Private Menopause Tests Criticized by Doctors for Potentially Undermining NHS Care
London, UK – A growing number of private companies offering at-home menopause tests are facing criticism from doctors who argue the tests lack scientific validity and may lead to misdiagnosis, confusion, and ultimately, hinder effective care within the National Health Service (NHS). Concerns center on the practice of offering hormone tests – frequently enough measuring Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) – to women experiencing perimenopause symptoms,despite a lack of evidence supporting their clinical usefulness.
The controversy highlights a tension between consumer demand for proactive health management and the established principles of evidence-based medicine. While companies like Superdrug and Asda offer these tests, framing them as empowering tools for women, leading medical professionals warn they can create unnecessary anxiety and divert patients from appropriate, symptom-based treatment guided by NHS clinicians.
Dr. Louise Sterry, a consultant gynecologist, explained the core issue: “The companies often advise women to take these results to their menopause doctor, so when I explain that they do not add value, it undermines their trust in me.” She emphasizes that there is “no evidence that the symptoms a women experiences in perimenopause or the severity of those symptoms, correlates to data received from blood tests.” Sterry further argues that negative test results can lead to ”underdiagnosis and undertreatment,” and that “treatment should be guided by a patient’s individual symptoms and not by treating the numbers.”
Dr. Martin thornton, medical director at the private clinic Bluecrest, defends the use of the tests, stating they “empower women by providing them with data to correlate to their symptoms, because a lot of the symptoms are not straightforward.” He adds that testing “allows people to open up a dialogue with their doctor and can help you understand if it’s the menopause or something else.”
However, Sterry counters this, asserting that the ”principle of evidence-based practice is that a test should be done only if its result will directly guide patient care,” and that hormone testing in menopause treatment “is not supported by evidence and does not improve care.”
Superdrug stated they launched the FSH test following customer feedback, adding that results are accompanied by “tailored medical advice from our doctors based on a combination of the assessment answers, and the test result.” asda has been approached for comment.
The debate comes amid increasing awareness of menopause and its impact on women’s health, as highlighted by recent research advocating for inclusive education on menstruation in schools (https://www.theguardian.com/education/2025/aug/20/teaching-boys-and-girls-mixed-classes-menstruation-periods-ucl-study). However, doctors warn that relying on unproven tests risks complicating diagnosis and potentially straining already-burdened NHS resources.
