The newsroom
Independent coverage from Hormone Journal — launches, policy, and analysis.
Featured · NewsCanadian egg freezing cycles rose twelvefold between 2013 and 2025. PCOS patients face unique stimulation risks and no provincial coverage for elective freezing, making early planning and specialist consultation important.
NewsRapid weight loss on semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy) can cause facial volume loss. Beauty companies are marketing fixes, but Health Canada hasn't weighed in and the evidence base is limited.
NewsRapid weight loss on GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy can cause facial volume loss. Beauty giants are marketing products for it, but Canadian clinical guidance is absent.
NewsOrforglipron, a daily pill version of a GLP-1 drug, passed a cardiovascular safety bar in a 2026 Lancet-published trial. It is not yet approved in Canada.
NewsOrforglipron, a once-daily pill in the GLP-1 class, cleared a cardiovascular safety bar in a major trial. It isn't approved in Canada yet, but the findings matter for patients and clinicians watching this drug class.
NewsA large 2026 meta-analysis links hormone therapy to more frequent, longer migraines in postmenopausal women, but not to worse pain. Experts say the evidence is preliminary and HT remains appropriate for many women with migraine.
NewsGLP-1 drugs show early signals of slowing biological aging, but Health Canada has not approved them for that purpose and provincial coverage remains tightly restricted to diabetes and obesity indications.
NewsRetatrutide showed strong weight-loss results in a major Lancet trial, but it has no Health Canada approval yet. Canadian patients cannot access it outside a research setting.
NewsCombined estrogen-testosterone therapy significantly increased lumbar spine bone density in a 51-person study, but testosterone remains unapproved for women in Canada, requiring off-label prescribing.
NewsA large real-world study suggests HRT may amplify semaglutide weight loss in midlife women, but researchers say the findings are preliminary and weight loss is not a reason to start hormone therapy.
NewsWHO now conditionally backs GLP-1s for youth 10+ with obesity. Canada already approves them for ages 12+, but provincial drug coverage is largely absent, leaving families to pay privately.
NewsWHO now conditionally backs GLP-1s for youth 10+ with obesity. Canada approves them from age 12, but public drug coverage is sparse and long-term pediatric safety data are still thin.
NewsGLP-1 drugs are changing how many Canadians approach Thanksgiving, with users eating far less, adjusting meal timing, and quietly modifying recipes to manage gastrointestinal side effects.
NewsGLP-1 prescriptions for children under 12 are rising sharply in the US. In Canada, these drugs are approved only for adolescents 12-plus, with patchy provincial coverage and no SOGC or Pediatric Society guidance yet for younger ages.
NewsReal-world data suggest oral semaglutide outperforms the injection for weight loss, but the pill is not yet approved by Health Canada. Canadian patients should discuss current injectable options with their prescriber.
LaunchesGreenShield data shows GLP-1 drug costs jumped 47.7% in 2025 in Canada, with semaglutide alone making up 6.6% of all drug insurance spending, exposing sharp access gaps for patients without private benefits.
NewsTestosterone is unproven for most menopause symptoms in Canada. Health Canada has not approved it for this use, and Canadian researchers say the science is not there yet.
NewsTestosterone is unregulated for menopause in Canada, off-label use is rising, and the evidence supports only narrow use cases. Social media claims outrun the science.
NewsHealth Canada flagged counterfeit 'Soprano' laser devices in Canadian clinics on September 21, 2026. The fakes are unauthorized and may injure patients. Ask your clinic for proof of device authorization before any laser treatment.
NewsGLP-1 and SGLT-2 drugs protect kidneys in type 2 diabetes patients with albuminuria, but show no clear benefit for those without it, per a major BMJ study published September 2026.
NewsUK GPs are blocking semaglutide heart-health prescriptions over funding gaps. Canadian patients face a similar access wall: Health Canada hasn't approved the cardiovascular indication and provincial drug plans don't cover Wegovy.
NewsA 260-person study found hormone therapy cut severe menopause-related mood symptoms by more than half. Canadian patients can access HT by prescription, with coverage varying by province.
NewsManulife data show a 228% rise in HRT claims among Canadian women aged 45-54 over five years, driven by updated safety evidence and growing workplace awareness of menopause.
NewsENDO 2026 research found MHT users had 69% lower risk of osteopenia or osteoporosis versus non-users. Canadian patients should discuss bone-health benefits with their physician alongside individual risk factors.
NewsMost people who stop GLP-1 drugs restart within a year, a 60,000-patient study found. Canadian patients face added barriers: patchy provincial coverage and supply gaps that can force unplanned breaks.
