The menopause market has entered a new phase, with global corporations moving rapidly to capture what investors now call one of the fastest-growing sectors in women’s health. As major brands roll out hormone therapies, supplements, and lifestyle products, doctors are warning that the line between patient care and profit is becoming increasingly blurred.
In the United States, telehealth company Hims & Hers recently announced plans to launch menopause and perimenopause treatment plans, marking a shift from its original focus on sexual health and weight management. The company said it will offer tailored treatments that could include hormone patches, creams, and prescription medication. Industry analysts estimate the global menopause market could reach more than £470 billion by the end of the decade, fuelled by a growing number of mid-life women seeking relief from symptoms such as hot flushes, anxiety, sleep problems, and low mood.
At the same time, long-established companies are reinventing themselves to target the same demographic. WeightWatchers, which has struggled to regain its former influence, recently rebranded its menopause programme with Queen Latifah as its spokesperson. The campaign promotes weight loss and hormone replacement therapy through a telehealth model, bundling menopause management with access to GLP-1 medications, the same class of drugs that fuelled the weight-loss boom.
Critics argue that this surge of commercial interest risks turning a vital area of women’s health into a marketplace dominated by glossy branding and celebrity endorsements. While greater openness about menopause is welcome, the speed at which corporations have entered the space raises concerns about the quality and consistency of information reaching women.
Medical professionals are urging caution. They warn that many new products and programmes are being marketed without sufficient clinical evidence, creating unrealistic expectations and confusion among women already struggling to find credible advice. Recent figures from the British Menopause Society show that fewer than one in four women in the UK feel well informed about menopause, and only a small proportion of doctors receive formal menopause training during their medical education.
Private hormone testing and “bioidentical” therapies, often promoted online, are particularly contentious. Doctors have warned that these services can lead women to spend hundreds of pounds on tests or treatments that lack scientific validation, potentially delaying proper medical care. The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists has called for tighter regulation to protect women from misleading health claims and ensure that information provided online is accurate and evidence-based.