FDA Launches Campaign on HRT Benefits, Risks 31955

FDA Launches Campaign on HRT Benefits, Risks

WASHINGTONOn Sept. 9, theFood and Drug Administration (FDA), along with two legislators, launched anational information campaign to raise awareness about the risks and benefits ofhormone replacement therapy (HRT) for menopausal women. The agency created thecampaign after the release of a 2002 report that showed HRT might cause morehealth problems than it solves.

It is very important that women realize this beneficialtherapy also carries significant risks, stated FDA Commissioner MarkMcClellan, M.D., Ph.D. Our recommendation is that if you choose to use HRTfor hot flashes or vaginal dryness, or if you prefer it to other treatments toprevent thin bones, take the lowest dose for the least duration required toprovide relief.

Reps. Henry Bonilla (R-Texas) and Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) wereon hand to lend their support when McClellan announced the campaign. The choice of whether or not to undergo HRT is a decisionthat will affect all women at some point in their lives, DeLauro said. Thatis why it is critical that women have the information they need so they knowtheir options and can make the right decision for them.

The campaign provides tools to women who want to learn moreabout menopause and HRT, including fact sheets and a purse guide that listsquestions to ask a health care professional. These tools are found at www.4woman.gov, the site of The National Womens Health Information Center,which also has information on alternative products for menopausal relief. Thereare other products, such as soy, ginseng, black cohosh and flaxseed that womenuse to relieve symptoms, the center stated. But are they safe? ... TheNational Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) at theNational Institutes of Health is supporting research to find out.