NewsMost people who stop GLP-1 medications restart within a year, a large US study found. Canadian patients face the same pattern, complicated by inconsistent provincial drug coverage.
NewsWomen with premature menopause (before 40) face a 12.3% higher hypertension risk. Canadian patients should ask their doctor about earlier blood pressure screening and hormone therapy eligibility.
NewsGLP-1 drugs raise hair loss risk by 37-68% relative to other diabetes medications, but absolute rates are low. Rapid weight loss, not direct follicle damage, appears to be the main driver.
NewsNew studies show GLP-1 drugs carry a real but low hair-loss risk. Health Canada has not issued guidance; Canadian patients should discuss the finding with their prescriber.
NewsThe UK banned domperidone in phaeochromocytoma patients after reports of severe hypertension. Health Canada has not yet acted. Canadian patients with adrenal tumour history should speak to their doctor now.
NewsThe largest review to date suggests GLP-1 drugs may ease binge eating disorder symptoms, but Health Canada has not approved them for this use and evidence remains limited.
NewsHealth Canada's July 2026 order lets it lean on foreign regulatory decisions to approve drugs faster. Hormone-therapy patients may benefit, but no specific HRT drugs have been named yet.
NewsHealth Canada approved 15 new drugs in Q2 2026. Two are directly relevant to hormone patients: Thyconvi for thyroid therapy and Lupin-Glucagon for pancreatic hormone emergencies.
NewsA large 2026 study found one in three women over 35 unsure if they are in perimenopause. Canadian patients face the same gaps, with uneven provincial access to informed care.
NewsCombining GLP-1 drugs (like semaglutide) with SGLT2 inhibitors (like empagliflozin) cut heart failure hospitalizations versus either drug alone in a 99,683-patient CMAJ meta-analysis, but evidence certainty was very low and no benefit appeared for heart attack, stroke, or kidney failure.
NewsHealth Canada has told doctors not to start new patients on TAVNEOS (avacopan) while it reviews whether flawed trial data undermines the drug's approval. Current patients should consult their physician before making any changes.
NewsResearchers writing in The Lancet want PCOS renamed PMOS to better reflect the condition's metabolic roots. Canadian regulators and the SOGC have not yet responded.
NewsResearchers writing in The Lancet propose renaming PCOS to PMOS to better capture its metabolic and hormonal nature. Health Canada and the SOGC have not yet issued guidance on the proposed change.
NewsHealth Canada approved Svemia, Canada's first generic semaglutide weight-loss injection, on June 30, 2026. Prices may fall significantly, but provincial coverage decisions are still pending.
NewsA large 2026 study found GLP-1 users had significantly higher rates of smell and taste disturbances. Absolute risk remains low, but Canadian patients and prescribers should be aware.
NewsA 10,000-woman study links hormone therapy use to better diet, activity, and sleep, but researchers say healthy-user bias, not the hormones, probably explains most of the difference.
NewsA major NEJM review published June 18, 2026 formalizes risk-stratified, personalized care for differentiated thyroid cancer. Canadian patients should ask their endocrinologist whether active surveillance or minimalist surgery applies to their tumour.
NewsA UK study found GLP-1 drugs improved testosterone and sperm quality in men with high BMI after 24 weeks. Canadian regulators have not approved these drugs for male fertility, and more trials are needed.
NewsSurgical menopause causes more severe vaginal dryness, painful intercourse, and urinary symptoms than natural menopause, a 2026 study of 400+ women found. Canadian patients should ask their clinician about GSM screening and treatment options before and after surgery.
NewsAstraZeneca's oral GLP-1 pill showed promising weight-loss trial results, but Health Canada has not approved it and Canadian access remains years off.
NewsAstraZeneca's oral GLP-1 pill showed promising Phase 2 weight-loss data in June 2026, but Health Canada has not reviewed it and it is not available to Canadians yet.
NewsOsteoporosis Canada says GLP-1 weight-loss drugs can accelerate bone and muscle loss. Canadian patients need monitoring, calcium, vitamin D, and resistance exercise alongside treatment.
NewsWomen with endometriosis or unexplained infertility may reach menopause years earlier than average, a new study finds, with direct implications for long-term health monitoring in Canada.
NewsGLP-1 microdosing is a social-media trend with zero clinical trial support. Health Canada has not approved it, and no standard dose definition exists.
LaunchesCanada approved two generic semaglutides in spring 2026. Felix Health is offering them at $150/month, well below the $200–$450/month brand-name range.