Lenzetto shortages are disrupting access to transdermal hormone treatments in Spain. Alternative patches are under pressure as regulators seek more supply and clinical guidance.
Patients were already struggling to find Lenzetto in Spain in late 2025. The supply problem has continued since March 2026, according to reports citing the Spanish medicines agency AEMPS. The shortage now affects some alternative patches because demand shifted sharply after Lenzetto became harder to obtain. These medicines are used in hormone replacement therapy linked to menopause and osteoporosis prevention. They also support other clinical needs, including gender-affirming hormone treatment for trans women.
The pressure is spread across a treatment range, not just one product. Evopad is expected to receive new units in mid-October, with normal supply forecast from November. Estraderm is expected to cover its market share. Estradot, meanwhile, has announced that it will stop being marketed in Spain.
That leaves fewer choices.
The Lenzetto shortage in Spain has been described as a prolonged disruption rather than a short-term stockout: difficulties were reported in late 2025, and the supply problem continued through March 2026 and beyond.
El País reported that the withdrawal of Estradot further reduces the number of products available to patients affected by the Lenzetto disruption. The alternatives also differ in formulation, reimbursement and supply. A replacement is not automatically equivalent for every patient.
Oestraclin Gel offers another transdermal option for patients who can use a gel. Its manufacturer has increased production and reports continuous supply. The product is excluded from public financing at the holder's request. That limits its use as a replacement for some people treated through the Sistema Nacional de Salud.
Lenzetto remains the only estradiol product in its specific spray formulation. Other authorised options include patches and gels. Oral oestrogen treatments may also suit some patients. Not all alternatives receive Sistema Nacional de Salud funding because some holders chose to withdraw from public coverage or never requested it.
The AEMPS has described the shortage as a chain reaction. Lenzetto's original supply problem pushed demand for alternatives higher. Some patch presentations then developed intermittent stock problems. The agency and the Dirección General de Cartera y Farmacia are tracking expected consumption. They are also contacting manufacturers to raise production or bring distribution forward where possible.
El Periódico described the process as a domino effect. An international Lenzetto supply failure placed new pressure on other transdermal treatments.
Supply moved fast.
In Catalonia, regional authorities and pharmaceutical organisations have called for pharmacies to be allowed to prepare magistral hormone formulations as a temporary response to the shortage. The proposal reflects the widening impact of the disruption, although compounded preparations would not automatically replace all authorised or publicly financed products.
Reports from users in February first drew attention to the Lenzetto problem. The AEMPS contacted Gedeon Richter and initially received assurances that demand was being met normally. The company later reported a sharp rise in demand and problems with the delivery device. It then told the agency that no stock remained.
Gedeon Richter said supply would resume progressively from November and continue into 2027. The AEMPS has warned that this remains a company forecast. Previous estimates have not always been accurate. The agency also said the laboratory failed to give advance notice of incidents that could prevent continuous supply.
El Mundo reported that the return of units in November should not be treated as a guarantee that the market will immediately return to normal. Patients may still face gaps after supplies restart.
The shortage is international. Medicine regulators have identified Lenzetto problems in France, Italy, Sweden, Norway, the Czech Republic, Portugal, Denmark, Poland, Ireland, Greece and Finland. The impact and duration differ by country. The AEMPS has raised the issue in European working groups coordinated by the European Medicines Agency to explore a joint response.
Spain cannot solve the problem simply by redirecting domestic stock. The supply failure crosses several national markets.
The agency has also met medical and pharmaceutical scientific societies. The groups are reviewing every clinical use of the affected medicines and the most suitable alternative for each indication. They may define clinical priority criteria if supply does not improve. Patient representatives and civil society organisations have separately shared their views with the agency.
The shortage affects routine menopause care. It also affects patients who rely on hormone treatment for other indications, including gender-affirming care.
The Ministry's Dirección General de Cartera y Farmacia is contacting companies that market alternative hormone treatments. Officials are asking whether those companies are willing to request public financing. Lenzetto's price had already been increased to support its continued presence in the Spanish market.
The issue also reaches beyond menopause. An earlier report examined the role of oestrogen in women's health. Women's organisations and the Ministry of Equality have called for urgent action. The shortage has become a public-policy issue as well as a supply and manufacturing problem.
The AEMPS keeps its online CIMA database updated with information on medicine supply problems. That database matters while Lenzetto's return remains a company forecast rather than a guaranteed timetable.
Spain needs several functioning, publicly accessible alternatives. Reliance on one formulation has put the wider treatment network under pressure.
