CAN YOU IMAGINE LIFE WITHOUT BIO-IDENTICAL (NATURAL) HORMONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY?
Help Make Sure Big PHARMA Doesn’t Take Away Your Medicine!
As you may have heard recently, a manufacturer of synthetic hormones, Wyeth, is trying to limit your access to bioidentical, or natural, hormones. In a recent filing with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Wyeth makes unsubstantiated and negative claims about bioidentical hormones and calls on the federal government to enact regulations that would make it harder for you to take bioidentical hormones.
Natural—Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement Therapy has a documented history of serving women who choose to use natural methods for hormone replacement instead of harmful, synthetic chemicals. Compounding pharmacies provide critical options for many women that would otherwise go un- or under-treated. The implications of Wyeth’s petition could well bring an end to the option of BHRT for women that need it.
Despite all of Wyeth’s campaign contributions and its armies of lobbyists aimed at protecting its profits, you can help us stand up to them. You, as a women, have the most compelling story to tell – a story about your own personal experiences with bioidentical hormones.
Though the details may be personal, we encourage you to discuss the pain and discomfort you were experiencing before you tried bio-identical hormones, perhaps even discussing other treatments you tried before you discovered bioidentical hormones worked for you. You may also want to discuss the positive impact that bioidentical hormones have had on your life since you began taking them.
We understand if you would rather not discuss this very private subject with anyone but your healthcare practitioner, but Wyeth is trying to insert itself into your relationship with your healthcare practitioner and make decisions on your behalf. Fortunately, you are in the best position to stop them. The FDA has only heard from business interests on the subject; they have not yet heard from the person whose opinion matters most – you, the consumer.
We need to let the FDA know that thousands of women across the country rely on bioidentical hormones because they improve their quality of life – and that these medications cannot be taken away from you. If they know this, it becomes harder for them to listen to Wyeth and cut off your access to bio-identical hormone therapy.
Take Action Here!
Below is how you can help:
File a comment with the FDA, asking that FDA deny Wyeth’s requests.
You may file your comment using either an online form or a hard-copy letter. To file an online comment, please click to visit the FDA Dockets Website. The Wyeth petition is docket number 2005P-0411 (confirm that this number appears at the top of the screen). You also have the option to submit your letter via fax by addressing the letter to the following address:
Division of Dockets Management
Food and Drug Administration
Docket 2005P-0411
5630 Fishers Lane, Room 1061 (HFA-305)
Rockville, MD, 20852
Fax: (301) 827-6870
Due to heightened security measures, items mailed to Federal Government agencies take months to be processes. U.S. Mail should be a last resort for filing comments.
Click here [PDF] [DOC] to access a template that will help you to write your letter.
Did You Know?
Wyeth has a history of attempting to use the government to protect its business and profits and to deny women access to hormone therapies they need. Years ago, Wyeth fought successfully to get FDA to block generic forms of its Premarin from entering the U.S. market. These generic versions would have slashed the cost to women of this off-the-shelf therapy. Then as now, Wyeth used its money and muscle to argue that the competitive offerings were not safe, and they succeeded in keeping them off the market. That has meant more money for Wyeth, and higher costs for women who rely on their off-the-shelf synthetic hormone treatment.
To receive a free report – “Why Big Pharma Wants to Take Away Your Hormone Treatments… and How You Can Stop Them” – send your name and ZIP code to patient@savemymedicine.org.
Media Coverage:
- Popular Menopause Hormones Made From Plants Come Under Scrutiny (Wall Street Journal, October 25, 2005)
- Public Health & Education: WSJ Examines Controversy Over Claims That Plant Hormones Are Safer Than Prescription Hormones in Treatment of Menopause (Kaiser Network, October 25, 2005)
- IACP Finds Numerous Flaws With Wyeth Citizen Petition Regarding Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy (PR Newswire, October 27, 2005)
- Women in Balance Stresses Importance of Choice for Women Hormone Therapy Patients (Yahoo! News, October 28, 2005)
- Use of Bioidentical Hormones Questioned (Reuters, October 31, 2005)
- IACP: Wyeth Trying to Block Access to Compounded Hormone Drugs (FDA Week, November 4, 2005)
- Menopausal women turn to ‘natural’ hormones (USA Today, November 7, 2005)