Millions of women are being exploited in a “menopause gold rush” as companies, celebrities and influencers take advantage of a “lack” of reliable information on the issue, experts say.
Health companies and content creators have seen menopause as a “lucrative market” and have sought to capitalize on gaps in public knowledge, women's health scientists at UCL say.
Researchers have called for a national education program to be rolled out after finding that a significant number of women do not feel well informed about the menopause.
Writing in the medical journal Post Reproductive Health, they stated: “There is a rapid expansion in the number of unregulated private companies and individuals providing menopause information and support for profit; this has been called the “gold rush of menopause.”
“This fragmented landscape of menopause support and education leaves people vulnerable to financial exploitation, can spread misinformation and is likely to exacerbate existing menopause-related health inequalities.”
One woman in the study told researchers: “Everything I know about menopause I learned on Instagram from other women.” Just one in five (22%) of the 1,500 women surveyed by the UCL team felt well informed about the menopause.
Nine out of 10 women surveyed said a training and support program was needed. They told the researchers that preference would be given to delivering the service in person or online in weekly sessions over two to four weeks.
Interviewees stated that the acceptability and success of such a program would depend on its accessibility, accuracy, and being based on the latest scientific evidence. This would also help “myth busting”.
The UCL team began developing a training program that could help women prepare for the menopause and support those experiencing symptoms. These may include physical symptoms such as hot flashespalpitations and trouble sleeping, and mental symptoms including brain fog and mood changes.
Lead author of the study, Professor Joyce Harper from the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Institute of Women's Health at UCL, said: “We have a menopause gold rush because companies, investors and people view menopause as a lucrative market.
“Bye public awareness about menopause The situation has improved significantly recently, with a rapid expansion in the number of private companies and individuals providing menopause education, particularly on social media, which has led to misinformation that may exacerbate existing health inequalities associated with menopause.
“There is still a lack of evidence-based, theory-based and rigorously evaluated public health programs targeting people during and immediately after the menopause. Hence our proposal for a new national menopause education and support program, which we hope will be funded by the Government.”
Senior study author Dr Shema Tariq, from the UCL Institute of Global Health, said: “Although menopause is a natural hormonal and social shift, without evidence-based information and support it can be a difficult time for people. Menopause often comes at a “crisis point” in our lives – we may be juggling multiple caring roles, as well as the demands of work and the potential impact on our self-esteem and relationships.
“We believe everyone should have the right to accurate information and free support so they can better navigate this stage of life.”
