As HRT prescriptions soar, Mariella Frostrup becomes menopause tsar

HRT replaces the hormones oestrogen, progestogen, or both, in women going through the perimenopause or menopause. It can relieve symptoms such as anxiety, insomnia and hot flushes, and is administered as gels, creams, tablets or patches. The NHS HRT prescription prepayment certificate, which costs £19.80 for 12 months, can make prescriptions cheaper.According to the NHS website, the risk of developing serious side-effects on HRT are “very low”, although the therapy can lead to a small increase in the risk of breast cancer.‘Honoured and delighted’Media coverage of the menopause has increased in recent years, with celebrities speaking publicly about how it affected them – including Frostrup.The broadcaster said she was “honoured and delighted” to be taking over and would tackle a “gender-specific inequity” which can see women suffer in the workplace – or even have to leave work.Earlier this year, a survey found have found that…