AndroFeme cream approved for UK use by postmenopausal women by the MHRA
AndroFeme, a testosterone cream formulated specifically for women, has been approved by the UK regulator the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
Since 2017 AndroFeme has only available to UK patients of private clinics under a special MHRA licence. This news means women should be able to access AndroFeme when the UK-approved version of the product becomes available in 2026. Until then the status-quo remains. Inclusion on the NHS has yet to be confirmed.
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) menopause guidelines say that testosterone can be considered for menopausal women with low sexual desire – if HRT alone has not been effective [1]. While the guidance does not mention the use of testosterone in any other circumstances, testosterone deficiency can lead to fatigue, cognitive issues, low mood, reduced strength, poor sleep, muscle and joint pain, headaches and urinary and vaginal symptoms.
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Newson Research has found testosterone has beneficial effects on mood symptoms and cognition symptoms in perimenopause and postmenopausal women [2] and many women in our clinic report an improvement in symptoms after replacing their missing testosterone.
Prescriptions for testosterone for women over the age of 50 have increased sharply over the last decade. In the UK, alternative testosterone replacement options include include Tostran and Testogel. However, these are licensed for men, who use higher doses than women. This can make it difficult for women to apply the correct amount – for instance, a gel of sachet needs to be split equally into smaller doses.
AndroFeme comes in a tube containing a 1% testosterone cream and is easy to apply. It is body identical, meaning it is identical to the testosterone produced your ovaries.
GP and Menopause Specialist Dr Louise Newson said of the announcement: 'This is a great step forward in widening access to testosterone treatment for women in the UK.
‘It is barbaric that women have faced so many barriers in accessing testosterone treatment, to the detriment of their current and future health. Low testosterone levels are associated with significant medical risks, including cognitive decline, metabolic disorders and reduced bone density.
‘Testosterone therapy can offer critical benefits like improved body composition, functional capacity, insulin sensitivity and cholesterol balance.
‘As a physician who has seen firsthand the transformative impact testosterone can have, I’m really pleased to see that women in the UK will finally be able to access a licensed product. Although gel testosterone works well for many women, having a cream option increases choice, which is important as absorption rates can vary from woman to woman.
'However, it is frustrating as we know that there is still a long way to go before women are able to access this on the NHS. Supply issues and the continued reliance on prescribing testosterone products designed for men to fill the gap mean that whilst this is a positive step, we need to keep pushing for real, lasting change.'
The UK has become the fourth country to license AndroFeme, following in the footsteps of Australia, New Zealand and South Africa (where it is known by the brand name TestaFeme).
