Missing your usual HRT patch? Why the oestrogen dose matters most when you switch
FemSeven Conti patches are out of stock until late November and various Estradot patches until January. Specialists say the dose of estradiol and the way it is delivered matter more than the brand.
By
Callum Fairbairn
In brief
- FemSeven Conti patches are out of stock until late November, according to a government supply notification.
- Various Estradot patches are short too, with no end expected before January.
- Specialists advise keeping the same oestrogen dose and delivery method, and speaking to a clinician.
- Patches should not be cut up, worn for longer than prescribed or borrowed from others.
Women in the UK are again struggling to obtain some hormone replacement therapy products, and warnings suggest the gaps could last for weeks. The advice from specialists is consistent: if your usual product is unavailable, look for a substitute that delivers the same dose of oestrogen in the same way, and talk to a clinician first.
A familiar problem for a widely used treatment
HRT comes as gels, sprays, patches, pills, creams and intrauterine systems. As the NHS notes, it typically involves oestrogen and progestogen, given separately or combined in one product. Women who have had a hysterectomy only need oestrogen-containing HRT.
This is not the first time supply has faltered. The NHS Business Services Authority says shortages of some products began in December 2024, and the problems affecting Estradot have been long-lasting. Sehar Shahid, a member of the National Pharmacy Association’s board, said: “We are deeply frustrated and concerned by shortages to a number of HRT products, with shortages of Estradot being the second longest running individual medicine shortage in the UK”.
Which products are affected
A Department of Health and Social Care supply notification issued this week covers the main gaps, as reported by The Guardian. FemSeven Conti patches are out of stock, while various Estradot patches are also short.
| Product | Contains | Expected to return | Listed alternatives |
|---|---|---|---|
| FemSeven Conti patches | Estradiol and levonorgestrel | Late November | Evorel Conti, Estradot Conti 30/95 and Estradot Conti 40/130. These contain estradiol and norethisterone and are used twice a week rather than once. |
| Various Estradot patches | Estradiol | January | Estradiol patches by Estraderm MX and Evorel, listed under serious shortage protocols |
These dates are expectations rather than guarantees.
What to do if your HRT is out of stock
Paula Briggs, a consultant in sexual and reproductive health and former chair of the British Menopause Society, said the dose of estradiol is the important aspect. The replacement Conti patches use a different progestogen, but she does not expect that to harm symptom control, since progestogens are there to protect the womb lining rather than manage symptoms.
“If we’re using the same dose of oestrogen delivered in a similar patch through the skin, really there is no need to worry”
Paula Briggs, consultant in sexual and reproductive health
- Speak to your clinician if your regime has been disrupted, as Shahid advises.
- Do not leave a patch on for longer than prescribed.
- Do not cut patches up.
- Do not borrow HRT from other people.
Sobia Qasim, a pharmacist at the online pharmacy Curely, warned that being told a treatment that controls sleep and hot flushes is unavailable “can be unsettling”. Shahid added a caveat: “Certain HRT products are specialised and cannot always be easily substituted for an alternative.”
Why more shortages may follow
Briggs expects further gaps, “because year on year we’re seeing a more than 10% increase in use”. Shahid has called on the new secretary of state to convene a taskforce bringing together every part of the supply chain, though no such step has been announced.
Photo: cottonbro studio / Pexels
