As a midlife Christian woman, you’ve been feeling it. The dismissals. The ‘this is just part of aging.’ The pamphlets about hot flash management instead of real conversations about what’s happening to your body. You are not imagining it — and the FDA advisory panel that convened in July 2025 finally said so out loud.
I connected with Dr. Cat Brown the moment it ended. Because she watched that panel the same way I did — and as Medical Director of Winona, one of the leading national menopause telehealth providers, she had been waiting for this moment for years. What she told me about what actually happened inside that room — and what it means for you — is why this became one of our most downloaded episodes ever.
Today, as part of our August Best-Of celebration, we’re bringing it back. If you heard it before, you’ll want to hear it again. If you’re new here — this is the episode to start with.
What You Will Learn
- What actually happened at the 2025 FDA Advisory Panel on hormone replacement therapy — and what it signals for the future of your care
- Why an orthopedic surgeon’s comments about osteoporotic fractures may be the most powerful thing said in that room
- The black box warning on vaginal estrogen — what it says, why it’s wrong, and the deadly chain that runs from untreated vaginal atrophy to UTI to sepsis
- The complete absence of FDA-approved testosterone options for women — and what that reveals about how medicine prioritizes women’s health
- What shared decision-making and individualized care should actually look like in your doctor’s office
- What to say when you walk into an appointment and want to be heard
- How Winona’s asynchronous telehealth model gives women real access — including at 2am when symptoms peak
About Our Guest
Dr. Cathleen Brown — Dr. Cat — is a board-certified OB-GYN with over two decades of experience in women’s health and Medical Director at Winona, a leading national menopause telehealth provider. She is a Fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (FACOG) and a Menopause Society Certified Practitioner (MSCP). Dr. Brown earned her medical degree from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and served 12 years on active duty in the U.S. Army, providing women’s health care to service members and their families.
Winona: www.bywinona.com | Instagram: @DoctorCatOBGYN
Check out the episode here: https://hellohotflash.com/episodes/FDA-menopause
Additional Resources
Take the Hello Hot Flash Quiz — What Is Your Soul Trying to Tell You Right Now?
https://hellohotflash.com/quiz
Hello Hot Flash Workshop:
https://hellohotflash.com/workshop
Christian Women and Menopause — a limited-series podcast on faith, science, and the midlife transition:
https://hellohotflash.com/christian-women-and-menopause
Sponsor
This episode is sponsored by FlexBeam. Red and near-infrared light therapy — FDA cleared, drug-free, and designed to support your energy, recovery, and cellular health in midlife. Use code HOTFLASH15 for 15% off: recharge.health.
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