Women who are experiencing menopausal symptoms will now be able to purchase a yearly supply of HRT for just £20.
Anyone who is prescribed hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for menopause be able to acquire access to the new scheme that will slash prescription costs from April 1.
Under the new scheme, women are likely to save up to £205 by accessing 12 months of treatment for just £18.70.
Until now, HRT for those going through menopause has been a costly affair - one prescription for HRT costs £9.35 monthly, or £18.70 if a woman requires two types of hormones.
400,000 women will now be able to receive a prescription pre-payment certificate for HRT which will be valid for 12 months, according to The Department of Health and Social Care.
They add that nearly 15% of women aged 45-64 in England are prescribed HRT.
Women experiencing menopause can suffer from symptoms like night sweats, hot flashes, chest pains, and memory fog. Doctors report there are actually 62 different symptoms of menopause that women present with - despite the biggest study yet into menopause awareness finding that most women associate it with just five symptoms.
Hygiene and health company Essity surveyed 5,000 women pre-menopause, in peri, or post-menopause – and found even women who are at the end of their journey remain relatively clueless about what they have been through.
While 40% of women going through or having gone through the menopause have visited their GP to get help with symptoms, two thirds of women didn’t know menopause decreases sex drive and a whopping 74% didn’t realise it could be linked with weight gain.
HRT helps some deal with these symptoms by replacing female hormones that are at a lower level as a result of the menopause.
Anyone eligible will be able to put in an application for the re-payment certificate through the NHS Business Services Authority or at a pharmacy licensed to sell the certificates.
The certificate allows women to choose from a range of HRT prescription items such as patches, tablets, and topical preparations.
The news comes after the government published its women’s health strategy for England last summer.
“Around three-quarters of women will experience menopause symptoms, with one-quarter experiencing severe symptoms, which can seriously impact their quality of life,” Minister for Women Maria Caulfield said.
“Reducing the cost of HRT is a huge moment for improving women’s health in this country, and I am proud to be announcing this momentous step forward,” she adds.
“Reducing the cost of HRT is a huge moment for improving women’s health in this country, and I am proud to be announcing this momentous step forward.”