Prescribing advice
Prescribing advice is contained in two key resources:
- A NICE clinical knowledge summary which provides detailed guidance on appropriate use of HRT.
- British Menopause Society advice which provides advice on clinical equivalence between preparations.
These two resources should be used in conjunction with the summary of available products below.
Note that women with an intact uterus require both an oestrogen and progestogen, either in a combined product or as separate preparations.
Oestrogen oral preparations
In stock
The following are currently available:
Estradiol hemihydrate tablets
Available as:
- Elleste-Solo 1mg tablets (Viatris)
- Elleste-Solo 2mg tablets (Viatris)
- Zumenon 1mg tablets (Viatris)
- Zumenon 2mg tablets (Viatris)
Conjugated oestrogen
Available as:
- Premarin 300 microgram (Pfizer)
- Premarin 625 microgram (Pfizer)
- Premarin 1.25mg tablets (Pfizer)
Estradiol valerate tablets
Available as:
- Progynova 1mg tablets (Bayer)
- Progynova 2mg tablets (Bayer)
Oestrogen transdermal patches
In stock
The following are currently available:
Estradiol
Available as:
- Evorel 25 microgram patches (Theramex UK Limited)
- Evorel 50 microgram patches (Theramex UK Limited)
- Evorel 75 microgram patches (Theramex UK Limited)
- Evorel 100 microgram patches (Theramex UK Limited)
Estradiol hemihydrate
Available as:
- Estraderm MX 25 patches (Merus Labs/Norgine)
- Estraderm MX 50 patches (Merus Labs/Norgine)
- Estraderm MX 75 patches (Merus Labs/Norgine)
- Estraderm MX 100 patches (Merus Labs/Norgine)
- FemSeven 50 microgram patches (Theramex)
- FemSeven 75 microgram patches (Theramex)
- FemSeven 100 microgram patches (Theramex)
- Progynova TS 50 microgram patches (Bayer)
- Progynova TS 100 microgram patches (Bayer)
Affected
The following active supply issues exist:
Estradiol hemihydrate
Approved users can see details in our Medicines Supply Tool for:
Oestrogen topical preparations
In stock
The following are currently available:
Estradiol hemihydrate
Available as:
- Estradiol (Oestrogel Pump-Pack) 0.06% gel (Besins Healthcare (UK) Ltd)
- Estradiol 10 microgram pessaries (Advanz Pharma)
- Estradiol (Sandrena®) 500microgram and 1mg gel sachets
- Lenzetto 1.53mg/dose transdermal spray (Gedeon Richter (UK) Ltd)
- Vagifem 10 microgram vaginal tablets (Novo Nordisk Ltd)
- Vagirux 10 microgram vaginal tablets (Gedeon Richter (UK) Ltd)
- Estring 7.5 microgram/24 hours vaginal delivery system (Pfizer)
Estriol
Available as:
- Blissel 50micrograms/g vaginal gel with applicator (Flynn Pharma Ltd)
- Estriol 0.01% cream (Marlborough Pharmaceuticals Ltd)
- Estriol (Ovestin 1mg) 0.1% cream (Aspen Pharma Trading Ltd)
- Estriol (Imvaggis) 0.03mg pessary (Besins Healthcare (UK) Ltd)
Progestogen oral preparations
In stock
The following are currently available:
Progesterone
Available as:
- Gepretix 100mg soft capsules (Exeltis UK Ltd)
- Utrogestan 100mg Capsules (Besins Healthcare (UK) Ltd)
Progestogen topical preparations
In stock
The following are currently available:
Levonorgestrel
Available as:
- Mirena 20micrograms/24hours intrauterine device (Bayer Plc)
Continuous combined therapy oral preparations
In stock
The following are currently available:
Estradiol hemihydrate and norethisterone acetate
Available as:
- Elleste Duet Conti 2mg and 1mg tablets (Viatris)
- Kliofem 2mg and 1mg tablets (Novo Nordisk)
- Kliovance 1mg and 500 microgram tablets (Novo Nordisk)
Estradiol hemihydrate and Dydrogesterone
Available as:
- Femoston 500 microgram and 2.5 mg Conti tablets (Viatris)
- Femoston 1mg and 5mg Conti tablets (Viatris)
Estradiol valerate and medroxyprogesterone
Available as:
- Indivina 2mg and 5mg tablets (Orion)
Estradiol hemihydrate and progesterone
Available as:
- Bijuve 1mg and 100mg capsules (Theramex)
Low dose conjugated oestrogen and medroxyprogesterone
Available as:
- Premique Low Dose 0.3mg/1.5mg Modified Release Tablets
Affected
The following active supply issues exist:
Estradiol valerate and medroxyprogesterone
Approved users can see details in our Medicines Supply Tool for:
Continuous combined therapy transdermal patches
In stock
The following are currently available:
Estradiol hemihydrate and norethisterone acetate
Available as:
- Evorel Conti 3.2mg and 11.2mg transdermal patches (Theramex)
Estradiol hemihydrate and levonorgestrel
Available as:
