe it.
One in three women is currently experiencing the menopause.
Fabulous Menopause Matters
An estimated one in five of the UK’s population are currently experiencing it.
An estimated one in five of the UK’s population are currently experiencing it.
Yet the menopause is still whispered in hush tones like it’s something to be embarrassed about.
The stigma attached to the transition means women have been suffering in silence for centuries.
The Sun are determined to change that, launching the Fabulous Menopause Matters campaign to give the taboo a long-awaited kick, and get women the support they need.
The campaign has three aims:
- To make HRT free in England
- To get every workplace to have a menopause policy to provide support
- To bust taboos around the menopause
The campaign has been backed by a host of influential figures including Baroness Karren Brady CBE, celebrities Lisa Snowdon, Jane Moore, Michelle Heaton, Zoe Hardman, Saira Khan, Trisha Goddard, as well as Carolyn Harris MP, Jess Phillips MP, Caroline Nokes MP and Rachel Maclean MP.
Exclusive research commissioned by Fabulous, which surveyed 2,000 British women aged 45-65 who are going through or have been through the menopause, found that 49% of women suffered feelings of depression, while 7% felt suicidal while going through the menopause.
50% of respondents said there is not enough support out there for menopausal women, which is simply not good enough. It’s time to change that.
But many dismiss it as just a few hot flushes even though it can lead to brain fog, depression, insomnia, lack of libido, brittle bones, thinning hair and heart palpitations.
Whether through embarrassment or lack of access to treatment, women are left feeling abandoned and ignored.
Our Menopause Matters campaign will shine a light on heartbreaking stories from celebrities, MPs and members of the public who have battled to survive ‘the change’.
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In order for you to make informed choices, we will also call on medical experts to help arm you with the tools to empower you to enjoy a healthy menopause.
And we will beat the drum so everyone hears the message loud and clear - your menopause MATTERS.