Abstract
Previous chapters have examined the efficacy and safety of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and we must now consider whether widespread treatment of our community is appropriate. Because doctors have always been free to offer HRT to women the question for us is not whether an individual doctor should use the drug but whether there should be “national policy” on this matter. Examples of the application of national policies on health include immunisation policy, cervical cancer screening and recently the decision to advise breast cancer screening by mammography. Without adequate resources the application of national policy can be rather fragmented, as has been the case with cervical cancer screening. If there were to be a major expansion of HRT use it would be essential that this would be undertaken in general practice, since there is not a nationwide network of specialist clinics which could undertake the work of advising, treating and monitoring the women and I cannot envisage new resources to set up such a network. If large-scale treatment is to be based in general practice, it would be of great importance to have the willing collaboration of GPs, and their agreement that widespread and reasonably long-term treatment is advisable. Despite the recent growth in the prescription of HRT by GPs, I believe many remain unconvinced that large-scale longer-term treatment is advisable.
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© 1990 Springer-Verlag London Limited
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Barlow, D.H. (1990). Should HRT be Recommended in the Community?. In: Drife, J.O., Studd, J.W.W. (eds) HRT and Osteoporosis. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-1799-5_27
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-1799-5_27
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