- FemSeven Conti 1.5mg and 0.525mg (Theramex)
Sequential combined therapy oral preparations
In stock
The following are currently available:
Estradiol hemihydrate and norethisterone acetate
Available as:
- Elleste Duet 1mg and 1mg tablets (Viatris)
- Elleste Duet 2mg and 1mg tablets (Viatris)
Estradiol hemihydrate and dydrogesterone
Available as:
- Femoston 1mg and 10mg tablets (Viatris)
- Femoston 2mg and 10mg tablets (Viatris)
Estradiol hemihydrate and norethisterone acetate
Available as:
- Novofem 1mg and 1mg tablets (Novo Nordisk)
Estradiol hemihydrate and Estradiol hemihydrate/norethisterone acetate and Estradiol hemihydrate
Available as:
- Trisequens 1mg and 2mg/1mg and 2mg tablets (Novo Nordisk)
Estradiol valerate and medroxyprogesterone acetate
Available as:
- Tridestra 2mg and 20mg tablets (Orion)
Sequential combined therapy transdermal patches
In stock
The following are currently available:
Estradiol hemihydrate and Estradiol hemihydrate/norethisterone acetate
Available as:
- Evorel Sequi 3.2mg and 3.2mg/11.2mg transdermal patches (Theramex)
Affected
The following active supply issues exist:
Estradiol hemihydrate and estradiol hemihydrate/levonorgestrel
Approved users can see details in our Medicines Supply Tool for:
Gonadomimetic oral preparations
In stock
The following are currently available:
Tibolone
Available as:
- Livial 2.5mg tablets (Organon)
- Tibolone 2.5mg tablets (Advanz)
- Tibolone 2.5mg tablets (Aristo)
- Tibolone 2.5mg tablets (Strides Pharma UK)
Further advice
Medicines Supply Tool
Update history
- Ethyinylestradiol discontinued and removed. Estring now in stock. Supply issue added for Estradiol valerate and medroxyprogesterone tablets and Estradot.
- Broken link to estradiol hemihydrate shortage post removed.
- Shortage of estradiol valerate 1mg / medroxyprogesterone acetate 5mg (Indivina) tablets has resolved.
- Shortage of Estring 7.5 micrograms/24hours vaginal delivery system added.
- Ethinylestradiol tablets have now been discontinued.
- Shortage of Utrogestan 100mg capsules has resolved.
- Shortages of Estradiol (FemSeven) 75 microgram patches and 100 microgram patches are resolved.
- Gepretix 100mg capsules (Exeltis) added as an available Progestogen oral preparation.
- Shortages of Estradiol (FemSeven) 75micrograms, Estradiol (FemSeven) 100micrograms patches and Estradiol valerate/medroxyprogesterone acetate (Indivina) 1mg/5mg tablets added.
- Shortage of Estradiol valerate/medroxyprogesterone acetate (Indivina) 1mg/2.5mg tablets resolved.
- Shortage of Estradiol (Progynova) TS 100 microgram patches resolved.
- Shortage of Estradiol (Estradot) 25micrograms, 37.5micrograms and 100micrograms transdermal patches added.
- Sentence added re: choice of HRT with intact uterus.
- Shortage of Estriol (Imvaggis) 0.03mg pessary is resolved
- Shortage of Utrogestan 100mg capsules (Besins) included
- Shortage of Estradiol (Sandrena®) 500microgram and 1mg gel sachets resolved.
- Shortage of Estradot 75 microgram patches (Novartis) resolved
- Shortage of Estradot 50 microgram patches (Novartis) is resolved; shortages of Estradot 75 microgram patches (Novartis) and Estriol (Imvaggis) 0.03mg pessary included.
- Shortage of Estradot 100 microgram patch (Novartis) is resolved
- Shortages of Indivina 1mg and 2.5mg tablets and Progynova TS 100 microgram patches included; Estraderm MX 75 patches and Estraderm MX 100 patches are resolved
- Shortage of Estradot 25micrograms/24hours patch is resolved
- Shortage of Estradot 25micrograms/24hours, 50micrograms/24hours and 100micrograms/24hours patches included
- Utrogestan 200mg vaginal capsules (Besins) removed from article as not an HRT
- Shortage of Lenzetto 1.53mg/dose transdermal spray is resolved
- Shortage of Estraderm MX 75 micrograms patches added to the shortage of Estraderm MX 100 micrograms patches
- Shortages of Estriol (Ovestin® 1mg) 0.1% cream and Estradiol (Oestrogel Pump-Pack) 0.06% gel are resolved
- Shortage of Estraderm MX 25 patches is resolved
- Shortage of Indivina 2mg/5mg tablets (Orion) is resolved
- Shortage of Estraderm MX 25 patches included
- Shortage of Indivina 2 mg/5 mg tablets included
- Shortage of Premique Low Dose 0.3mg/1.5mg Modified Release Tablets resolved.
- Shortage of Estradot 75 microgram patches (Novartis) and Tibolone 2.5mg tablets (Strides Pharma UK) resolved
- Published