Lisa Larkin, MD: Elinzanetant Offers a “Game-Changing” Option for Menopause Care in Primary Care

The approval of elinzanetant, a first-in-class nonhormonal therapy for vasomotor symptoms (VMS) associated with menopause, marks a major milestone in women’s health—and a turning point for primary care physicians who manage these patients. In this interview, Lisa Larkin, MD, internist, menopause specialist, and CEO and Founder of Ms.Medicine, explains why elinzanetant represents a “game-changing” addition to the treatment toolbox.

While menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) remains the gold standard for managing hot flashes and night sweats, many women are not candidates due to medical contraindications or personal preferences. Dr Larkin highlights how elinzanetant offers a new, effective, and easy-to-prescribe option for women—particularly breast cancer survivors and those at high cardiovascular risk—who have had few safe alternatives.

Dr Larkin also discusses the importance of clinician education in menopause management, noting that many primary care physicians still feel undertrained and uncomfortable prescribing MHT. The availability of elinzanetant, she says, may help elevate menopause care in primary care settings by giving clinicians a once-daily, nonhormonal option with strong safety and efficacy data.

Watch the full video to hear Dr Larkin’s insights on how elinzanetant could reshape the landscape of menopausal symptom management and empower primary care physicians to provide more individualized care for midlife women.

Patient Care: How does the approval of elinzanetant change the way primary care physicians manage menopause-related symptoms?

Lisa Larkin, MD: This is an exciting time, because elinzanetant adds another tool to our treatment toolbox. It’s an FDA-approved option for managing vasomotor symptoms. While menopausal hormone therapy remains the gold standard, many women either don’t want to take it or are not good candidates for it. That includes breast cancer survivors and women at high cardiovascular risk or with a history of heart attack or stroke. For these patients, elinzanetant represents a very promising new option.

We need more alternatives for women who can’t use hormone therapy—particularly breast cancer survivors—because they often continue to suffer from vasomotor symptoms without effective options.

Another important point is that many primary care physicians have not received adequate training in prescribing menopausal hormone therapy, and many are still uncomfortable using it. Professional societies, including my own work, are focused on improving clinician education in this area. It’s a once-daily medication with documented safety and efficacy, and it’s simple to prescribe. Overall, I think this will elevate the conversation around menopause care and provide primary care physicians with a safe, targeted, nonhormonal therapy to help more women manage their symptoms effectively.