Group items tagged

In response to new research that revealed inequality in menopause support with 51 per cent of women from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, Holland & Barrett, the UK's leading health and wellness retailer, has decided to continue its menopause campaign work to make "every menopause matter". A quarter of women (26 per cent) from minority ethnic communities say they find it difficult to access menopause support relevant to their specific backgrounds. Alongside support from Olympian and menopause campaigner, Michelle Griffith Robinson and expert, Meera Bhogal, the retailer is launching several new initiatives to make its information and support on menopause more inclusive by offering more diverse and personalised advice and content, tailored to different needs. Almost a third (31 per cent) believe being able to speak to a female healthcare professional of the same ethnicity as them would have made a difference to their menopause experience. Fifteen per cent go as far as saying that communicating in their native language would have made a positive difference. Based on these findings, Holland and Barrett is the first retailer to launch a free, multi-language menopause online consultation service. The service will see trained H&B menopause advisors offering guidance and symptom support in multiple languages, starting with Hindi, Urdu, Gujarati and Punjabi.

The Centre for Pharmacy Post-Graduate Education (CPPE) has launched Menopause - an introduction for pharmacy professionals e-learning programme. The new Menopause: an introduction for pharmacy professionals e-learning programme aims to support pharmacist's to increase their knowledge and awareness of menopause and perimenopause, helping them to have initial conversations with those who need support. The programme teaches how to equip people experiencing menopausal symptoms with evidence-based information that allows them to make decisions about their own health management. This e-learning programme considers a range of topics, including the signs and symptoms associated with menopause and perimenopause, how a diagnosis is made and the national context supporting a growing role for pharmacy professionals in menopause care. It also discusses the benefits and risks of treatment options available, the common misconceptions that people may have about menopause and how to apply the evidence base to practice in order to help support decision making.

The menopause is a natural aging process, whereby a woman's oestrogen level drops thus disrupting periods until they eventually stop. A woman is said to be in the menopause when her periods have stopped for 12 months. The age when this usually occurs is between 45-55 but symptoms can begin prior to this. Symptoms vary and not all women experience them all. They include hot flushes, vaginal dryness, joint and muscle pain, insomnia, reduced libido, urinary problems such as bladder weakness or Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs), but this list is not exhaustive. Up to a third of women declare that the menopause affects their quality of life. It is obvious that such physical changes can have an effect on ones well-being. Women going through the menopause are at increased risk of developing depression, low self-esteem and problems with concentration (often called brain fog). There are lots of misconceptions in the public and workplace around menopause as it is a little discussed topic. Did you know 45 per cent of women feel their menopause symptoms have had a negative impact on their work and 47 per cent of women have said that they won't tell their employer if they need to take a day-off from work because of menopausal symptoms? So, with women making up nearly half of the UKs workforce, have you thought about what support your workplace offers for you? And if you are an employer, what could you be doing to support your colleagues who need help during this time?

Veoza, a non-hormonal treatment for menopause, has been made available on the high street for the first time in the UK. British pharmacy chain Superdrug on Thursday (1st February) announced the launch of the newly approved menopause medication, expanding its comprehensive portfolio of products and services to support menopausal women. Veoza is a prescription medication that is used to manage vasomotor symptoms, specifically hot flushes and night sweats, which affect up to 80 per cent of women during menopause, as estimated by experts. It is recommended for women who prefer not to or are unable to take hormone replacement. Perimenopausal, menopausal and postmenopausal women, aged 45-65 who are not on Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) or hormonal contraception, and are suffering from moderate to severe vasomotor symptoms, are eligible to take the medication, the retailer said in a release.

