Our latest survey of Australian GPs highlights how prescribing for menopause varies widely across therapies and experience levels. The results reveal clear gaps in confidence and consistency, opening the door for pharma to provide greater levels of targeted, evidence-based support.
What GPs are prescribing today
Our 2025 GP survey asked: “In the past 12 months, which of the following have you prescribed to patients for managing menopausal symptoms?” Here’s what we found:
Top 5 most prescribed therapies:
| Vaginal oestrogen therapy | 87.1% |
| Combination of oestrogen gel and micronised progesterone | 77.7% |
| Topical estradiol, gel delivery | 75.9% |
| Topical estradiol, patch delivery | 75.3% |
| Combined oral MHT | 70.0% |
Bottom 5 least prescribed therapies:
| Conjugated equine oestrogen/bazdexofine | 7.1% |
| Non-hormonal therapy (e.g. NK3 receptor antagonists) | 34.7% |
| Oral progestogen (synthetic, oral) | 35.3% |
| Tibolone | 37.7% |
| Oral estradiol | 37.7% |
This prescribing spread shows a willingness among GPs to use a range of therapies. However, it also reflects differences in familiarity, confidence, and habits. As one senior GP put it:
“I’ve prescribed oral estradiol for years. It works, and I know it well.” GP, 30 years in practice
Meanwhile, a younger GP explained:
“I tend to prescribe patches because patients like them, and I feel they’re safer.” GP, <10 years
The consultation gap
Menopause is an inevitable stage of life, yet it is not consistently addressed in GP consults. Our survey found that many doctors rarely or only sometimes proactively ask about menopausal symptoms, meaning women’s needs often go under-identified unless they raise the issue themselves.
As one mid-career GP put it:
“It’s not that I don’t want to bring menopause up, but with a ten-minute consult, I often wait for the patient to raise it themselves.” GP, 15 years in practice
For pharma, this highlights a clear gap: if the conversation never begins, the opportunity to share evidence-based treatments and support patients is limited.
Confidence and knowledge gaps
Confidence in discussing therapies is uneven. While 27.5% of GPs reported being “extremely confident” explaining risks and benefits, more than one-third described themselves as only “somewhat confident.”
This is particularly true for early-career doctors: only 8.3% in their first 10 years of practice described themselves as “extremely confident.” One commented:
“I’ve had training on menopause, but I still feel I don’t know all the details around risks. It’s easy to feel a bit unsure.” GP, <10 years in practice
The result is selective communication. Almost all GPs mention symptom relief (97.7%), but fewer highlight long-term outcomes like bone health (82.6%) or cardiovascular protection (46.6%). This narrows patient understanding and can delay uptake of therapies.
Prescribing patterns and experience
Experience also shapes prescribing habits.
- Younger GPs (<10 years): More likely to adopt newer therapies such as gels and patches (83–88%) and to use combined oral therapies.
“I tend to prescribe patches because patients like them and I feel they’re safer.” — GP, <10 years
- Older GPs (21+ years): More confident overall, but often rely on oral estradiol (44%).
“I’ve been using oral estradiol for years. It’s what I’m most familiar with, though I know guidelines are shifting.” — GP, 30 years in practice
- Mid-career GPs (11–20 years): Most likely to raise cardiovascular outcomes with patients, showing how practice focus evolves with experience.
These differences matter. A single communication approach will not resonate equally across the profession.
Opportunities for Pharma
The data points to practical areas where pharma can add value in a measured, credible way:
- Enable Proactive Conversations
Provide prompts and concise resources that make it easier for GPs to raise menopause within time-limited consults.
- Strengthen Confidence
Deliver clear, evidence-based updates that help doctors feel assured in discussing risks and benefits.
- Broaden Awareness
Ensure educational materials cover the full scope of therapy outcomes, not just symptom relief.
- Segment by Experience Level
- Early-career GPs: foundational, confidence-building education.
- Mid-career GPs: concise updates that fit heavy workloads.
- Senior GPs: refreshers that align prescribing with current best practice.
Why AusDoc provides the edge
Traditional engagement methods such as detailing, conferences, brochures or even reps have limitations. They reach some GPs some of the time. What is needed is scale, consistency, and credibility.
AusDoc gives pharma access to Australia’s largest commercially available GP audience. By embedding education in a trusted platform, pharma ensures messages are received, understood, and applied in practice.
Conclusion
GPs want to support their patients through menopause, but time, confidence, and uneven knowledge create gaps.
For pharma, this represents not just a challenge but a strategic opportunity: to provide targeted, credible education that helps doctors start conversations, broaden what they discuss, and prescribe with confidence.
By partnering with doctors through AusDoc, pharma can contribute to stronger patient care while also ensuring their brands are considered in every relevant consult.
Contact us
Looking to run a campaign and engage doctors with confidence? For further information, contact us to discuss how AusDoc can support you with the reassurance you need.
Source
AusDoc Survey “Menopause Care Practices in Australia” 2025 (n = 215 )
This article was written with the assistance of AI