The shortage of estrogen medications has been a recurring issue for several years, and the number of users has increased sharply. The result is that many women are left without gels, sprays and patches, or are forced to switch between different versions.
Prescribed on licence
It will now be easier to see on the Medical Products Agency's website which medicines are available and where there is a shortage.
Go to our website, where we will display clear information about availability and shortages and what alternatives are available, says Tina Crafoord, Director of the Use Area at the Medical Products Agency, at a press conference.
Doctors who prescribe hormone replacement drugs should be able to more easily see products that are approved in other countries but are not available on the Swedish market. Such drugs can be prescribed under licence, but availability has varied across the country.
"It's another tap we're turning on to increase the flow of these medicines to Swedish women," Jakob Forssmed tells TT.
The medicines are therefore approved, but are not currently marketed in Sweden.
"Today, there are differences between who uses the opportunity to prescribe on a licence. Some know where and how to find them. Now everyone gets the same knowledge," says Forssmed.
According to the Minister of Social Affairs, it is more often private clinics that have the opportunity to do this.
Unclear how the price is affected
According to the Swedish Medical Products Agency, it is, among other things, new treatment guidelines that have led to the increased demand for the drugs and not a stop in production. Currently, the availability of gels and sprays is good, according to the Swedish Medical Products Agency.
For patches, it remains difficult and will be so until the end of the year, says Tina Crafoord.
A licensed drug is a drug that is not approved for sale in Sweden, but which the Swedish Medical Products Agency still allows a pharmacy to sell after a special application. This process is to be accelerated, according to the Swedish Medical Products Agency.
How that will affect the price is not clear.
According to statistics from the National Board of Health and Welfare, around 205,000 women over the age of 45 are currently treated with estrogen, which corresponds to just over eight percent of the age group.
