Estrogen shortage leaves Swedish women struggling to access vital medication

Swedish women relying on estrogen supplements to manage menopause symptoms are facing severe shortages, as manufacturers fail to keep up with surging demand, public broadcaster SVT Nyheter reports.

Around 200,000 women in Sweden currently use estrogen treatments—such as Lenzetto spray and Estradot patches—to alleviate issues like brain fog and sleep disturbances. Anna Sahlin, one of those affected, described how the medication transformed her daily life: “Before estrogen, I felt stupid. There was so much brain fog—I’d lose words mid-sentence, couldn’t even form a full thought.”

Yet both Lenzetto and Estradot are now in short supply nationwide, with producers unable to scale production fast enough. Sahlin admitted she recently stockpiled a year’s worth of her prescription out of fear: “Maybe it’s not very sisterly of me, but I was terrified I wouldn’t get any.”

Prices have also spiked after several manufacturers withdrew from Sweden’s high-cost protection scheme, which previously capped patient expenses. While the government has tasked the Medical Products Agency and the Dental and Pharmaceutical Benefits Agency with investigating solutions, their report won’t be submitted until October. Eva Pettersson, acting unit head at the Medical Products Agency, noted that patch shortages have persisted for years, with spray alternatives only recently running low.

“It’s not our responsibility to supply these products,” Pettersson said. “Companies choose whether to market them in Sweden.”

As a potential fix, domestic production of estrogen supplements is now under discussion. Sahlin, frustrated by years of unresolved shortages, said: “I’m exhausted, furious, and sad. This isn’t new—it’s been going on for ages. There has to be a way to fix it.”