FDA nominee faces Senate hurdles as estrogen patch supply tightens
Heidi Overton’s nomination to head the FDA is encountering resistance in the Senate, while women across the U.S. grapple with a shortage of transdermal estrogen patches.
Heidi Overton, a longtime Trump ally, has been nominated to lead the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, but her confirmation prospects appear dim.
In a separate health issue, drug manufacturers are struggling to meet rising demand for transdermal estrogen patches after the FDA removed several strong safety warnings from hormone replacement therapy last November. The patches are complex to produce and take longer to manufacture than pills, leading to supply constraints and prompting many women to change brands or dosages.
Why it matters
The nomination could shape FDA policy, while estrogen patch shortages affect women's health nationwide.
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