The Estrogen Patch Shortage and Remedy’s Solutions


By Samantha Johnston


 If you’re using estrogen patches, you’ve probably experienced the frustrations of getting your prescription filled these days. Trust us- we get it! For us, it seems like a daily battle to get estrogen patches in stock at our pharmacy, and as of right now, there is no telling how long this shortage is going to go on for. This is a nationwide supply issue affecting all pharmacies. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has grown more popular with the FDA removing the black box warning after almost 20-years. More studies have provided better research for dosing the medication transdermally. However, with more patients moving to HRT solutions, commercial production of the medication is struggling to keep up.  

  It could be some time before the supply meets the demand, so we’re here to provide you with a solution and go over the alternatives. Making transdermal patches is more complex than manufacturing treatments like gels, creams, or pills. Though the patches come in and out of stock, our compounded estrogen formulas are always available. There are many benefits to a compounded cream- for one, it’s a custom medication tailored to the patient. We work with your doctor on a formula and the dose can be adjusted better than the patch. In many cases, patients find that they prefer the compounded topical estrogen cream because it can be combined with other hormones like progesterone or testosterone. We use minimal ingredients and make a cream that is excellent quality, meeting our high standards.

Notable advantages of our compounded products include:

  • Opportunity for customized doses - The option to do customized dosing may offer additional safety benefits in that you are able to use lower amounts of hormones based on a patient's blood levels.

  • Combination products - Since these are made to order and based on blood tests, your doctor may decide to replace more than just estrogen. They can include combo products such as DHEA, testosterone, progesterone, and estrogen. 

  • Reduced exposure to preservatives and other additives - If a patient has a reaction to an additive or preservative in a commercially available product, such as parabens or propylene glycol, compounded products can be made without preservatives and with more natural inactive ingredients such as glycerin. This is especially important given the new findings of the damage such inactive ingredients can cause to the vaginal microbiome. Since compounded hormones are made to order and typically have a 30-90 day shelf life, they can be made without preservatives. 

  In many cases, insurance doesn’t cover custom medications like compounded estrogen creams, but if your copay for the patch was over $45, then you will most likely save money by switching to a compounded cream. As far as options that insurance covers, there are topical gels that are sold commercially. 

  Interested in switching over to a compounded cream? We'll send a request to your doctor's office to update the prescription from the patch to the compounded cream. You can expect a call from us once the prescription is confirmed. Creams are standardly ready  within 1-2 business days. Our patients that have switched over have stated they have not experienced any differences. Have further questions? Give us a call and our pharmacy team will be happy to help!