A record 2.6 million women in England used HRT last year as celebrities sought to raise awareness of drugs to ease menopause symptoms.
According to new NHS data, this figure was 12 per cent higher than the 2.3 million in 2022/23 and double the 1.3 million in 2018/19.
Prescriptions for hormone replacement therapy have also risen to a record high, with 13 million items prescribed in 2023/2024. This is a fifth more than last year. HRT replaces the hormones estrogen, progestin, or both in women going through perimenopause or menopause.
It can relieve symptoms such as anxiety, insomnia and hot flashes and is often administered in the form of gels, creams, tablets and patches. The Mail has campaigned to improve access to HRT and several high-profile celebrities, including Penny Lancaster and Davina McCall, have spoken about how menopause affects them.
The NHS prescription prepayment certificate for hormone replacement therapy has also been credited with increasing treatment uptake.
High-profile celebrities including Penny Lancaster and Davina McCall (pictured) have spoken about the effects of menopause
According to new NHS data, this figure was 12 per cent higher than the 2.3 million in 2022/23 and double the 1.3 million in 2018/19 (stock photo)
Yesterday’s data showed that 100mg tablets of Utrogestan (a type of progesterone) were responsible for the highest number of items prescribed in 2023/24 (stock photo)
According to the NHS website, the risk of developing serious side effects with HRT is ‘very low’ (stock photo)
It costs £19.80 for 12 months and can save women money on prescriptions as they no longer have to pay for each prescription individually.
About 14.5 percent of prescription items in 2023/24 involved the use of the certificate, rising to 21 percent in June 2024, compared to 9.7 percent in June 2023.
According to the NHS website, the risk of developing serious side effects from HRT is ‘very low’, although this may lead to a small increase in the risk of breast cancer.
Yesterday’s data showed that 100mg tablets of Utrogestan (a type of progesterone) accounted for the highest number of items prescribed in 2023/24, with a 42 percent increase to 1.3 million items, compared to 940,000 items in 2022/ 2023.
Patients in the 50 to 54 age group were most likely to be prescribed HRT; in 2023/2034, 640,000 people in this age group accounted for almost a quarter of all patients receiving HRT.
But the data also showed that in the wealthiest parts of England, more than twice as many patients were receiving HRT as in the most deprived areas.
Diane Danzebrink, founder of Menopause Support, said: ‘It’s really encouraging to see… but it’s worrying that there is still a clear gap.’
Labor MP Carolyn Harris, chair of the all-party parliamentary group on menopause, told the Daily Mail she was “delighted” with the figures, adding: “I welcome this increase in HRT use, that can help relieve symptoms of menopause.
Grassroots campaigns have raised awareness to the point where women are now wondering if their symptoms are due to menopause and seeking treatment.”