The British Menopause Society Calls for a Strengthened Evidence-Based Approach in Menopause Care Amid Changing Clinical Landscape
The British Menopause Society (BMS) is reinforcing the importance of evidence-based menopause care in response to notable shifts in clinical practice and increasing concerns about misinformation. The Society reports growing variation in prescribing patterns, including use of higher-than-licensed doses of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and expanded prescribing of testosterone outside established indications. These developments underline the need for consistent application of national guidance and robust clinical education to ensure safe, effective, and appropriate care for women.
OVERVIEW
Over the past year, menopause management has continued to evolve rapidly, with increasing patient demand and heightened public attention influencing clinical decision-making. The BMS has observed that, in some settings, treatment approaches are diverging from established evidence, particularly in relation to HRT dosing strategies and testosterone prescribing. While personalised care remains a cornerstone of menopause management, the Society stresses that clinical decisions should remain anchored in validated evidence and recognised guidelines.
The BMS notes that misinformation in healthcare has become more prevalent over the past decade. This has contributed to inconsistent patient expectations and, in some cases, the use of treatments without clear evidence of benefit. The Society emphasises that menopause is a natural life stage, and that treatment can be appropriate and beneficial for symptom management but should be guided by individual needs and a careful assessment of benefits and risks, rather than being viewed as universally required.
In response, the BMS continues to prioritise the development and dissemination of high-quality education for healthcare professionals. Its board of Trustees and Medical Advisory Council remain focused on producing peer-reviewed guidance and structured educational programmes designed to support clinicians in both primary and secondary care. Recent updates include ongoing refinement of clinical resources and expansion of training initiatives aimed at improving consistency in menopause care delivery across the UK.
The Society is also engaging with emerging clinical areas highlighted in recent academic discussion, including the role of incretin-based weight loss therapies in women using HRT. These developments reflect the need for further evidence to inform safe prescribing and integrated care pathways in midlife women’s health.
Looking ahead, the BMS 35th Annual Scientific Conference, titled ‘The menopause landscape: pathways to better care’, will convene clinicians, researchers, and stakeholders to examine current evidence and emerging areas of practice. The programme will include sessions on emerging therapies such as NK3R antagonists for vasomotor symptoms and incretin therapy in women using HRT, alongside discussions on testosterone and midlife sexual function. Clinical topics will cover sleep disturbance, unscheduled bleeding on HRT, and bone health using FRAX® (University of Sheffield, UK).
Broader themes include renal disease and HRT, clotting risk, recurrent urinary tract infections after menopause, and the relevance of menopause in rheumatology. The programme will also address mental health, psychosocial interventions, progestogens and metabolic outcomes, and the interpretation of online information in relation to national guidance.
The BMS continues to support clinicians through high-quality, peer-reviewed education and clinical guidance, led by its board of Trustees and Medical Advisory Council, to ensure menopause care remains consistent, evidence-based, and patient-centred.
SOCIETY AIMS AND SCOPE
The BMS is the specialist authority for menopause and post reproductive health in the UK. Established in 1989, the BMS educates, informs, and guides healthcare professionals, working in both primary and secondary care, on menopause and all aspects of post reproductive health.
