FemSeven Conti, a type of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) patch, is now out of stock until late November 2026, according to the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC).
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The patch contains estradiol and levonorgestrel and is widely used to help manage menopause symptoms such as hot flushes, night sweats, poor sleep, and mood changes.
Its unavailability is the latest in a series of HRT shortages affecting women across the UK, with Estradot patches already under a serious shortage notice since late 2024.
Demand for HRT has doubled in recent years, with more than 500,000 prescriptions now issued monthly.
Nikki Ramskill, a women’s health GP and founder of The Female Health Doctor Clinic, told The Sun: “It is incredibly frustrating that women are still having to worry about whether they will be able to obtain their HRT.
“We have spent years encouraging women to seek help for menopause symptoms and improving access to treatment, so the supply chain needs to be able to keep pace with that progress.”
She said women have reported having to contact multiple pharmacies to find Estradot patches or being offered a different brand.
Dr Nikki said: “For some women, that is much more than an inconvenience.
“HRT can control symptoms such as hot flushes, night sweats, poor sleep, brain fog, anxiety and low mood, and women can understandably become very worried about symptoms returning if they cannot get their usual medication.”
She has advised patients not to ration patches, cut doses or change their HRT routine without professional advice.
Dr Nikki said: “Speak to your pharmacist or prescriber instead.
“In most cases, there will be an alternative way of maintaining your oestrogen treatment.”
Dr Louise Newson, a hormone specialist and author, said the issue needs higher priority.
She said: “I don’t know why this isn’t a priority for the government and the MHRA to look at.
“If it was another drug or another hormone, like insulin, that was in short supply, then they’d be acting quicker.”
Alternative patches such as Evorel Conti, Estradot Conti 30/95, and Estradot Conti 40/130 remain available, but concerns remain about patient care.
Olivier Picard, chair of the National Pharmacy Association, said in August that Estradot shortages are among the longest running for any medicine in NHS history.
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) advises that most HRT is managed in primary care, with patients typically able to access treatment through their GP.
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Specialist support is available through the Sandyford Menopause Service in Glasgow, which requires a GP referral.
The service covers Greater Glasgow and Clyde as well as Argyll and Bute.
The British Menopause Society lists Dr Kay McAllister and Dr Janine Simpson as specialists at the Sandyford clinic, located at 2–6 Sandyford Place.
A second specialist clinic operates at 84 Castle Street, where Dr Jenifer Sassarini is the named consultant.
Referrals to specialist menopause services are typically reserved for patients with complex medical conditions that complicate HRT, such as breast cancer, venous thromboembolism, or severe endometriosis.
Patients who experience HRT-related side effects, unexplained bleeding, or inadequate symptom control may also be referred for specialist care.
NHSGGC also provides clinical guidance for specific scenarios, including unscheduled bleeding on HRT, post-myocardial infarction HRT use, and menopause management in women with cardiovascular disease.
The ongoing shortages have raised wider concerns about the resilience of the UK’s medicines supply chain, with pharmacy bodies warning that the issue poses a serious risk to patient safety.