Pharmacists have said trying to get hold of the two most popular HRT patches is like a lottery (file picture). Photo: BSIP via AFP
A doctor says women feel blindsided by a decision to switch the supplier of hormone replacement patches for menopausal women without any public consultation.
Pharmac will be changing to the Mylan estradiol transdermal patches, conditional on getting full Medsafe approval by 1 July, as the supplier has assured the agency it could produce enough to meet the demand.
However, Dr Linda Dear told Checkpoint the Mylan brand was not as effective for some women, and often lead to symptoms - that had been well controlled on another patch - coming back.
She said some had a rash where the patch was, or had headaches, or felt nausea.
Pharmac changing HRT patch supplier to guarantee supply
"There's plenty of women who are happy on Mylan, but there's plenty of women who aren't, and for those women this is quite a frightening announcement for them," she said.
Dr Dear added that it was the Estradot brand in particular that women were feeling anxious about losing.
"For some women, for some reason, that seems to be the only type of estrogen that helps them."
She said it felt like a kick in the teeth, especially as the decision came with no public consultation.
"A lot of women are angry, a lot of women are upset, anxious, and I think if people felt like they'd been a bit more consulted... to give their opinions and their stories.
"There are some women feeling like they've just been left in the lurch."