Why is there so much fuss about hormonal therapy after menopause?

Up until the late 1990s, physicians freely prescribed hormones to post-menopausal females. It was believed at that time that these hormones were safe. In fact, these hormones helped relieved the symptoms of menopause in the majority of females. Hormonal therapy was a universal standard for the treatment of hot flashes and there was evidence that these agents could even prevent osteoporosis.

However, in the last decade several large studies show that empirical use of these sex hormones is not good for health. In fact, most studies show that long-term use of the hormones after menopause cause more harm than good. There is a strong belief that prolonged use of these agents may increase the risk of breast and uterine cancer. Today, most health professionals are extremely reluctant to prescribe these hormones to post-menopausal women.