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M&S calls on government to abolish VAT on period pants

The retailer estimates its customers have paid more than £3m in VAT on period pants

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Marks & Spencer and period pants brand WUKA have called on the UK government to remove the 20 per cent VAT applied to period pants and have launched a petition for a parliamentary debate on the issue.

In the UK, period pants are classed as garments. However, other period products such as pads, tampons and menstrual cups are exempt from VAT.

Campaigners say reusable period products, such as period pants, can be worn, washed, and worn again, saving consumers money and helping them reduce plastic waste.

More than 50 signatories, including 35 MPs and peers and the charities Wellbeing of Women and Bloody Good Period, have put their name to a public letter to Victoria Atkins, the financial secretary to the Treasury, requesting that period pants are reclassified in this year’s autumn statement.

Say Pants to the Tax campaign will also call on the public to sign a parliamentary petition – at 100,000 signatures, the petition will be considered for debate in Parliament.

Victoria McKenzie-Gould, corporate affairs director at M&S, said: “The government made a brilliant start by removing VAT from disposable period products, but we need them to finish the job and level the playing field so that whatever period product someone chooses to use, it is VAT free.

“Nearly 25 per cent of women cite cost as a barrier to using period pants. If they were classified as they should be – as a period product – the government can make this brilliant alternative to disposable products, a more cost-effective option for UK consumers.”

Despite the government removing the “tampon tax” in 2021, M&S and WUKA estimate their customers alone have paid more than £3m in VAT on period pants.

Laura Charles, lingerie director at M&S, said: “Over the past few years, our customers have paid over £1.5m in tax but if this tax is removed, we can pass the entirety of the cost saving onto our customers.

“It’s great to have the support of so many brilliant individuals and organisations and we welcome all businesses to sign-our letter and help us say pants to the tax!”

Ruby Raut, CEO and founder at WUKA, added: “This is our third petition since 2021 calling for VAT on period pants to be removed.

“Abolishing this tax will not only make period pants more accessible to people who desperately need them but help us achieve our net-zero goals.

“WUKA’s carbon report published last year highlighted period pants have five times less carbon footprint compared to pads and tampons and that if 15 million people who menstruate in the UK switched to period pants, we would save more than four million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent from entering our atmosphere.

“This is an issue that affects us all- people and planet.”

M&S has pledged to pass the entirety of the cost saving onto customers, meaning that a three pack of period knickers that currently retail at £20 will be £16.

Menopause

Medichecks acquires My Menopause Centre to expand specialist hormone health services

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Digital diagnostics company Medichecks has acquired specialist menopause health platform and clinic My Menopause Centre.

The deal is part of Medichecks’ move into clinical services and follows its earlier purchase of Leger Clinic, creating what the company describes as a hormone health offering for women and men across the UK.

Medichecks and My Menopause Centre will combine digital services with clinical governance. The acquisition aims to enhance Medichecks’ ability to deliver integrated testing, diagnosis and ongoing clinical support.

The combined group plans to grow its specialist hormone health services, supporting patients across the UK with clinical care throughout different stages of their hormone health journey.

Helen Marsden, co-founder of Medichecks, said: “At Medichecks, our mission is to make healthcare more accessible, evidence-based and patient-centred.

“Helen and Clare have built an outstanding, clinically credible platform that is transforming menopause care for women across the UK.

“Medichecks now owns two CQC Outstanding-rated clinics, the only clinics in their respective sectors to achieve this rating, and we are deeply committed to delivering safe, compassionate and patient-centric care.

“We’re proud to continue the founders’ legacy while supporting the next stage of growth, ensuring more women can access high-quality menopause care when they need it most.”

The CQC, or Care Quality Commission, is the independent regulator of health and social care in England.

The acquisition supports Medichecks’ plans to make hormone healthcare more accessible by delivering integrated testing, diagnosis and ongoing clinical support for patients across the UK.

