Nearly every woman
will go through menopause in middle age. That can bring on symptoms including sleep disturbances, hot flashes and night sweats, mood changes, and brain fog.
Drug companies have worked to ease those symptoms. But for more than two decades, warning labels discouraged women from using some hormone therapy treatments that contained estrogen – even if many doctors thought these products could help people during menopause.
That changed in November, when FDA commissioner
Dr. Marty Makary announced the agency was doing away with the "black box” warnings from estrogen-related products.
Genevieve Hofmann is a women's health nurse practitioner at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, and a certified menopause clinician.
In a recent
article published at The Conversation, she explored tangible ways that fewer restrictions on hormone therapy could make women's lives better and possibly longer. She says that while not every woman has a hard time with menopause, those who can benefit from estrogen treatment deserve access to it.
Genevieve spoke with Erin O’Toole about why she supports the new guidelines – especially at a time when many people are skeptical of the federal government's shifting stances on health policies like childhood immunization and nutrition.
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Host and Producer: Erin O'Toole
Executive Producer: Brad Turner
Theme music by Robbie Reverb
Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions
In The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.
What is In The NOCO?
KUNC's In The NOCO is a daily look at the stories, news, people and issues important to you. It's a window to the communities along the Colorado Rocky Mountains. The show explores the big stories of the day, bringing context and insight to issues that matter. And because life in Northern Colorado is a balance of work and play, we explore the lighter side of news, highlighting what makes this state such an incredible place to live.