Menopause: HRT prescription costs to fall, says government

The cost of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) prescriptions will fall following a campaign by a Labour MP, the government has announced.

Carolyn Harris put forward a bill in Parliament to make the menopause treatment free in England.

The government would not go that far, but said women would only have to pay for the prescription once a year - saving upwards of £200 annually.

Ms Harris welcomed the move and thanked "menopause warriors" for their support.

HRT can treat symptoms of the menopause by replacing hormones that are at a lower level for those approaching and experiencing it.

Those symptoms include anxiety, hot flushes, night sweats, difficulty sleeping and vaginal dryness.

And while the NHS says the symptoms last around four years after someone's last period, one in 10 women experience them for up to 12 years.

A prescription for HRT currently in England costs £9.95 - or £18.70 if a woman needs two types of hormones - and is often provided on a short-term basis, meaning the cost has to be paid every month or every three months.

In both Scotland and Wales, prescriptions are free.

Under the government's proposal for England, the treatment will instead be made available on an annual basis, meaning someone only needs to pay the prescription charge once a year - reducing the cost by around £200 for someone who pays every month.

Health Minister Maria Caulfield confirmed the change during a debate on the issue in the Commons on Friday, adding: "[Menopause] is directly impacting 51% of the population and the effects are often wide-ranging and debilitating.

"But let's be clear, it also indirectly impacts the remaining 49% of the population. The menopause is everyone's business."

As well as the prescription change, Ms Caulfield also confirmed the government would be starting a menopause taskforce to look into the issue further, inviting Ms Harris to be the co-chair.

And she promised to make menopause a priority in the government's upcoming women's health strategy - due to be published by the end of the year.

Labour's Ms Harris was tearful after the announcement in the Commons, and thanked MPs for their support.

She said: "What has happened today is only the beginning, I know, but we can do such great things together because that's what it is all about - looking after wonderful women.

"The menopause revolution is making a big difference"