Millions of women were denied menopause treatment based on a flawed study

HRT use dropped 45%, denying effective treatment to millions — but new data analysis shows the risks were overstated.

 

FDA removes strictest warnings from hormone therapy after 20 years "For more than two decades, bad science and bureaucratic inertia have resulted in women and physicians having an incomplete view of HRT," Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said Monday as the FDA announced it will remove black box warnings from hormone replacement therapy products. The warnings stem from a 2002 Women's Health Initiative (WHI) study that found increased risks of heart disease, breast cancer, and blood clots in women taking HRT. Use dropped 45% almost immediately. But that study included older women who started therapy years after menopause, a detail that matters more than anyone realized. For example, a review article published in May 2022 noted that HRT significantly reduces cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality when started in women younger than 60 years of age and/or at or near menopause. A more recent review found that the risk of cognitive decline and bone fractures also decreases. The FDA will keep warnings about endometrial cancer risk for estrogen-alone products but is updating language around cardiovascular, breast cancer, and dementia risks. For more on the evidence behind this reversal, which women benefit most from HRT, and how to discuss options with your doctor, jump to "FDA removes warning label on HRT for menopause: 5 experts explain." Also making headlines this week: ☕ One cup of coffee daily may lower AFib recurrence risk by 39% 💊 Vitamin D3 supplements could halve the risk of a second heart attack 🧪 Common dry cleaning chemical may triple liver fibrosis risk We love to hear from you, so please email us if you have any feedback, comments, or questions about this weekend's Sunday Supplement. Stay informed and stay healthy! Tim Snaith Newsletter Editor, Medical News Today

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In case you missed it Vitamin D3 supplements could halve the risk of a second heart attack   Vitamin D3 may help drastically reduced the risk of having a second heart attack, a new clinical trial has found. Read on   Common chemical used in dry cleaning may triple risk for liver fibrosis   A common chemical used in dry cleaning and for certain consumer products called tetrachloroethylene (PCE) may triple a person's risk for liver fibrosis, a new study reports. Read on   1 cup of coffee a day may lower AFib recurrence risk by 39%   Drinking 1 cup of caffeinated coffee a day might help lower a person's risk of recurrent AFib episodes by as much as 39%, a new study has found. Read on   Do antidepressants affect gut health? Experts review the evidence   Three medical experts review the evidence around how antidepressants may affect the gut microbiome, and what this could mean for health. Read on   Psychedelics may 'rewire' brain to improve depression treatment: study   Scientists have found that the psychedelic DOI helped "rewire" the brains of rats and influenced a brain pathway key to mental health that may improve treatment for depression. Read on   MORE HEALTH NEWS

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