“It’s powerfully GOOD news,” said Dr. Northrup when she received word of a Congressional Resolution asking the FDA to rescind its ban on the use of the bio-identical hormone estriol. So, despite popular belief, women who are concerned about their health care and who want to explore all options really can fight city hall.
Last January, the FDA announced that estriol could no longer be used in estrogen medications customized for women by compounding pharmacies. Estriol has long been a component of 90 percent or more of these customized preparations prescribed for women by their doctors. In a big win for a woman’s right to choose her best health care options, Congress resolved to protect the doctor-patient relationship from FDA interference.
In our In the News report in April, Dr. Northrup expressed her strong feelings about the FDA’s move to ban estriol. “I don’t want the FDA to ban estriol because once they do this, they’ll start in on other bio-identical hormones as well. Then, when women need hormonal support, all they will be left with are synthetic substitutes that are less effective and also more dangerous! Women deserve the right to the best treatment possible. And that treatment is often based on the wisdom of Mother Nature, not Father Pharmaceutical!”
In fact, it was “Father Pharmaceutical” in the form of Wyeth Pharmaceuticals who initiated the move to have estriol banned by the FDA. Dr. Northrup called the assertion that estriol is not a safe alternative to synthetic hormones, such as Wyeth’s Premarin and Prempro, “completely ridiculous.” Used in Europe and Japan for hormone replacement for many years, estriol has never been associated with adverse events or other health or safety issues. Dr. Northrup stresses the importance of keeping individual health care options open, including the right to choose bio-identical hormones like estriol.
The FDA ban on estriol was met with a noisy round of protests from women, doctors, and pharmacists who saw the federal agency making a misguided bow to pressure from a major pharmaceutical company. A near record number of complaints were filed with the FDA regarding the ban requested by Wyeth. Congress heard the voices of opposition and made a bow of its own to concerned constituents. On May 6, a bipartisan Sense of the Congress Resolution was introduced stating that “the FDA’s new policy restricting women’s access to medications containing estriol does not serve the public interest” and calling for a reversal of the FDA policy.
The resolution concludes that physicians are in the best position to determine which medications are most appropriate for their patients. Congress asked the FDA to respect the physician-patient relationship and reverse a policy that aims to eliminate patients’ access to compounded medications containing estriol that their physicians prescribe for them.
According to Dr. Northrup, estriol is a hormone that is naturally occurring in the female body and reaches its peak production during pregnancy. It’s especially effective when applied topically to the vagina—in that it has a local effect on estrogen-sensitive tissue that is much more robust than the other estrogens. And its systemic absorption from the vagina is minimal. “That makes it a good choice for women who’ve had breast cancer and who should, therefore, keep their estradiol exposure to a minimum,” she says. “I’ve written about estriol for years—and would like to see it studied more thoroughly.”
Dr. Northrup had the highest praise for all those who spoke up for their patient’s rights and the legislators who listened. “I was certainly happy to hear that so many people let their thoughts be known on this issue. Let's hear it for health freedom!”
“We have to thank our legislators for the ‘good sense’ in this ‘Sense of Congress resolution’”!
© 2001–2008 Christiane Northrup, Inc.
For more information, visit Dr. Christiane Northrup's Web site.