Why is HRT in short supply?
Manufacturing and supply issues have been blamed for the shortage of HRT in Britain, though the crisis has been worsened by rising numbers of women seeking out prescriptions for the treatment.
Prescription numbers in England have doubled in the last five years, rising to more than 500,000 a month.
The latest monthly figures from OpenPrescribing show that nearly 538,000 prescriptions for HRT treatment were issued in December 2021, compared with 238,000 in January 2017.
According to the Independent, shortages are primarily affecting Oestogel, manufactured by Besins Healthcare UK, as well as other products including FemSeven Sequi patches.