The National Women’s Council (NWC) and the Menopause Society of Ireland are among several organisations which have welcomed the announcement in Budget 2025 that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) will be free for all women experiencing menopause from January 2025. The recent statement by Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly came shortly before the celebration of World Menopause Day, which took place on 18 October. Aptly, this year’s theme was ‘menopause hormone therapy (MHT)’.
NWC Director Orla O’Connor said the investment was “hugely positive for women’s reproductive health”. She also described HRT as a “game-changer” for many women, and emphasised debilitating menopause-associated symptoms such as hot flushes, mood swings, and joint pain, as well as long-term risks like osteoporosis and heart disease.
To align with the celebrations, the International Menopause Society (IMS), who select the theme for World Menopause Day each year, have also issued a white paper entitled ‘Menopause and MHT in 2024: Addressing the key controversies’. The document aims to provide “a well-balanced educational narrative of the menopause and MRT”, to clarify misinformation, and to guide care for women across the world.
The new investment by Government will fund the cost of HRT medicines, patches, and devices for all patients who wish to avail of treatment, aligning with the IMS recommendation that women should receive “easy and equitable access to evidence-based knowledge and healthcare”. The initiative is part of a €35 million women’s health package that also includes improved access to infertility services. Patients will still be required to pay for GP visits and pharmacist dispensing fees, however, the measure is expected to save women between €360 and €840 annually.
Also commenting, NWC Women’s Health Co-ordinator Doireann Crosson added: “NWC is also welcoming the expansion of the free IVF scheme to allow couples with an existing child to access treatment, and to include donor-assisted IVF. These expansions will have a significant positive impact on the lives of those who avail of them. In particular, the inclusion of donor-assisted IVF will be welcome for LGBTQI+ couples.”
