Osphena Approved by FDA to Treat Dyspareunia
Osphena (ospemifene) has been approved by the FDA to treat dyspareunia. This is the first non-steroidal estrogen available for women with dyspareunia (painful intercourse), a symptom of vulvar and vaginal atrophy (VVA) that is common during menopause.
Osphena (ospemifene), an estrogen agonist/antagonist with tissue selective effects, has been approved by the FDA to treat dyspareunia. This is the first non-steroidal estrogen available for women with dyspareunia (painful intercourse), a symptom of vulvar and vaginal atrophy (VVA) that is common during menopause.
The results of a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial and subsequent safety extension were published online and ahead of print in the journal Menopause. Researchers found that 60 mg of once-daily oral ospemifene was effective in treating of vulvar and vaginal atrophy in postmenopausal women with dyspareunia.1 The one-year, long-term safety extension study found no clinically significant adverse changes, including no clinically meaningful endometrial findings, no treatment-emergent adverse events of pelvic organ prolapse or venous thromboembolism, and no cases of endometrial hyperplasia or carcinoma.2 In both studies, hot flushes were the most common treatment-related adverse event.
References:
1. Ospemifene, a novel selective estrogen receptor modulator for treating dyspareunia associated with postmenopausal vulvar and vaginal atrophy. Menopause. 2013 Jan 28. [Epub ahead of print].
2. Simon JA, Lin VH, Radovich C, Bachmann GA; The Ospemifene Study Group. One-year long-term safety extension study of ospemifene for the treatment of vulvar and vaginal atrophy in postmenopausal women with a uterus. Menopause. 2012 Nov 8. [Epub ahead of print].
Later-onset menopause linked to lower heart disease risk
February 10th 2025A new study from the University of Colorado Boulder suggests that women who experience menopause at age 55 years or later may have significantly better vascular health and a reduced risk of heart attacks and strokes.
Read More
In this episode of Pap Talk, Gloria Bachmann, MD, MSc, breaks down what it means to be a health care provider for incarcerated individuals, and explores the specific challenges women and their providers face during and after incarceration. Joined by sexual health expert Michael Krychman, MD, Bachmann also discusses trauma-informed care and how providers can get informed.
Listen
Menopausal hormone therapy linked to increased risk of SLE and SSc
February 7th 2025A new study found that menopausal hormone therapy is associated with a higher risk of systemic lupus erythematosus and systemic sclerosis, emphasizing the role of female sex hormones in immune-mediated diseases.
Read More
