Women’s health ministry 'needed in the wake of shortage of HRT'

'We needed a women’s health minister yesterday,' said Independent TD Verona Murphy. Picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins

Ireland needs a junior minister for women’s health to tackle shortages of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) products, Independent TD Verona Murphy has said.

Her call comes in the wake of the creation of a HRT tsar role in Britain following reports that shortages of the products have become so severe that women are sharing prescriptions and, in some cases, reporting feelings of mental health distress.