Newson Health and the menopause industry

[ArabellaScott]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cp8e5y4e83lo

Keeping an eye on this. Newson makes an awful lot of money out of HRT.

Interesting. Troubling.

Dr Jen Gunter is v v critical of Dr Newson. I now understand why.

Panorama tonight:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m0023jdn/panorama-the-menopause-industry

I’ve had a professional interaction with Dr N and this doesn’t surprise me at all.

Following as I was considering a consultation because I have been unable to access hrt and am feeling rather desperate! The perfect patient 😂

A thread on the Menopause board

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/menopause/5176643-bbc1-8pm-tomorrow-monday-309-panorama-the-menopause-industry

I’m invested in this topic as timely and appropriate HRT probably saved my career, if not my life. (All via NHS - I was lucky.)

I listened to a podcast of hers a few months ago when she was interviewing an NHS gynaecologist and found it really quite cold and distant which surprised me as she is often named dropped on MN.

They were very much into playing the numbers game and seemed primarily concerned with not adding to the burden of the NHS. Neither struck me as wanting to cater to the individual patient at all. Put me right off.

@Nothingeverything there are multiple other BMS accredited online clinics.

I picked one and almost in her first sentence she said 'I don't do Newson '.

I got the feeling she is very controversial in the menopause clinic community.

I've just watched the Panarama. Newson does not come out of it well.

Oh, it's up already! I thought it was only later on. Thanks.

I recall Newson's website having a 'make menopause history' strapline which I'd found very odd.

That was quite even-handed, I thought, if a very short look at the subject.

At least it uses the word 'women' throughout, for once.

I have literally just invested money in this and now I'm not sure I can trust the diagnosis 🙈

Every single health service including the NHS gets stuff wrong. Newson clinic will be no exception.
Women need to educate themselves, make informed choices and challenge Healthcare professionals to be clear on what they are recommending and why.

Yes, I think it's very hard to know what or whom we can trust. Some people criticise the NHS' guidelines, but I am always wary when people are making large sums of money out of the issue.

I really liked this site, seemed pretty sensible and fairly impartial, as far as I can tell:

https://www.menopausematters.co.uk/

It's difficult to educate yourself when the NHS is too overwhelmed to take you on, and private medicine is deeply invested in getting you to spend, spend, spend. It rather poisons the research well.

NHS may be overwhelmed but lots the menopause resources are available online. There's tons of books and resources. Even the Newson clinics stuff is pretty decent. There's programmes on telly, podcasts etc.
Women have to take individual control because no approach is right for everyone. We all have different bodies and history and risk appetites.

lots the menopause resources are available online. There's tons of books and resources.

I agree that there's so much information available.

I don't understand why some women would pay such huge sums of money just to be prescribed oestrogen and progesterone?!

They’re paying because their GPs are dragging their feet, or simply for convenience if they can afford it.

My own GP is great, but I have friends who have been fobbed off over and over again (sometimes by female doctors).

Good lord. There is so much misinformation on that thread linked above.

I do think there is a ?widely-held misunderstanding that HRT is somehow necessary for all women going through menopause, which seems to have been perpetuated by well meaning TV personalities who have had a bad time during menopause, or by those with a vested interest (LN included). Plus social contagion.

It is also sold as a magic bullet. I'm a GP, and I will never say no to any woman who comes to me wanting HRT if there are no contraindications. If they have made a decision to seek help, then I believe that their subjectively-experienced symptoms are bad enough to have done so. But I do try to be crystal-clear that many women do not benefit - maybe I come across as unwilling to help or unsympathetic , neither of which would be true. And there ARE risks and there ARE side-effects.

Plus there is the opportunity cost to the NHS of over-treating women who do not really need it. I am not singling out women's health; there are so many other areas of medical overtreatment. I also feel this expectation that medicine can - and SHOULD IN ALL CASES - be able to turn back the clock so we all feel 21 years old for the rest our lives despite normal ageing and bad lifestyle choices.

I accept and agree that women's health is completely underprioritised - but I would rather see the funds and energy go into PCOS, endometriosis and migraine.

I also feel this expectation that medicine can - and SHOULD IN ALL CASES - be able to turn back the clock so we all feel 21 years old for the rest our lives despite normal ageing and bad lifestyle choices.

I don’t know a single woman of menopausal age which given I’m in my 50s is a lot of them who thinks HRT will make them feel 21 again

my HRT makes me feel considerably less shit and yes I exercise and yes I eat healthily and no I don’t smoke but it’s not enough for me personally without HRT as well

I also feel this expectation that medicine can - and SHOULD IN ALL CASES - be able to turn back the clock so we all feel 21 years old for the rest our lives despite normal ageing and bad lifestyle choices.

I'm feeling kind of judged for those bad lifestyle choices now tbh 😂

I live in a country that is vehemently against hrt and I have tried everything else suggested (exercise, diet, supplements etc etc) already. Tbh I am feeling pretty desperate now and no, I am not looking to turn back the clock. I just want to be able to function and hold down my job (which I am currently thinking of giving up even though I know this would be disastrous economically). It is really frustrating to be told that it is just a natural process and that I should suck it up. How many women end up impoverishing themselves or worse because of the effects of menopause?

What an excellent post.
And it's good to see that the "all older women need HRT" hype train may finally be slowing.
Menopause has become - for some - simply a way to make money.

@Nothingeverything Would you mind sharing what country you're in that is so vehemently against HRT? Just curious!

What the BBC should be focusing on is why so many women are forced into paying £££ to private clinics for consultation and private prescriptions in the first place.

Because the average NHS GP has zero interest in menopause, zero knowledge about menopause and fobs desperate women off with antidepressants or other pointless advice. That's the real scandal.

No judgement here! Hope the lifestyle choices are worth the consequences they may (or not!) bring 😄Totally believe in having and enjoying the life you want, as long as the decision is informed!!