Pharmaceutical giant Bristol Myers Squibb has become the first pharmaceutical company in the UK to be accredited as a 'menopause friendly workplace'. The accreditation, awarded by an independent panel of judges, recognises employers who put diversity, inclusion and wellbeing at the centre stage of their business. Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS) said it rung in the changes in recognition of the fact that nearly eight of 10 menopausal women are in work and that this is the fastest growing demographic in the workforce. Panel members described BMS UK&I's application as "outstanding" and acknowledged "the huge strides they have made to help normalise the menopause" by fostering an inclusive culture.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has introduced a new prescription pre-payment certificate (PPC) for Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) which is said to benefit around 400,000 women who suffer from negative symptoms of the menopause in England. PPC will be rolled-out from 1 April and it reduce the HRT costs to less than £20 a year. Women prescribed HRT - the main treatment for menopause symptoms - will have access to a new scheme enabling access to a year's worth of menopause prescription items for the cost of two single prescription charges (currently £18.70). As part of commitments to reduce the cost of HRT for menopausal women, the prescription PPC will be valid for 12 months. It can be used against a list of HRT prescription items, and a patient can use this against an unlimited number of HRT items, such as patches, tablets and topical preparations. There will be no limit to how many times the certificate can be used while it is valid. "The introduction of the certificate delivers one of our year one priorities for the Women's Health Strategy for England. Published last summer, the strategy sets out an ambitious new agenda for improving the health and wellbeing of women and girls and to improve how the health and care system listens to women. Menopause was announced as a priority area within the strategy," said DHSC.

Now, as you get closer to menopause, you may be wondering what is in store for you, your sex life and how the process will play out in the coming years. It's a fact of life that all females will transition through menopause and some may suffer through problems at some point in their lives and others will go through unscathed. Each woman will go through menopause in a different way. However, because of our increasing focus on menopause, females these days now have many options to make the transition easier.

Get the safe, effective hot flash relief you deserve with i-cool. Reduce menopausal hot flashes & night sweats using menopause relief supplements.

Are you experiencing night sweats or hot flashes from last few days? If yes then you might be approaching menopause! Both night sweats & hot flashes are considered as a nightmare in every woman's life. They are among the most common symptoms of menopause and per menopause.

hormone therapy for menopause

Dry eye syndrome is incredibly common and prevalence is increasing globally. Studies show that prevalence rates vary from five to 50 per cent but can be as high as 75 per cent in people over the age of 40, in people who wear contact lenses and those who work with computers. It is more common in women than in men, particularly during and after the menopause. According to a new real-world research commissioned by world experts in eye-care, Rohto, more than eight in ten women (83 per cent) indicate that they suffer from the condition, but only once they have had the symptoms of dry eye syndrome described to them. Without detailed explanation, 56 per cent of people say they have never even heard of dry eye syndrome, showing just how under diagnosed it may be. Causes of dry eye Dry eyes are a clinical cause of eye irritation, fatigue, and discomfort, often causing feelings of itchiness, grittiness, and excess watering. If left untreated, dry eyes can even lead to long-term damage and sight problems. Dry eyes may occur if enough tears aren't produced if poor-quality tears are generated or if the tears evaporate from the surface of the eye too quickly. This leads to poor lubrication of the tear film. In a normal eye, the tear film4- the multilayer moist protective film - covers the cornea and lubricates the eye. However, if the lubricative process is faulty dry spots appear on the surface of the eye and this causes irritation and discomfort. The tear film has several layers: fatty oils, aqueous fluid, and mucus. This combination normally keeps the surface of your eyes lubricated, smooth and clear. But problems with any of these layers can cause dry eyes.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has included Tibolone 2.5mg tablets (Livial) and Prasterone 6.5mg pessaries (Intrarosa) to the list of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT). It has updated the June 2023 Drug Tariff (Part XVI) to include these additional HRT medicines for which patients will be able to purchase an HRT PPC. "HRT is the replacement of female sex hormones oestrogen and progesterone in women to control symptoms of the menopause. Some medicines that are converted or break down into oestrogen, progestogen or androgen hormones are prescribed for relief of menopausal symptoms. For the purposes of the HRT PPC these are included within this definition of HRT," said DHSC.

The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has approved Anastrozole in a new use to prevent the disease. The off-patent drug has been used as a breast cancer treatment for many years. Clinical trials have shown that it can reduce the incidence of breast cancer in post-menopausal women with increased risk by almost 50 per cent. Health Minister Will Quince expressed his happiness on the approval of the drug that can help to prevent this "cruel disease". He said: "We've already seen the positive effect Anastrozole can have in treating the disease when it has been detected in post-menopausal women and now we can use it to stop it developing at all in some women.

