When the Estradiol Patch Is on Backorder: A Compounding Pharmacist’s Perspective
Over the past year, many patients who rely on estradiol transdermal patches have heard a frustrating phrase at the pharmacy counter: “It’s on backorder.” For someone using hormone therapy to manage hot flashes, night sweats, sleep disruption, mood changes, genitourinary symptoms, or bone-health concerns, that message can feel more than inconvenient. It can feel destabilizing.
What New Research Reveals About Permeation-Enhanced Topical Estrogen Formulations
A 2025 in vitro study in Pharmaceuticals (Basel), In Vitro Percutaneous Absorption of Permeation-Enhancing Estrogen Formulations, explored how different permeation-enhancing bases influence estradiol (and bi-est estriol/estradiol) absorption compared with a commercial estradiol gel.