A new drug that aims to prevent hot flushes will soon be for use in the UK.
Veoza, also known as fezolinetant, has been approved by the UK regulator, potentially benefiting millions of women. The drug was approved for use seven months ago in America by the US regulator, the Food and Drug Administration.
Hot flushes affect around 70 per cent of women going through the menopause. Symptoms can last for months or years and can change with time.
Veoza's manufacturer, Astellas, has already begun the process of applying to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence to enable women to access the drug on the NHS. It will be available privately from January 5.
A study published in March found that Veoza could reduce the frequency of hot flushes by around 60 per cent in women with moderate or severe symptoms, compared with 45 per cent who received a placebo.
Professor Waljit Dhillo, an endocrinologist at Imperial College London who has led trials on Veoza, told the Guardian that it would be a “blockbuster drug”.
However, Julian Beach, interim executive director of healthcare quality and access at the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) cautioned that Veoza would not be made available to women over the age of 65 due to a lack of studies over its effectiveness in the age group.
The news comes following World Menopause Day falls on 18 October, halfway through the Menopause Awareness Month.
World Menopause Day is led by the International Menopause Society and is key to reducing the stigma around the experiences associated with the major change of having periods stop - a transition which may occur naturally from the ages of around 45 to 55 when hormonal levels are low.
The day is about supporting those who feel lost and are experiencing menopause or perimenopause (when one has symptoms of menopause but menstruation is ongoing). It also provides a platform to discuss these lesser-addressed topics.
What is the theme of this year's World Menopause Day?
The theme of this year's World Menopause Day is cardiovascular disease. Recently, researchers from Imperial College London discovered that a woman's reproductive experiences, which involve pregnancy, breast cancer treatments and menstruation, can affect the chances of developing cardiovascular disease in later stages of life.
Today, many across the world are acknowledging World Menopause Day, not only to raise awareness of the difficulties experienced with health but to see how menopause continues to affect life in working environments, too. It is often a reason why women face discrimination and are also afraid to communicate issues they are having with others.
Research undertaken by the British Menopause Society earlier this year revealed that, of 1,000 adults surveyed in the UK, 45 per cent of women felt that menopausal symptoms had a negative impact on their work. 47 per cent who needed to take a day off work due to menopause symptoms said they wouldn’t tell their employer the real reason why.
The NHS has set out guidelines for employers about being open to flexible working hours, offering more work breaks and permitting individuals who require it, to take more time to prepare for appointments and engagements.
On #WorldMenopauseDay we're emphasising the importance of supporting colleagues going through menopause at work.
— NHS England Workforce, Training and Education (@NHSE_WTE) October 18, 2023
Our menopause awareness elearning session is available to NHS healthcare professionals.https://t.co/vaL4cFg4LL#MenopauseAwareness #NHSProfessionals #PatientCare pic.twitter.com/MJU5PgRsdd
What are the symptoms of menopause?
According to the NHS, menopause symptoms can include:
- hot flushes, when you have sudden feelings of hot or cold in your face, neck and chest which can make you dizzy
- difficulty sleeping
- muscle aches and joint pains
- changed body shape and weight gain
- recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs)
- headaches and migraines that are worse than usual
- changes to your mood, like low mood, anxiety, mood swings and low self-esteem
- problems with memory or concentration (brain fog)
