Hundreds of thousands of women in Ireland could soon be eligible for free hormone replacement therapy.
Plans are being finalised by the government, with a scheme to be unveiled in the coming weeks.
The State will cover the cost of prescriptions.
It was confirmed today that plans are being finalised by Government to fund the cost of HRT for women who need it.
The prescribed medicine eases the most debilitating symptoms of menopause, including mood swings, night sweats and hot flushes.
A clinic that specialises in menopause symptoms in Ireland has welcomed the plans to introduce a State-funded hormone replacement therapy (HRT) scheme.
CEO of The Menopause Hub says it is a ‘vital step forward’ in supporting women battling menopause symptoms, an expert has said.
Loretta Dignam, CEO of The Menopause Hub says: "This is a vital step forward in supporting the health of tens of thousands of menopausal women in Ireland,
“Since the foundation of The Menopause Hub, our key messages have centered around awareness, accessibility and affordability.
“As someone who has been professionally advocating for free HRT for more than four years, I am thrilled with this announcement.
“This also gives the State the opportunity to be thought leaders internationally, as we were with the workplace smoking ban and the plastic bag levy.
“We look forward to the launch of this plan and hope to see it implemented in advance of the next budget to begin supporting women for generations to come.”
According to The Menopause Hub, the latest census figures show the number of women in the menopausal age bracket of 45-64 in Ireland is now 651,846, with 418,989 of these still in employment.
The Menopause Hub is Ireland's first dedicated clinic devoted to treating menopausal and perimenopausal symptoms, and has Dublin and Cork.
Details of the publicly-funded HRT scheme are expected in the coming weeks.
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