Prime Highlights:
- EU leaders and health experts are pushing for stronger, coordinated menopause care across all Member States.
- The European Parliament event stressed the need to end stigma and ensure better support for women at home, in clinics and in workplaces.
Key Facts:
- Up to 80% of women face menopause symptoms that affect daily life, yet fewer than one-third receive proper medical support.
- MEPs pledged to develop an EU-wide strategy on menopause, focusing on better data, improved access to treatments and stronger workplace policies.
Background:
Policymakers, medical experts and industry leaders met at the European Parliament this week to push for better menopause care across the EU. The event, held with support from Besins Healthcare Germany, focused on raising awareness, improving medical training and encouraging stronger workplace policies to support women during menopause.
Opening the discussion, MEP Veronika Cifrová (Renew Europe, Slovakia) stressed that menopause must be recognised as a mainstream public-health priority. She noted that silence around the issue often leads to delayed diagnosis and workplace challenges for women at the peak of their careers. “Menopause is not a niche topic; it is a natural stage of life that half of Europe’s population will experience,” she said, calling for stronger visibility in EU policymaking.
MEP Maria Walsh (EPP, Ireland) echoed the need for urgent attention, emphasising that access to accurate information and affordable treatment is still inconsistent across Member States. She warned that the lack of harmonised standards results in lost productivity and mental-health strain. “This is not about privilege, it is about equality,” Walsh said, urging the European Commission to work closely with national governments to improve access to therapies and early diagnosis.
The event also brought forward medical insights from Dr Katrin Schaudig, President of the German Menopause Society. Dr Schaudig said more research is needed to understand how menopause affects heart health and mental well-being.
During an open exchange, participants raised concerns about uneven access to menopause care, the lack of clear workplace guidelines, and the need for faster reimbursement pathways for proven therapies. Representatives from NGOs in Romania and Portugal also called for better coordination between national organisations supporting menopausal women.
Closing the event, MEP Maria Walsh emphasised the need to turn commitments into concrete outcomes. “The next step is delivery: better data, better access, and practical workplace support so women can thrive,” she said. MEP Veronika Cifrová added that menopause will remain on the EU agenda, reaffirming efforts to embed it in ongoing health and equality strategies.
Both MEPs committed to pushing for a European-level strategy on menopause, marking a significant step toward stronger, more consistent support for women’s health across the Union.
