US Health Leaders Advocate Balanced Approach to Hormone Therapy for Menopause
Washington, D.C. - Leading US health experts are urging a more nuanced understanding of hormone therapy (HT) for menopause, moving away from extremes of fear and unrealistic expectation. Doctors are increasingly emphasizing the need to evaluate HT as they would any othre medication – weighing individual risks and benefits – as new treatment options emerge and research evolves.
For years, conversations surrounding hormone therapy have fallen into two camps, according to Dr. Stephanie Faubion. She notes patients often present with either the belief that “it’s not an anti-aging drug” or the concern that “it’s not going to kill you.” This binary thinking, experts say, hinders informed decision-making for the millions of American women navigating perimenopause and menopause. The renewed call for balance comes as the FDA has recently approved two nonhormonal drugs, Veozah and lynkuet, to manage hot flashes, expanding treatment options beyond HT.
A recent viewpoint published in JAMA Internal Medicine articulates this shift in perspective. Dr. Maryam Thurston, of the University of Pittsburgh, expressed hope that women and their doctors will approach hormone therapy “with the same consideration they’d give any other medication.” She emphasized, “It has risks, it has benefits, it has indications, it has contraindications, but it is neither a panacea nor poison.”
The need for individualized care is paramount, as every woman’s experience with perimenopause and menopause is unique. Doctors are now equipped with a broader range of tools to address symptoms, allowing for tailored treatment plans. “And really, women deserve a range of different options,” Thurston said, underscoring the importance of collaborative decision-making between patients and their healthcare providers.
