Photo: Garo Phanie / AFP
A menopause support group says women feel like they aren't being taken seriously after being told there's nothing wrong with a brand of oestrogen patches - despite dozens of complaints that the medication isn't working.
Many women are reported to have been experiencing problems with adhesion and efficacy with the brand, Estradot.
Medsafe said it has received 149 complaints, but there wasn't enough evidence to warrant a recall.
The manufacturer, Sandoz, said it had retested the batches that led to the complaints and found no faults.
In a letter to health professionals, it said the problems could be down to user error such as applying them incorrectly or "patient-specific variables" such as skin type or the use of lotions.
The company has not responded to RNZ's requests for an interview. Medsafe, Health New Zealand and Pharmac all declined to speak to Morning Report on Thursday.
Bronda Smith who is the administrator of an online support group told the programme there were a lot of women have had their perimenopause symptoms return.
These included: joint pains, anxiety and depression, insomnia, itchiness and headaches.
"Anxiety and depression is probably one of the worst symptoms of perimenopause and when that comes back you just feel like you've gone completely backwards."
While there was initial trust in their medication, it became obvious in June that there were problems, Smith said.
However, the response from Medsafe has been "pretty lightweight" and the women believed they were being "gaslit".
It was "condescending" for Sandoz to suggest women weren't applying them correctly when some had been using them for six or seven years, Smith said.
Women were now "scared" to go back to their doctor or specialist and also couldn't return existing patches for a refund as there was no recall for them.
Smith was calling for some independent testing instead of relying on the manfacturer's results.
There were only two funded patches in New Zealand and some women were now looking at switching to gels, which were funded but would mean costs for doctor visits and prescriptions.
"The cost involved in that for women is quite high as well."
Complaints supported by expert
A menopause doctor is adamant there's a problem with some oestrogen patches, after women began reporting a sudden return of their symptoms.
Dr Linda Dear told Morning Report it's unacceptable to put the blame on women, and there needs to be independent testing.
She said it was "quite a stretch" for the company to claim it was user error "because most of these women have been using them for some time".
Some of her patients had suddenly reported the return of their symptoms and there wasn't any other explanation apart from faulty patches.
"Lots of women are doing fine so I don't think this is across the board. ... We love Estradot, we fought hard to keep that funded but I do think there might be something going on with certain patches in certain batches for some women because there are patients suddenly having a return of symptoms for no other reason."
The women were not making up the problems and shouldn't be blamed.
"That's not helpful and I don't think it's true and it just makes women doubt themselves even more. ...It's really difficult for a woman to stand up against this."
Women should continue to complain to Medsafe and Sandoz, she said.
She was pleased Medsafe had indicated it would continue looking into the complaints.
Dr Dear also supported independent testing.
She also called for pharmacies to give women different doses without them having to get a new prescription or visit a doctor.
Some might need to switch to oestrogen gel or pills although this would require a doctor's visit.
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