MPs demand free HRT in England for menopausal health checkups at 45

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All-party group report on menopause also calls for more workplace support and training for health workers.

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MPs have said that millions of women across the UK should be invited to an NHS health checkup at age 45 to discuss menopause and that HRT prescriptions should be free.

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The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Menopause (APPG) said on Tuesday that more urgently needed to be done to help women.

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"The NHS should implement a health screening for all women over 45, an offer like cervical cancer smears.

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Labor MP Carolyn Harris said: "We are beginning to feel the tide of change, but the taboo surrounding menopause still permeates all corners of society.

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Access to HRT for women in the UK remains a postcode lottery, and there is a huge divide between those who can get treatment elsewhere and those who cannot.

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Lawmakers today will call for "comprehensive action" to improve the conditions of people going through menopause and the families, friends, and colleagues affected by it.

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Menopause can harm women's daily lives. These include the inability to get the correct diagnosis and difficulty accessing HRT or health advice.

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Half the population will experience menopause, but a "grave taboo" around women's health issues means that support for the 13 million women undergoing perimenopause or menopause is "completely inadequate."

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Free NHS health screening is offered to men and women already at age 40, but it is specifically designed to look for early signs of stroke, heart disease, diabetes, or dementia.

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Many women are still not offered HRT by their doctors or turn down treatment based on misconceptions.

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HRT allows more women to receive the treatment they need to manage their symptoms, which can significantly impact their daily lives."

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APPG argues that despite ministers repeatedly cutting the cost of HRT prescriptions, HRT "is not a luxury and should be freely available to all who wish to use it."

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We urge the government to make HRT on prescription free for all in England, as is the case in developed countries."