The new Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) prescription pre-payment certificate (PPC) has witnessed more than 37,000 purchases both via online website and in-person in pharmacies since its launch on Saturday (1 April). As of 12pm today (4 April), 37,240 HRT PPCs have been bought online and 501 in-pharmacy, totalling 37,741 certificates. Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) estimated women have saved over £1.13 million in prescription charges for the year, with the average person saving £30 for a year's supply. The new prescription pre-payment certificate is also predicted to enable around 400,000 women to have cheaper access to menopause support. On the launch of the scheme on Saturday, the huge demand for the much-anticipated certificate meant some patients were unable to access the website on the morning of 1 April. "The NHS Business Service Authority has ensured that the site has been working, allowing thousands of women to continue to successfully purchase a prescription for a year's worth of hormone replacement therapy products which help treat the menopause," said DHSC. Minister for Women's Health Strategy, Maria Caulfield said: "Over 37,700 women have come forward to claim cheaper HRT this weekend alone, showing what happens when we listen to what women want.

Learn more about the natural remedies to alleviate the symptoms of vaginal atrophy- the most common problem of women going through menopause. Follow this Whole Family Products blog to understand its symptoms, causes and preventive measures.

Carolyn Harris, Labour MP for Swansea East and co-chair of the Menopause Taskforce, has raised concerns over overcharging of HRT medicines by some online pharmacies, The Telegraph reports. Carolyn, according to the newspaper, has claimed that some HRT products are being sold online for up to "three times as much as they're worth". She has also accused the companies of "profiteering" from HRT shortage. Carolyn has vowed to raise this issue in parliament and will also ensure that health secretary Sajid Javid is aware. She also intends to write to Javid to make sure he is up to date with the alleged "profiteering" taking place. "Get your act together, this is just exploitation. Anybody who thought it was a good idea to hike the price up because there was a shortage… it's awful, it's just complete profiteering, and making a profit off the back of somebody's desperation is never a good look," she told The Telegraph.

Women in the UK will be able to purchase Gina 10 mg vaginal tablets without prescription from September from their local pharmacies, announced the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). The Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) product, Gina 10 microgram vaginal tablets (containing estradiol) are used for the treatment of vaginal symptoms such as dryness, soreness, itching, burning and uncomfortable sex caused by oestrogen deficiency in postmenopausal women aged 50 years and above who have not had a period for at least one year. The decision to reclassify these vaginal tablets follows a safety review by the MHRA, independent advice from the Commission on Human Medicines (CHM), and a public consultation. The UK regulator sought views from patients, pharmacists, prescribers and a wide range of stakeholders including the Royal College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists, the Faculty of Sexual & Reproductive Healthcare, the British Pharmacopoeia Commission and the British Menopause Society.

Bladder leakage is one of the most common healthcare issues affecting women, with the effects of the condition having major effects on women's lives. 1 in 3 women over the age of 18 experience bladder leakage at some point in their lives,1 and in general, prevalence increases at the start of the menopause. It is a major taboo and due to embarrassment women sometimes struggle to discuss the condition and need help. It is now time for community pharmacy teams to take the lead and provide the proactive support your customers need - and don't just reach for the pads…. You can help them stop the leaks, and build customer loyalty. If women are regularly buying pads, or have struggled with using pharmacological solutions you can now offer alternative approaches. What is incontinence? Urinary incontinence is when a person accidentally passes urine when they don't want to. It occurs when their bladder is put under pressure, such as when they cough, sneeze, laugh or run. Frequent or occasional, it can vary from a few dribbles to a complete loss of bladder control. There are several known types of bladder and urinary incontinence. They receive their name from the origin of the issue that causes the passing of urine. Although they are similar and can have some of the same symptoms, they mostly differ in the way they come about: Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) - causes the leak after a person strains or exerts themselves during a physical activity, including coughing, sneezing, laughing, running or jumping. This is the most common type of urinary incontinence.

The National Health Service (NHS) retention programme has benefitted 23 NHS Trusts since it launched in April 2022, with thousands fewer staff leaving frontline roles. NHS data showed that 14,000 fewer staff left the service in the 12 months up to August 2023 (108,890) compared to 122,970 the year before. In a statement released on Thursday, the NHS England said it is expanding the pilot programme across the country to benefit 42 more NHS trusts. The programme is part of the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan ambition to retain up to 128,000 more staff over the next 15 years in addition to training record numbers of doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals. Under this new initiative, NHS staff are being offered extra flexibility with working hours, clinical 'support squads' have been introduced to help menopausal women at work, and HR 'stay advocates' are designated to identify ways to keep staff on the brink of leaving.