Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the supply of Estradot patches for women with menopausal symptoms.

There are over 70 hormone replacement therapy (HRT) products licensed for supply in the United Kingdom. There have been issues with the supply of a limited number of HRT products, primarily due to very sharp increases in demand, but the supply position has improved considerably over the last year, following intensive work with industry. We have held roundtables, and continue to do so, with suppliers, wholesalers, and community pharmacists to discuss the challenges they are facing, and what needs to be done to address them.

Intermittent supply issues were affecting estradot patches, which resulted in the use of a Serious Shortage Protocol, to allow pharmacists to supply an alternative brand of estradiol patches where estradot patches were not available. However, the issues have now been resolved and supplies should be available. We are continuing to engage closely with the supplier to monitor the supply position and drive action.