Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent steps he has taken to tackle the shortages of HRT medication.

There are over 70 hormone replacement therapy (HRT) products available in the United Kingdom and while most remain in good supply, factors including an increase in demand has led to supply issues with a limited number of products. We are working with suppliers and the National Health Service and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency to maintain overall supply, including expediting resupply dates of the disrupted HRT products, filling supply gaps and preventing future shortages.

Since Serious Shortage Protocols (SSPs) were issued for HRT products to provide an even distribution and allow alternative products to be dispensed, supplies have improved for many products and several SSPs have been removed. Suppliers have secured additional stock of the HRT products experiencing shortages and deliveries have been expedited. We share regular communications on shortages and discontinuations with the NHS on HRT supply issues via the on the Specialist Pharmacy Services medicine supply tool.