Why warning labels on menopause hormone therapies are being removed
CBS America · Just In
CBS America
Just In
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration will remove the "black box" warning labels on many hormone therapy drugs used for menopause and perimenopause symptoms -- a major turnaround that's likely to encourage more women to seek treatment.
Breakdown
- FDA announces removal of black box warnings for hormone-based menopause drugs, aiming to benefit millions of women.
- Black box warnings were added after a 2002 study linked hormone therapy to increased health risks, but the FDA now denounces that study. 42s
- Dr. McKerry states the risk-benefit ratio favors most women starting hormone therapy within 10 years of perimenopause or before age 60. 53s
- Hormone therapy use among menopausal women has dropped significantly since the late 1990s, but the FDA now seeks to put previous fears in context. 1m 9s
- Long-term benefits of hormone therapy may include prevention of osteoporosis and reduced risk of heart disease, with ongoing studies into cognitive effects. 1m 49s