“If you’re already a board-certified OBGYN, why would you pay to become NAMS certified?”
Many physicians turn to the North American Menopause Society (NAMS) for guidance on menopause-related issues. Every few years, they release a position statement outlining their stance on relevant treatment options, and lately, I’ve been getting a lot of questions about their recent statements.
For the next couple of episodes, I’ll be doing a deep dive into different aspects of NAMS and their position statements. Today, I’m starting by critically examining their 2022 hormone therapy position statement and 2023 nonhormone therapy position statement.
In this conversation, I’m talking about why I question the influence of pharmaceutical funding on NAMS, their narrow focus on certain menopausal symptoms, why I disagree with some of their positions on the use of compounded bioidentical hormone therapy, my skepticism about the necessity of NAMS certification, and more. Next week, I’ll explore NAMS’s funding sources and some of the issues with past leadership. Enjoy the episode!
Episode Highlights
-Why I’m talking about the North American Menopause Society (NAMS)
-My thoughts on NAMS certification and relying on NAMS-certified practitioners
-The potential influence of big pharma as the primary funding source for NAMS
-Highlights from NAMS’ 2022 Hormone Therapy Position Statement
-The problem with relying heavily on the Women’s Health Initiative and the emphasis on addressing a few specific symptoms
-NAMS’ stance on compounded bioidentical hormone therapy and why I disagree with their assessment
-Skin and hair effects of estrogen therapy
-The problem with NAMS’ definition of quality of life
-How hormone replacement therapy affects common menopause symptoms and the risk of cardiovascular disease
-Risks and benefits of hormone therapy and different types of cancer
-Discussion of financial relationships and conflicts of interest within NAMS
–NAMS 2023 Nonhormone therapy position statement
Mentioned In This Episode
NAMS Website | Menopause.org
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Resources
Dr. Shawn Tassone’s Practice
Dr. Shawn Tassone’s Book | The Hormone Balance Bible
Dr. Shawn Tassone’s Integrative Hormonal Mapping System | Hormone Archetype Quiz
Medical Disclaimer
This podcast and website represent the opinions of Dr. Shawn Tassone and his guests. The content here should not be taken as medical advice and is for informational purposes only. Because each person is so unique, please consult your health care professional for any medical questions.
