The minister responsible for Pharmac, David Seymour, has apologised to New Zealand women for the shortage of hormone replacement therapy patches - and he's hopeful for a funded alternative.
It comes as a national survey is launched to uncover the breadth and depth of issues for the many thousands of Kiwis trying to access oestrogen patches.
Early results have revealed "terrifying" insights into possible outcomes of the shortage, including death.
National correspondent Amanda Gillies has the story.
For Auckland mother-of-two Roz Ryan, the name of the supplier is a secret she's not willing to share.
"It's like Christmas, I found a packet," she laughs. "I even rang my husband and said I've got a packet and he said, 'Thank you, thank you. We are so happy'."
That's when I probe: "So, where did you find this packet?"
"I can't tell you," she immediately replies with a smile.
She is holding a packet of Estradot, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) patches - her "Christmas in a box".
"HRT patches are fantastic. No more fatigue, no more brain fog, no more racing heart. I could up in the morning not feeling like an old woman."
But for the past four weeks, the 48-year-old menopausal health coach has been forced to go without her patches as a victim of the worldwide shortage.
"The joint pain has come back, the muscle pain has come back, the irritability is there - my poor family."
But at 10am this morning, she finally got her hands on an elusive pack. Half a patch went straight on, and she felt sheer relief.
But many other Kiwi women aren't as lucky.
"It's desperate," said Dr Samantha Newman. "It's become a black market where people are buying and selling patches. I know of people picking them up from neighbour's mailboxes and doing swaps."
A new national survey has just been launched to examine the fallout from the worldwide shortage, caused by an increase in demand which will likely continue until next year.
Dr Newman said the shortage is leaving some women suicidal.
"People don't understand and appreciate the life-changing and life-giving impact this medication has for individuals."
Hawke's Bay woman Huia Te Kanawa has taken the patches since 2021 following a full hysterectomy. She needs them for flushing, sweating, sleeping, eating and body pains.
"We had to fight for Utrogestan, we got it through," she said. "Now we have to fight for HRT supplies - that's not good enough."
Another Auckland woman, who didn't want to be named, was left in tears after she finally got to the doctors this morning after a one-month wait.
Her doctor told her she's no longer prescribing the patches due to the shortage; instead, she's prescribing an oestrogen gel which isn't funded.
Gels can cost up to $200 for a couple of months' worth - but Seymour says gels could be funded by the end of the year.
"I'm really sorry that we are in this situation," he said.
"Pharmac has assured me they are doing everything they can in these difficult circumstances to get supplies for Kiwi women as soon as possible including outside the box to get gels applied for so that we have some alternatives."
That can't come soon enough for many desperate Kiwi women.
