Everyday Wellness: Midlife Hormones, Health, and Science for Women 35+ Ep. 518 Finally! The FDA Fix That Could Transform Hormone Therapy Safety & Confidence
Nov 14, 2025
This discussion highlights a monumental shift in hormone replacement therapy labeling by the FDA, enhancing safety and confidence for women. It reviews the history of estrogen’s benefits for heart and bone health and how past research fueled fear about hormone therapy. Tailored safety information for systemic and topical therapies is now clarified, with emphasis on individualized treatment approaches. The podcast also addresses the implications for menopause-related health issues and aims to alleviate generational fears surrounding hormone use.
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Timing Matters For Hormone Benefits
- The FDA updated menopausal hormone therapy labeling to reflect modern evidence about timing and risks.
- Starting hormone therapy within 10 years of menopause links to long-term benefits without major cardiovascular harm for women 50–59.
WHI Fear Versus Modern Understanding
- The WHI study led to widespread fear and reduced hormone prescriptions despite nuanced results.
- Later analysis attributes increased breast cancer risk to medroxyprogesterone acetate, a progestin no longer commonly used.
Removing Box Warnings Restores Confidence
- Removing the black box warnings corrects decades of overly broad, class-based fear about hormone therapy.
- This change may restore prescriber and patient confidence and improve population health for older women.