Expensive Menopause Tests Deemed Clinically Useless by Doctors
Expensive,over-the-counter hormone tests for menopause are clinically useless and risk undermining women’s healthcare,senior doctors have warned.
The testing kits, offered by private clinics and available to buy for self-testing, claim to offer tailored insights through measuring hormone levels. But they have been described by experts as misleading and medically unnecessary.
“There are lots of private healthcare and telehealth clinics offering tests and increasing numbers of medically untrained, self-proclaimed ‘experts’ giving advice on social media and podcasts to get these tests done,” said Dr Stephanie Sterry, who recently co-wrote an editorial for the BMJ titled menopause Misinformation is Harming Care.”Unfortunately, these tests are not evidence-based,” she added. “They’re not giving us any new data or making treatment more effective. All they are doing is encouraging women to spend hundreds of pounds on tests that don’t make any difference to the treatment they should be given.”
There are two types of menopause hormone kits in the UK: rapid urine-based tests – some of which claim to give results in just two minutes – and finger-prick blood tests,which are sent for laboratory analysis with results guaranteed in one to two days.
Urine tests are available in high street shops including Asda and Superdrug for about £8. Blood tests range from £32 at Asda Online to £189 at Bluecrest Wellness.
Guidelines from Nice, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the British Menopause Society agree that for women over 45, menopause should be diagnosed based on symptoms alone. Hormone levels fluctuate daily and, experts agree, offer no reliable diagnostic value.
“These tests are marketed
Concerns Raised Over Menopause tests Sold in UK Pharmacies and Supermarkets
A debate is brewing over the accuracy and value of hormone tests for perimenopause and menopause sold in pharmacies and supermarkets across the UK, including Boots, Superdrug, and Asda.While providers argue these tests empower women by providing data to discuss with their doctors, medical professionals are raising concerns that they can cause confusion, lead to misdiagnosis, and are not supported by scientific evidence.The tests,often involving finger-prick blood samples,typically measure hormone levels like Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH). Proponents, like Dr. Martin Thornton, medical director at the private clinic Bluecrest, state they “offer a GP consultation with the data results” and help women correlate symptoms, which can be complex and varied. https://www.theguardian.com/education/2025/aug/20/teaching-boys-and-girls-mixed-classes-menstruation-periods-ucl-study
However, experts like Dr. Louise Sterry strongly disagree with this approach. She argues, “there is no evidence that the symptoms a woman experiences in perimenopause or the severity of those symptoms, correlates to data received from blood tests.” sterry further explains that negative test results can be especially damaging, leading to underdiagnosis and undertreatment. She emphasizes that treatment should be based on a patient’s reported symptoms,not solely on hormone levels.Why Hormone Testing for Menopause is Controversial
Menopause is diagnosed clinically, meaning based on a woman’s symptoms and menstrual cycle history, not a single blood test result. The hormonal fluctuations during perimenopause are often erratic, making a single snapshot of hormone levels unreliable.
According to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), the UK’s health guidance body, hormone testing is not recommended for diagnosing menopause in women with typical symptoms.https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng23 NICE guidelines state that diagnosis should be made based on a woman’s symptoms after excluding other causes.
Sterry reinforces this point, stating, “The principle of evidence-based practice is that a test should be done only if its result will directly guide patient care. Hormone testing in menopause treatment is not supported by evidence and does not improve care.”
Pharmacy Responses
Superdrug acknowledges customer demand drove the launch of their FSH test, stating they provide “tailored medical advice from our doctors based on a combination of the assessment answers, and the test result.” Asda has been contacted for comment.
The Importance of Symptom-Based Diagnosis
The core issue is that menopause is a clinical diagnosis. Symptoms like irregular periods, hot flashes, sleep disturbances, and mood changes are key indicators. A healthcare professional should evaluate these symptoms, consider a woman’s medical history, and rule out other potential causes before diagnosing menopause.
Relying on hormone tests can create unnecessary anxiety and delay appropriate treatment. Women experiencing potential menopause symptoms are encouraged to consult with their GP for a comprehensive evaluation and personalized care plan.
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