I think it is a 'Labours of Eve' thing. Women were meant to suffer. I used to think it was a religious thing but it seems to be a thing that is bound deep in our society. We have thrown away the religious aspect, but we still have people who strongly think that you should not 'go against nature'
I totally agree with you. There are so many people (including women) out there who think that menopause is a "natural" process and we shouldn't tinker with it by using hormones. Well they're men who never have to go through it anyway, and women who probably never suffered anything more than just a slightly damp upper lip.
However, if we're not supposed to "go against nature" would all these people be prepared to still have to contend with smallpox, untreated cancers and diseases etc. I suspect not. They're hypocrites because they're not prepared to follow that "don't go against nature" mantra to its obvious conclusion. It all gets back to "women have no right to feel good about themselves".
Also, it's all very well to be cynical and conspiratorial about "Big Pharma", but where exactly would we be without it? Do you think the compounding or the alternative medication industries are any better – the answer is a big fat NO!! There is a lot of underhanded stuff going on there too – simply because money is involved.
Sure I agree that when money and profit is involved things can get very muddy, but is it really that surprising to be told that pharma companies are about making money. What business isn't? They aren't a charity, and no one expects them to be.
Frankly I'm quite happy to accept the downside to "Big Pharma" as long as I can still have my hormones, and any other medication I may need as I get older. If other people want to be so down on pharma companies, fine, but don't accept any of the medications they produce if they are so terrible.