Australia is facing an ongoing HRT patches shortage, leaving many women asking: Are HRT patches available in Australia? In this episode of The Sage Women Podcast, we speak with Johanna Wicks and Raisa Montero from Lorai Health, the Australian women’s health startup working to solve the hormone replacement therapy patch shortage.

For more than 20 years, only three HRT patches have been available in Australia - contributing to repeated supply disruptions. Combined with PBS pricing pressures and global pharmaceutical market dynamics, Australian women navigating menopause and perimenopause have been left without reliable access to essential treatment. Lorai Health is developing a two-generation innovation strategy: A faster-to-market patch using advanced medical materials, followed by next-generation materials and adhesives designed specifically for women.

In this conversation, we explore:

- Why HRT patches are in short supply in Australia

- The impact on menopause and perimenopause care

- Cost and access challenges

- The difference between continuous and combined HRT patches

- The funding barriers female founders face in women’s health

- How broader access to HRT could translate into billions of dollars of savings, in preventable age-related healthcare challenges.

If you’re searching for answers about HRT patches in Australia, menopause treatment options, or the future of women’s health innovation, this episode delivers clarity and hope.

Visit Lorai Health: loraihealth.com

Support Lorai with a donation: loraihealth.com/donate

Follow in Instagram: instagram.com/loraihealth

Follow on Substack: The Patch Report: thepatchreport.substack.com