AMS Newsletter 31 January 2025

In this edition

• Tribute to Dr Stella Milsom
• Study suggests no link between common brain malignancy and hormone therapy
• AMS Webinar 26 February 2025
• AMS Congress 2025 - Fremantle WA
• Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT) discontinuation and shortages January 2025

Health Professionals - join AMS for Members-only content 

• Menopause Matters
• The New POI Guideline: What you need to know - IMS Webinar
• European Menopause and Andropause Society (EMAS) Newsletter

In this edition

Tribute: Dr Stella Milsom MB ChB (Otago, 1978), Dip Obs, FRACP (1986) Physician & Endocrinologist, Reproductive Endocrinologist

It is with great sadness, that I received a phone call on Sunday 4^th of January saying Stella Milsom had died at home after a short illness. Both Anna Fenton and I attended her funeral on Friday 17^th January, along with many from her class at medical school, friends, family and most of the medical colleagues she was associated with. 

Stella was a willing participant in AMS activities. She was warm, compassionate, a formidable intellect, reasoned, and articulate. At the AMS Queenstown Conference, “Remarkable Reflections on Midlife and Menopause” in 2023,  Stella gave four stellar lectures that included ‘Managing Controversial Issues in the Complex Patient’.  

In the Pharmac specialist advisory committee roles she shared with Anna Fenton, she was a champion for better access to medications for women. Together, one of their greatest achievements was getting Utrogestan funded - 10 years of effort behind the scenes. But she would never have made that comment publicly. Anna said ‘She was always well reasoned at the Pharmac meetings and was able to be pleasantly forceful when needed. She encouraged me to stay on the committee when we all felt that we were just a box ticking exercise and our opinions/advice didn't really make a lot of difference. She was a great educator and her manner of distilling a challenging area down to its basics was a great attribute’. 

Not only an excellent, energetic endocrinologist (reproductive and infertility), with a special interest in the menopause, Stella was a caring family-oriented person, devoted to her 98-year-old mother. She endured health challenges with great fortitude that few endure and few knew about, especially at the end.

The AMS and former Past Presidents, Professor Rod Baber and Professor Bronwyn Stuckey knew her well and admired her. We have sent our condolences to her husband Paget and their two children, Richard and Antonia. For those who knew her, she will be sadly missed.

Dr Sylvia Rosevear
AMS President

Study suggests no link between common brain malignancy and hormone therapy

Women are more likely to have such debilitating conditions as osteoporosis, migraines, Alzheimer disease, depression, multiple sclerosis, and brain tumors. Sex hormones are often blamed. However, a new study suggests no link between hormone therapy (HT) and common brain tumors known as gliomas.

The debate over the risks and benefits of HT has been ongoing for more than 2 decades. Key to the debate are possible effects on brain and breast health, as well as cancer risks, which counter the proven benefits of hormones in alleviating such common menopause symptoms as hot flushes, mood swings, and vaginal dryness. Glioma, a common brain malignancy with limited effective treatments, is one type of cancer that consistently shows a sex disparity of roughly 1.6. It has been speculated that the disparity is a result of the potential contribution of both exogenous and endogenous sex hormones.

Previous smaller studies have yielded inconsistent findings concerning the relationship between HT and glioma risk. However, a new large-scale study that analysed data from more than 75,000 women and included a median follow-up period of nearly 12 years suggests no significant association between HT use and glioma risk. Similarly, no significant associations were found when considering HT status or duration of use. Data was gathered as part of the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial.

Reference online here 

AMS Webinar 26 February 2025

AMS Congress 2025 - Fremantle WA

AMS’s annual 27th conference will be held in Fremantle 12-14th September this year. Registrations will open soon.

The Annual Congress is a perfect opportunity to network and to become acquainted with the latest information on managing the menopause.

With women’s midlife health being at the forefront of media attention, the challenge is to deliver the most effective tools for physiological changes and to manage symptoms that may offer an opportunity to mitigate long-term health outcomes.

Board member and Endocrinologist, Ashley Makepeace from Fremantle, is chairing the Scientific Committee. It promises to be an outstanding Scientific Congress with new themes and objectives.

Fremantle is a vibrant city with outstanding natural surrounding resources for your enjoyment pre or post Congress.

I look forward to seeing you there. 

Yours sincerely,

Dr Sylvia Rosevear 

Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT) discontinuation and shortages January 2025

Australia 

Patch Shortages

There are a number of MHTs that are currently unavailable. Please note that the TGA has approved some unregistered products under Section 19A and some substitute doses are currently in supply in Australia. Pharmacists are encouraged to contact suppliers Medsurge Healthcare Pty Ltd on 1300 788 261 for orders of Estramon and Sandoz on 1800 726 369 for orders of Estradiol Transdermal System.

Oestradiol patches

	Availability and expected supply due		Alternative supply under Section 19A
Dose	Estradot	Estraderm	Estramon	Estradiol Transdermal System
25 mcg	Unavailable - 31 Dec 2025	Limited - 30th June 2025	Available
37.5 mcg	Unavailable - 30 Jun 2025		Available	Available
50 mcg	Unavailable - 31 Dec 2025	Limited - 30th June 2025	Available	Unavailable
75 mcg	Unavailable - 31 Dec 2025	Limited - 7 Feb 2025	Available	Unavailable
100 mcg	Unavailable - 31 Dec 2025	Limited - 7 April 2025	Available	Available

Combined patches

Dose	Estalis Sequi	Estalis Conti
50/140	Limited – 30 June 2025	Limited – 30 June 2025
50/250	Limited – 30 June 2025	Limited – 30 June 2025

All doses of Climara have been deleted from the market and there will be a reduction in supply until supply is exhausted.

The AMS Guide to MHT Doses (Australia only) provides a guideline to approximately equivalent doses of the different MHT/HRT products in Australia.

New Zealand

As at 11 December 2024, patch availability is provided below.

Dose	Estradot	Viatris	Estraderm MX
25mcg	Limited	Available	Available
50mcg	Limited	Available
75mcg	Limited	Available
100mcg	Limited	Available

More information can be found here  

The AMS Guide to MHT Doses (New Zealand only) provides a guideline to approximately equivalent doses of the different MHT/HRT products in New Zealand.

Health Professionals - join AMS for Members-only content 

Menopause Matters: Professor Athol Kent has reviewes and comments on recent journal articles.

The New POI Guideline: What you need to know - IMS Webinar

European Menopause and Andropause Society (EMAS) Newsletter AMS is an affiliate of EMAS. See latest copy.