FDA removes black box warning on hormonal therapy used to treat women with menopause

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- Warning labels on estrogen used in therapy for treating symptoms of menopause has discouraged many women from using it in the past.

Today the Food and Drug Administration is asking companies to remove what is known as "black box warnings" on hormone therapy drugs containing estrogen.

The black box warning is the highest safety label that the FDA can place on a prescription drug.

Since 2003, the black box warning as been placed on estrogen and all hormone therapy.

Health officials say these labels are misleading and have prevented many women from receiving help during menopause, causing them to suffer symptoms from night sweats to brain-fog unnecessarily.

They say that the removal of this label will lead to more clinicians talking with patients about hormone therapy and discussing more accurate risks associated with these medicatons