Pfizer is tackling menopause in a new podcast series featuring honest conversations with women experiencing it. Called “Menopause: Unmuted,” the show is hosted by Mary Jane Minkin, an obstetric gynecologist and Yale School of Medicine professor, and features one real woman in each approximately 20-minute podcast talking about her individual journey.
Minkin talks about the women’s different symptoms, from hot flashes to painful intercourse, pointing up facts and myths—for instance, 20% of women don’t have hot flashes—and offering advice. She also encourages women to talk not only to their doctors, but also to friends and family confidantes.
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“Menopause is a major life transition accompanied by a multitude of symptoms, health and relationship considerations that women unfortunately don’t talk about often enough. And we want to change that,” Minkin says in the introduction to each podcast.
The goal of the series is to encourage more open and honest conversations about menopause, and to inspire women “to become advocates for their own positive mid-life experience,” a Pfizer spokeswoman said in an email.
The podcast series is promoted on social media—Facebook, Twitter and Instagram—and can be accessed directly on the campaign webpage or the Pfizer podcast page, as well as on the Apple, Google, Spotify and Sticher podcast platforms.
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“Menopause: Unmuted” is an awareness-only campaign, but Pfizer holds a portfolio of menopause-related prescription therapies, including Duavee, Premarin estrogen cream and the Estring vaginal ring.
“The series was created to support women (managing) this important life stage. We hope to challenge menopause preconceptions and taboos and make this topic easier to discuss,” Pfizer said.