2023. Why Isn't Menopause Being Taken Seriously Yet

2023. Why Isn’t Menopause Treatment Being Taken Seriously Yet?

You wouldn’t expect to see a high-profile discussion about diabetes led by speakers from a probiotics company without any qualified experts seated at the table. So why should menopause be taken any less seriously??

Menopause is always on our minds, and not just because our daily regimens include estrogen and progesterone for managing hot flashes. As the CEO and Chief Medical Officer of Midi Health, a virtual care clinic for women 40+, we’re dedicated to helping women find relief for their menopause and perimenopause symptoms. So when we heard that there was a menopause-specific presentation at next week’s Fortune Brainstorm Health 2023 conference, we took notice—and we have some thoughts.

Menopause is a serious health issue and it is experiencing a crisis in access to expert care.?

Over? 50% of US counties don’t have a single ob/gyn dedicated to women’s health.? Seven percent of us have early or premature menopause leading to a reduced life expectancy, limited fertility, early bone loss and more fractures. Hormonal shifts bring women high blood sugars, high lipid levels and there are a host of health issues that come with those hormonally triggered metabolic changes and contribute to nearly half of American women being obese.??

Is Fortune taking this seriously, clearly no! ? Instead the slotted conversation “Hear them roar: menopause’s market opportunities” centers around a company started by actresses that sells women 40+ tinctures with names like “un-anger” and “un-worry” - and for menopausal weight gain a drink mix called “Stave the Crave”.? How can the “Best Minds” conference lack discussion on access to care solutions, miss discussing? the prescriptive medicine solutions that exist yet only reach a small percentage of women, and actually lack any conversation about optimizing care delivery??

Let’s start by saying this: This is a business-oriented conference, so we’re not surprised to see business leaders driving these conversations. And for far too long, menopause—and the women going through this midlife hormonal transition—have been fully ignored, so any chance to shine a spotlight on the topic is more than welcome. But when these conversations? leave out the experts and evidence-based medical information that can change and save (yes, save) lives, then we’re doing women an indefensible disservice.? Is the only “market opportunity” yet another supplement company?? We know it is not.? Women need much more.

We have nothing against supplements. Research shows that ashwagandha, black cohosh, maca, and other supplements and botanicals can absolutely play a role in a menopause care plan. But the reality is that supplements and tinctures aren’t nearly enough to help the millions of women dealing with serious health issues related to their hormones.?

At Midi, we see these women every day. They come to us with physical and mental symptoms so severe they find it difficult to care for their families or concentrate at work (17% of women ages 50 to 65 have quit or considered quitting a job due to menopause symptoms). They haven’t enjoyed a full night’s sleep in years, are dealing with vaginal dryness so painful that sex is off the table, and the “emotional rollercoaster” that’s the butt of so many menopause jokes is leaving them at a heightened risk of depression and anxiety. And most infuriatingly, they don’t need to be experiencing any of this.

An FDA-approved treatment that addresses the majority of menopause symptoms has been available for decades. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT), which is safe for most women, has been shown to be the most effective treatment for relieving menopausal hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, and recurrent urinary tract infections. And a large body of recent research shows that if women start hormone replacement therapy within 10 years of their last period, not only do they enjoy significant relief from menopausal symptoms but they also have a lower risk of heart disease and bone loss and a potentially decreased risk of diabetes and weight gain. It’s no exaggeration to say that HRT changes—and can even save—lives.? Yes most women don’t get it. Why?? Can we spend some time addressing that?

We are, quite frankly, keeping women away from the relief and health improvements that they deserve. And this will continue to happen if profits are prioritized over true wellness—and if menopause experts are left out of the conversation.

Joanna Strober is Midi Health’s CEO. Kathleen Jordan, MD, is Midi Health’s Chief Medical Officer.