Boots becomes first pharmacy to offer HRT medication without a prescription

The first Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) treatment available without a prescription can now be purchased at Boots as a pharmacy medicine.

The Gina 10 microgram vaginal tablets is the only treatment available without a prescription that is clinically proven to treat the cause of vaginal atrophy and its associated symptoms after the menopause.

The medication was reclassified from a prescription only medicine to a pharmacy medicine by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency earlier this year, following an application by license holder Novo Nordisk.

Boots says it is the very first pharmacy to offer Gina without a prescription, with the move being a "landmark moment" for women’s health and making the treatment more convenient to access.

Available online and at over 590 Boots stores, the same treatment will also continue to be available to patients with an NHS prescription for it.

Anne Higgins, Pharmacy Director at Boots, said: “As a pharmacy medicine, Gina is more accessible to patients as they no longer need a prescription from their GP. Our pharmacists are highly trained healthcare professionals and from today our pharmacy teams can offer this treatment to patients following a short consultation with no appointment needed.”

The announcement follows a series of initiatives by Boots to help target the menopause. From April 2022, Boots announced it would cover NHS prescriptions costs for HRT for its team members in England.

In August, Boots was independently accredited as a Menopause Friendly Employer, becoming the first health and beauty organisation to achieve this status. Along with launching a brand-new skincare range, formulated to target visible skin changes experienced during perimenopause and the menopause.