Hormone Replacement Therapy (Prempro)

Over 60 years ago, Hormone Replacement therapy was approved by the FDA to help alleviate or moderate the symptoms of menopause: hot flashes, night sweats and vaginal atrophy. Early on, HRT was also promised to reduce the uterine cancer and other forms of cancer. Millions of women have been prescribed drugs like Prempro, Premarin, Provera, Premphase, Estradiol and other generic estrogens and synthetic progesterones.

As time passed new risks and injuries began to present themselves. Despite the injuries and the pervasive use of HRT medications, drug companies neglected to study the potential risks to women.

In the late 1990s, the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI), sponsored by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI)  and units of the National Institute of Health (NIH) began a study to focus on women’s health and the use of HRT.

However, the study was terminated after just five years because the risks of taking the drug outweighed its benefits. The infamous study, now known as the WHI study, suggested a significantly increased incidence of breast and ovarian cancer in women who used HRT medication.

As a result of the WHI study and many others, the pharmaceutical companies have been forced to change the labeling and warnings on their HRT drugs. HRT prescriptions have dropped off dramatically.

In addition, many women who have suffered life-threatening medical problems associated with the use of HRT have filed lawsuits against the manufacturers of HRT drugs. In 2007 alone, more than 20 HRT trials are scheduled across the country.

If You Are Taking HRT

If you are concerned about the risks of taking HRT, please talk to your doctor right away, and discuss any HRT-related problems you may be having.

For more information about how we identify potentially dangerous drugs and to determine a manufacturer’s liability, click here.