Experts Highlight Key Sessions and Emerging Topics from The Menopause Society 2025 Annual Meeting

To recap The Menopause Society 2025 Annual Meeting, Regina Castaneda, MD, postdoctoral research fellow at Mayo Clinic, and Lisa J. Taylor-Swanson, PhD, LAc, Dipl OM (NCCAOM), associate professor at the University of Utah College of Nursing, discuss the key sessions presented at the meeting. These sessions cover glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1)–based therapies, various stages of menopause, premature ovarian insufficiency, and Indigenous and Hispanic women’s health in the menopause space.

Pharmacy Times: What are some key sessions presented at The Menopause Society 2025 Annual Meeting?

Regina Castaneda, MD: I think that one of the most important is the weight session, [Maria D. Hurtado Andrade, MD, PhD] is sharing a lot of information regarding GLP-1–based therapies and also disentangling some facts and myths that are around. So, that's a very important session to attend. She's also sharing some findings of our studies, so I think that's one of the ones that we cannot miss.

All of them are very important, I will say. We are getting a lot of insights, not only about menopause but also [the] perimenopause stage. And tomorrow, we will learn more about functional hypothalamic amenorrhea and also premature ovarian insufficiency. This is early estrogen loss, and it's very important, so I do want to emphasize that we need to talk more about this. So do not miss those sessions.

Lisa J. Taylor-Swanson, PhD, LAc, Dipl OM (NCCAOM): Well, I think [The Menopause Society Annual Meeting]...of course, [it's] the only one in the United States focusing on menopause, so it's the place to be, and it's a really terrific outlet. And the thing I really appreciate about The Menopause Society is there [are] offerings for novice clinicians to senior experts who are delivering the sessions.

I think some of the key "nuts and bolts" sessions about what is perimenopause, what about heavy bleeding, and how do we manage that, [are] really essential, because I've had plenty of participants in my various studies come in and say, "I had menstrual fluid running into my shoes; my provider said that happens during perimenopause and did not treat me." Yeah, I hear that more than I ever want to recount, but it's the truth of it. So, definitely that session will be one for people to heed, and I think rightfully so. There's a real interest in learning about all women across communities, and so, I'm thrilled to be able to deliver content regarding Indigenous and Hispanic women, their needs, as well as preliminary work that we've been doing. And I do think that's another good sign of the times. We've got content at the meeting that is useful for various provider types across the continuum, and it's so much more than hot flashes; there's content across all the other symptoms and also health promotion, which is essential as well.