The US lifts warning against hormone treatment for menopause symptoms

An American study in 2002 concluded that hormonal treatment for menopausal symptoms increased the risk of breast cancer, but this conclusion has long been criticized.

American health authorities announced on Monday, November 10 that they would require manufacturers of hormonal treatments to treat menopausal symptoms to issue a warning message from the box, warning of the potential risks associated with these drugs and that authorities consider excessive.

Associated hormonal treatments help relieve the symptoms of menopause, which causes a decrease in estrogen levels and can manifest as hot flashes, sleep disturbances, vaginal dryness, etc. These drugs were commonly used in the United States until the 2000s, but in 2002, an American study mixed things up, concluding that these treatments led to an increased risk of breast cancer and stroke.

Since then, warnings have emerged regarding these drugs, and the number of prescriptions has dropped significantly. Yet this topic continues to divide the medical community. Critics in particular pointed out flaws in the 2002 study, which focused on women averaging around sixty years old, an age at which cardiovascular risk is naturally higher. New forms of this treatment exist today in reduced doses.

FDA officials said in a statement that their new recommendations will allow for more in-depth discussions between patients and doctors. The President of the American College of Gynecologists and Obstetricians, Steven Fleischman, said in a statement that this decision would “improving the lives of women in perimenopause” (transition phase before menopause) by taking medication “more accessible” and lift “unnecessary obstacles”. However, the specialist stressed it “Like all medications, systemic estrogen products are not without risks, and their use should be a matter for individual discussion between the patient and his or her physician.”.