This treatment is intended to reduce hot flashes and night sweats.
Hot flashes, night sweats, sleep problems… These symptoms linked to menopause can last several years and disrupt daily life. Around 70% of women experience hot flashes during menopause. To combat these symptoms, there are hormonal treatments for menopause or “HRT” intended to mimic the action of hormones and compensate for their deficiencies from menopause onwards. But there is also a hormone-free treatment that many women are not aware of.
This medicine has just been authorized in the United Kingdom by the NHS Health Agency. It has already been available in the United States and the European Union since 2023. Unlike traditional treatments, it does not contain hormones. It acts in the brain by blocking certain signals involved in the regulation of body temperature. This helps reduce the frequency and intensity of hot flashes and night sweats, which are among the most common symptoms of menopause.
This medicine is fezolinetant marketed under the name Veoza® (or Veozah® in the United States). It is taken in the form of one tablet per day. It is mainly aimed at women who have moderate to severe symptoms and who cannot or do not wish to take hormonal treatment, for example for certain health reasons or by personal choice. Fezolinetant is available in France on medical prescription, but is not currently reimbursed by Health Insurance, which further limits its use.
As with any recent medication, certain precautions are recommended. Liver problems have been reported in rare cases in France, leading doctors to check that the liver is functioning properly before starting treatment and during use. For specialists, this medication represents above all an additional option for women who cannot use hormones.
Hormonal treatment today remains the most effective solution to relieve the symptoms of menopause when it can be prescribed. But the arrival of new approaches could allow more women to benefit from care adapted to their situation.
