FDA claims there’s no estrogen patch shortage as women struggle to get prescriptions filled

The Food and Drug Administration removed the black box warning from hormone replacement therapies late last year, and recently, the most insured type, the estrogen patch, has been in short supply amid a boom in the therapy’s popularity.

The Food and Drug Administration removed the black box warning from hormone replacement therapies late last year, and recently, the most insured type, the estrogen patch, has been in short supply amid a boom in the therapy’s popularity.

Subscribe to read this story ad-free

Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.

“There’s been a surge in demand for the last two or three years where the utilization of transdermal estrogen has gone up significantly,” said Dr. Robert Kauffman, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Texas Tech Physicians of Amarillo.

While doctors and patients report difficulties getting certain doses of estrogen patches, the FDA has not yet included any on its list of drugs in shortage.