Increasing numbers travelling to Northern Ireland in search of HRT medicines due to shortages

There is a shortage of some types of HRT medication, used to treat some symptoms of menopause. File picture

Pharmacies in Northern Ireland have seen “ a spike” in the number of women crossing the border in search of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) medications as shortages continue in Ireland.

There is a shortage of some types of HRT medication, used to treat some symptoms of menopause, including the Evorel Conti and Evorel patches, as well as the Estradot patches. Many women have had to temporarily change the medication they are currently taking, which can cause side-effects, according to GPs.

Corry’s Chemists has three shops in Northern Ireland, including in Enniskillen and Castlederg, two towns near the border.

“It is very obvious, because in a normal scenario you would only dispense a certain number of Evorel Conti patches but then you get a wee spike when it's out of stock [in Ireland],” director Patrick Corry said on Thursday.

This increase in customers from outside their normal catchment area began at the start of last week, he said.

Shortages have also hit Northern Ireland in the past, and he said it was clear sometimes that a similar shortage was not impacting Ireland as they do not get “inundated” with requests looking for the Everol Conti patch.

“Everol Conti sporadically comes into stock,” he said. “But for some reason we have stock, the UK has stock at the minute whereas the Republic doesn’t. The situation could be vice versa and has been in the past.” 

He said they usually have stock of the Evorel patches, adding: “But Estradot is a problem, there is a continuous problem with that one.” 

A GP in Co Monaghan said she was already aware some of her patients are crossing the border to get HRT treatments.

“Many of my patients are going to Northern pharmacies to avoid repeated HRT changes,” Dr Illona Duffy said. However, she added, this is not always possible, especially as there is an added cost involved in accessing treatment further from home.

Dr Deirdre Lundy, a GP specialising in menopause care, posted on social media in relation to the shortages that she is “sick of this”.

She said women who cannot get the Evorel Conti patch, which contains two hormones, need to find two substitutes, suggesting a 50mcg estrogen patch and low-dose quality progestogens instead.

“We will make do until this is sorted, but let’s do better pls Pharma,” she said.

The Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) publishes a list of medicines shortages. 

This had said Evorel Conti patches were due back in supply from January 23, as per information it had from the manufacturers Theramex. This has now been updated to indicate a return date of “early February”.

The Evorel patch remains set for re-stocking at the “end of February” and while some Estradot patches are now back in stock, the Estradot 100mcg remains marked for a “mid-February” return.