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What to Do if Your Estrogen Patch Is Out of Stock
The New York Times • • health
Key Points:
- Women across the U.S. are experiencing widespread shortages of estrogen patches used to treat menopausal symptoms like hot flashes, sleep disturbances, and bone density loss.
- The shortage, initially reported in 2023, has worsened in 2024, with the number of affected patch formulations doubling by July 1 according to the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists.
- Patients like Ellen Winn have struggled to maintain consistent treatment, resorting to mixing lower-dose patches due to unavailability at local pharmacies.
- Healthcare providers specializing in menopause care report ongoing difficulties in obtaining estradiol patches and uncertainty about when supply issues will be resolved.
