Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[CJ-sleepless]

Spotted this on my news travels

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/science/science-news/11938763/Ignore-health-scares-HRT-is-safe-say-scientists.html

[CLKD]

Yep - Dr Currie sent a heads up and it seems that the Press are full of positive Articles this morning 

[Winterose]

There was a professor on Radio 4 this morning and she was on womans hour last week who still stands by the big  Million woman study done in USA , she was all doom and gloom, however she didnt mention that most of those women started HRT past their menopause and took Premarin in high doses  which we know is not recommended. No one picked her up on this though.

[bramble]

I'm not sure the news report fills me with confidence for those taking HRT beyond 51. It states 'It seems that the problem with the WHI study was that the HRT doses used were too high and many women were well beyond the average age of menopause at 51. ' . To me, this makes it appear that there may still be a problem with older users.

Bramble

[dahliagirl]

I think it was the Millenium Women Study (US) that used the premarin and older subjects.  It was good in the way it was random - controlled etc.  However, they chose women who were past menopause and not having any symptoms.  This was so that the symptoms did not interfere with results, but women without symptoms do not usually take hrt, and the average age was rather high.

The million women study (UK), I think, was a questionnaire study following women who came for breast screening during a certain period.  The criticism of this study is the self selection nature of the people in the study - ie they came forward for screening and also agreed to do the questionnaire (about 70% did).  Therefore, a higher proportion of those studied would have some reason to be concerned about developing breast cancer than the general population.  You can't do random controls etc with this sort of investigation.

They were both good in that they managed to get a very large number of women, but there are compromises to be made in how studies this size are carried out and which ones are taken will affect the results in some way.

[Hurdity]

There is more information and discussion on this thread
http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,29497.0.html

The Guardian article is better in that it gives more details about the current study
http://www.theguardian.com/science/2015/oct/19/hrt-to-treat-menopause-is-safe-study

Bramble the criticisms of and flaws in the Women's Health Initiative study of 2002 ( or thereabouts) have been well documented since 20122013 and the consluations re-evaluated.

Here are a couple of the press releases from the time: http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/pdf/HRT%20guidelines%2021%20May%202013.pdf

http://www.imsociety.org/pdf_files/comments_and_press_statements/ims_press_statement_15_03_13.pdf

I can't find the summary of papers where the evidence was re-evaluated at the moment but if I do I'll post it. In the meantime here's some info from this site:
http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/newsitem.php?recordID=135/The-Women-s-Health-Initiative-study-and-Hormone-Therapy-what-have-we-learned-10-years-on

A summary of risks vs benefits for older users is also given on this site - which is judgment based on the available evidence from studies:
http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/balance.php

Hurdity x

[Mary G]

The million women study was pants and has been completely discredited.  Professor Studd has said on numerous occasions that it was not carried out properly i.e. far too high doses given to women who were way past the menopause.  The important thing is to start HRT as soon as your oestrogen levels drop off and not leave it too late. 

The guidelines of only staying on HRT for five years was plucked out of the air in a panic and also has no credibility.  HRT has moved on since the 1990s and the bio identical transdermal products are far better and safer.  The whole issue of HRT needs a serious review and GPs need to be brought up to date and prescribe accordingly.  Too many women have lost too many years of their lives on the back of that wretched study and someone somewhere needs to admit they got it wrong.

[honeybun]

Yep, and pigs will fly. 

No one will put any hands up and apologise for that.


Honeybun
X

[CJ-sleepless]

At least with all this publicity there's a chance the GP's will take note!!

[Dancinggirl]

This new research, along with other studies showing similar findings, will empower women and the GPs will have to take note. Hopefully the new guidelines coming in November will also help. DG x