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\nPhoto: RNZ \/Dom Thomas\n<\/p>\n
Pharmac is having to temporarily ration some forms of hormone replacement therapy (HRT), which is used to treat menopause symptoms, due to ongoing supply issues.<\/p>\n
From Friday, progesterone capsules will be dispensed on a monthly basis, instead of three-monthly.<\/p>\n
Pharmac said the pharmacies were having trouble sourcing some oestrogen patches because the manufacturer couldn’t keep up with global demand.<\/p>\n
Its director of pharmaceuticals, Adrienne Martin, told Morning Report supply issues were affecting both progesterone capsules and oestradiol patches.<\/p>\n
“With progesterone capsules, we are moving to monthly dispensing of progesterone capsules so that there is enough supply to go around for everyone who needs it.”<\/p>\n
Martin said the increased demand for the products had resulted in global supply issues.<\/p>\n
She said the supply of capsules were being impacted more than the patches due to issues such as temperature excursion.<\/p>\n
Martin said suppliers closely monitored the temperature of the stock to make sure that it was safe to use when it arrived in the country.<\/p>\n
If the temperature had gone outside those ranges that were safe, then there would need to be further checks done, she said.<\/p>\n
Martin said they had more stock arriving and expect more to be available very soon.<\/p>\n
“There is stock available at wholesalers, and the monthly dispensing will just help make sure that there’s enough to go around to all pharmacies to make sure people need it until further stocks arrive.”<\/p>\n
Martin said there were two brands of funded patches, and the global supply issue was affecting one of them.<\/p>\n
She said that it they were important treatments used for menopause symptoms and that the two brands of oestradiol patches came in a variety of strengths.<\/p>\n
“The supply issue is affecting one of the strengths of one of the brands that we fund called Estradot 75 microgram,” she said.<\/p>\n
“There’s about 110,000 people who use oestradiol patches and a significant proportion use the Estradot brand.”<\/p>\n
Martin said without the treatments, life could be really challenging and have a big impact on people’s everyday wellbeing.<\/p>\n
“We’re doing everything that we can to minimise the disruption as much as possible,” she said.<\/p>\n
“We can’t prevent global supply issues, but we are doing all that we can to help ease the pressure.”<\/p>\n
Martin said they did not have any information to suggest supply issues were due to the Iran war.<\/p>\n
She said it was a global long-standing issue that had resulted from increased demand whereby factories simply couldn’t keep up with the stock needed.<\/p>\n
“I know the suppliers will be doing what they can to increase production. I can’t comment to manufacturing or how they make the patches, but I know that the global supply issue has so much demand that it just is very difficult for them to keep up,” Martin said.<\/p>\n
She said increased awareness and advocacy for women’s health had also attributed to more demand, with women seeking treatment rather than just putting up with it.<\/p>\n