Estrogen medicine shortages persist with no clear end in sight

Estrogen medicines used in hormone replacement therapy remain in short supply in Finland, and there is no firm date for when availability will return to normal, Yle reports.

Supply problems have affected Finland since spring and have recurred in several periods over recent years. They have particularly affected patches and sprays applied to the skin, as well as some gels and oral medicines, Tuija Kainulainen, a senior inspector and pharmacist at the Finnish Medicines Agency Fimea, told Yle.

Current notifications estimate that the shortages may end around the turn of the year. But those dates are only estimates and may change, as they have several times before, Kainulainen said. The problem is not limited to Finland.

The shortages are partly driven by a global increase in demand for hormone replacement therapy. Production has not been sufficient to meet that demand.

Patients who cannot find their prescribed medicine at their pharmacy should first ask staff whether it is available at another pharmacy. If it is unavailable and the pharmacist cannot offer a substitute, patients should contact their treating doctor.

Symptoms associated with menopause include sleep problems, hot flushes, joint and muscle pain, palpitations, irritability, low mood, fatigue and reduced sexual desire, according to the source cited by Yle.