Leading menopause doctor accused of risking women’s health with “alarmingly high” doses of hormone replacement therapy
- Dr. Louise Newson’s clinic has been accused of regularly prescribing high doses of HRT
- But Dr. Newson claims higher doses are necessary to treat serious menopausal conditions
A prominent menopause doctor has been accused of endangering a woman’s health with “alarmingly high” doses of hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
Dr Louise Newson’s Newson Health clinic – which sees 4,000 patients a month – is said to regularly prescribe doses of HRT that exceed authorized amounts, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.
Regulators allow it, but experts say doctors should only offer higher-than-licensed doses in exceptional cases because of potential risks, which include uterine cancer. Newson Health allegedly offers this type of treatment to one in five patients.
HRT increases levels of the main female hormones, estrogen and progesterone, as they begin to fall as women enter menopause.
Dr. Newson says high doses are sometimes needed to treat serious mental health problems associated with menopause and suicidal thoughts.
Dr Louise Newson’s private practice (pictured, left), Newson Health – which sees 4,000 patients a month – is said to regularly prescribe HRT doses in excess of licensed amounts, The Mail on Sunday can reveal
HRT increases levels of the main female hormones, estrogen and progesterone, as they begin to fall as women enter menopause. Pictured: HRT distributor box
The Department of Health launched an investigation after NHS doctors said they had seen women who developed health problems after being prescribed high-dose HRT at Dr Newson’s clinic.
One of them was diagnosed with uterine cancer, although it is not known if the drugs caused it. Others developed endometrial hyperplasia — an abnormal thickening of the lining of the uterus that can be a precursor to cancer.
NHS doctors have also been threatened with legal letters by the clinic questioning Dr Newson’s expertise in consulting patients.
The clinic was unable to comment on individual cases, but a spokesperson said: “There is no reliable clinical evidence to suggest evidence of harm from different doses of HRT.”
But consultant gynecologist Haitham Hammouda said: “Without evidence confirming the safety of high doses, the treatment should not be described as harmless.”
Newson Health said: ‘It is essential to protect a variety of viewpoints within medicine, and as the UK’s leading menopause clinic, Newson Health uses a wealth of clinical experience and data, as well as available scientific evidence, to treat each patient on an individual basis, to provide Women with the best possible menopause care.
(tags to translate) Daily Mail
