Prempro

Prempro

Prempro not Safe for Women!!!
Hormone Replacement Therapy Study Stopped due to Excessive Risk

July 11, 2025 - You surely have read about it by now. The most common female hormone replacement combination used in the United States, Prempro, was found to be too dangerous for the health of the women in the Women’s Health Initiative Study. That portion of the study was stopped because the use of Prempro lead to increased risk of breast cancer, heart disease and strokes. The study, conducted by the National Institutes of Health, found that in one year, for every 10,000 who take Prempro, there will be eight more breast cancers, eight more strokes and seven more heart attacks compared with 10,000 women who don't take Prempro.

For a quick hormone vocabulary refresher, click here.

Progesterone should never be confused with Provera or other progestins. Progesterone is a hormone that is naturally produced in the human body. It is very safe and beneficial, and has been shown to reduce the risk of breast cancer among other beneficial effects.

The Houston Chronicle reports, "We've been bombarded with calls. This came out of left field," said Dr. Edward Yosowitz, an obstetrician-gynecologist with Women's Specialists of Houston. "None of us knew this was coming." Dr. Yosowitz was out of the loop, but how many of you (my patients) remember me (Dr. Young) advising you of the risk of Prempro over the last 8 years? How many of you read John Lee, MD’s 1996 book, "What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Menopause?". He wrote extensively about the risks of Provera.

Wyeth, the drug company that manufactures and promotes the use of Prempro, states on its website: "PREMPRO is not for every woman. You should not take PREMPRO if you have had heart disease; unusual vaginal bleeding or a hysterectomy; certain types of cancer; blood clots; liver disease; stroke; or if you think or know you are pregnant. Side effects with PREMPRO may include blood clots, nausea, abdominal pain, breast tenderness, irregular bleeding, headache, and hair loss. PREMPRO contains progestin, which may have unfavorable effects on blood sugars and may worsen a diabetic condition. While estrogen can increase the risk of cancer of the uterus, the addition of progestin, as in PREMPRO, reduces this risk."

There are many excellent and safe approaches for hormonal health for women. Don’t be discouraged or afraid. Be ready to begin learning about your body and how to enhance its natural ability to heal itself. You may want to make an appointment to discuss your situation.