Endocrine Insider
February 5, 2009

The Endocrine Society was recently approached by the Wall Street Journal to provide expert information on bioidentical hormones and HRT.  Despite calls for caution and federal regulation, bioidentical hormones continue to be promoted as safe and beneficial, most recently by Suzanne Somers on The Oprah Winfrey Show on January 29. With information from the Society and its experts, the February 3 issue of the Wall Street Journal featured a fair and balanced look at HRT in the story “The 7 Things You Should Know About Hormones,” by Melinda Beck.

The Endocrine Society was able to respond quickly to the media request by relying on its position statement on bioidentical hormones and on its network of volunteers.  The Society engaged in proactive media outreach by distributing a media advisory to national press encouraging interviews with Society experts to discuss the benefits and risks of hormone therapy.  Nanette Santoro, MD, and Margaret Wierman, MD, lent their expertise to this effort.

The Society’s position statement, released in October 2006, was developed by the Clinical Affairs Core Committee in response to rising concerns of the efficacy and safety of bioidentical hormones. The statement calls for increased regulatory oversight of all bioidentical hormones.  In November 2006, the AMA unanimously and enthusiastically passed a resolution introduced by The Endocrine Society and other concerned organizations supporting this position, and it stands today as AMA policy.  In January 2008, the FDA issued a warning to seven compounding pharmacies making false claims about the safety and efficacy of bioidentical hormones (see the January 10, 2008 issue of Endocrine Insider).

The Endocrine Society continues to be a leader in promoting consistent regulation of bioidentical hormones and all HRT for the safety of patients.  The Society will maintain its strong relationships with the media and policy makers to ensure the public dissemination of accurate information about the risks and benefits of treatment. 

To read “The 7 Things You Should Know About Hormones,” click here.