Key Summary
- UCL experts warn of a menopause “gold rush” exploiting women
- 9 in 10 call for reliable education and support
- UCL is developing a free evidence-based programme
Women’s health academics at University College London (UCL) have blamed companies, celebrities and social media influencers for amassing a fortune by misleading women by circulating unreliable information regarding menopause.
They stated in the medical journal Post Reproductive Health, “There has been a rapid expansion in unregulated private companies and individuals providing menopause information and support for profit; this has been termed the ‘menopause gold rush.”
These groups utilised the gaps in public knowledge on menopause to influence women, and researchers have called for an educational programme to address this issue.
Prof Joyce Harper, the lead author of the study, said, “We have a menopause gold rush because companies, investors and people see menopause as a lucrative market.”
They target women who are raised in an ageist, misogynistic and pronatalist culture.
They force women to stay attractive and value male gaze.
It presses the idea that women loses their value with the loss of their fertility.
Altogether, the companies play with their internal fears for their profit.
“While public awareness of menopause has greatly improved recently, there has been a rapid expansion in private companies and individuals providing menopause education, especially on social media, which has led to misinformation that can make existing menopause-related health inequities worse.
One woman who took part in the UK study told researchers: “Everything I know about the menopause I learnt on Instagram from other women.”
As menopause is not universal, it is a different experience for each woman.
So, nine in ten women said they want an education and support programme, ideally delivered in person or online over two to four weekly sessions.
As per the experts, financial loss and menopause-related health inequalities are the consequences of the menopause gold rush.
The UCL researchers' team has already started designing an appropriate programme that educates women on menopause and its various symptoms, spanning from hot flushes, disturbed sleep, palpitations, brain fog, mood swings, etc.
“Menopause often comes at a ‘crunch point’ in our lives – we may be juggling multiple caring roles as well as the demands of work, and potential impacts on our self-esteem and relationships,” said the senior study author, Dr Shema Tariq, of UCL’s Institute for Global Health.
“We believe that everyone should be entitled to accurate information and support networks, free of charge, so they are better able to navigate this stage of life,” she added.
