Israel Faces Months-Long Shortage of Evorel 50 Hormone Patches as Relief Arrives
Tens of thousands of Israeli women have faced an eight-month shortage of Evorel 50 hormone patches. Authorities and importers confirm that a massive new shipment has arrived, with supplies expected to resume imminently.
Tens of thousands of women undergoing hormone replacement therapy have been struggling for about eight months with a severe shortage of Evorel 50 patches. These patches are prescribed for a variety of medical conditions, including fertility issues, BRCA gene carriers who underwent oophorectomy to reduce cancer risk, and women going through menopause. After months of hardship, both the Ministry of Health and the pharmaceutical company manufacturing the patches have committed that the supply is expected to resume in the coming days.
Many women in Israel depend on hormonal treatment to maintain their daily routine, but in recent months, obtaining Evorel 50 patches has turned into an exhausting chase involving phone calls to pharmacies, trips to peripheral pharmacies, and trading patches in Facebook and Telegram groups. One of them is Galit (a pseudonym), a 58-year-old from Herzliya, who was left with only three patches remaining without knowing where she would source her next box. After five years of treatment with Evorel 50, she describes a period of chasing a vanishing inventory.
The Pharmacists' Perspective and Medical Impact
Pharmacists face this distress across the counter every day. According to David Papo, chairman of the Pharmacists Association, finding the patches has become nearly impossible recently. "A few months ago, you could still find them here and there, but in the past two months, the inventory has completely run out. Even the remaining leftovers have disappeared," he describes. Some women are willing to travel anywhere in the country to secure the patches out of sheer desperation.
Prof. Daniel Seidman, a senior specialist at the IVF unit at Assuta Ramat HaHayil, encounters the consequences of the shortage among his patients daily. The distinct advantage of patch-based treatment is that the risk of blood clots is significantly lower compared to oral hormone therapy. The shortage makes it especially difficult to tailor treatments for women with risk factors. When patches are unavailable, doctors may be forced to prescribe oral treatments, which carry a higher risk of clotting.
Relief on the Horizon
Now, after months of scarcity, a breakthrough is emerging: a fresh supply of Evorel 50 packages has arrived in the country, and distribution is expected to resume imminently. According to a source familiar with the details, this involves a shipment of tens of thousands of packs expected to clear customs shortly, addressing market needs for the coming months.
From Taromed Ltd., the importer of Evorel 50, it was stated: "The international and local market is experiencing a sharp rise in demand for hormone replacement therapy products, including Evorel patches. This upward trend continues into 2026, following the FDA's decision to remove the 'black box' warning from these products. The manufacturer, Theramex, has significantly increased production to meet this demand, though the complex manufacturing process takes time."
The Ministry of Health stated: "As a rule, Israel's policy aligns with OECD standards, placing inventory management and drug marketing responsibility on medical institutions and marketing companies. Recently, Evorel products experienced a temporary marketing suspension due to operational reasons amid a sharp global surge in demand. Inventory of Evorel 50 and Evorel Conti has now arrived in Israel, and the supply is expected to normalize shortly."