Helen Normoyle, co-founder and chief executive of My Menopause Centre, said: “We set out to build something resilient, clinically credible and scalable, not just fast.

“Our mission has always been to make menopause care compassionate, accessible and grounded in evidence. Medichecks shares that vision.

“Their digital platform, commitment to clinical excellence and patient-centred care make them the ideal partner to take My Menopause Centre into its next chapter.

“This milestone reflects not only a strong product, but a remarkable team and community.

“I’m deeply proud of what we’ve built and excited to see My Menopause Centre grow further under Medichecks’ leadership.”

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Menopause

Menopause specialist Haver joins Midi Health

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Menopause specialist Dr Mary Claire Haver has been appointed as the first chief agewell officer at virtual care clinic Midi Health.

In the role, Dr Haver will work with Midi’s clinical team to develop the AgeWell platform, described as a proactive health model that integrates perimenopause and menopausal care with metabolic health, bone density, brain health and cardiovascular risk assessment.

The platform aims to provide preventative care targeting what the company describes as the primary drivers of female mortality and disability: heart disease, bone loss and cognitive decline.

Joanna Strober, chief executive and co-founder of Midi Health, said: “Longevity care has historically ignored women’s biology, especially during the critical windows of midlife and menopause.

“At Midi Health, we are committed to extending healthspan, not just lifespan, and making that care accessible to millions of women as a core pillar of their health.

“By collaborating with Dr Haver, we are ensuring women continue to have access to care designed for their bodies, their hormones, and their real lives.”

Dr Haver is board-certified in obstetrics and gynaecology, a Menopause Society certified practitioner, a certified culinary medicine specialist and an adjunct associate professor of obstetrics and gynaecology at The University of Texas Medical Branch.

After a career in academic medicine, Dr Haver founded The Pause Life, described as a science and education-based resource for women navigating perimenopause and the menopause transition.

Through her books, unPaused podcast and digital platform, she has provided education on midlife health.

Dr Mary Claire Haver said: “I have spent my career advocating for women to receive the science-backed, no-nonsense guidance they deserve.

“I chose to partner with Midi Health because they are the only platform with the scale and medical rigour to deliver the kind of care women deserve, regardless of their zip codes.

“Together, we are setting a new standard for proactive, preventative care that meaningfully extends both lifespan and healthspan for women.”

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Entrepreneur

Kate Ryder headlines Women’s Health Week USA 2026 as full agenda goes live

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Women’s Health Week USA 2026 has unveiled its first populated agenda, anchored by an opening keynote from Kate Ryder, Founder and CEO of Maven Clinic, and featuring a cross-sector lineup shaping the next phase of scale in women’s health.

You can view the full agenda here.

Taking place May 13–14, 2026, at the New York Academy of Medicine, Women’s Health Week USA brings together the full women’s health ecosystem to focus on one central question: what does it take to move women’s health from innovation to institutional scale?

Kate Ryder will open Day 1 with a keynote drawing on her experience building Maven Clinic into the world’s largest virtual clinic for women’s and family health.

Under her leadership, Maven has partnered with employers and health plans to deliver care across fertility, maternity, postpartum, paediatrics, and menopause at scale.

Her perspective sets the tone for a program centered on commercialisation, partnership, and sustainable growth.

Beyond the opening keynote, the newly released agenda reflects the sector’s growing maturity.

Across two days, the program features 70+ speakers, with representation from leading organizations including the FDA, Planned Parenthood, CVS Health Ventures, Samsung Next, NIH, WHO, and Maven Clinic.

Sessions span investment and deal flow, clinical innovation, regulation, data and technology, and market expansion, alongside dedicated pitch sessions and curated 1:1 matchmaking designed to turn insight into action.

The agenda has been built to facilitate meaningful connections across the ecosystem, with partnerships positioned as the primary driver of scale.

As women’s health continues to attract institutional capital and global attention, Women’s Health Week USA 2026 offers a clear snapshot of where the market is heading, and who is shaping it.

The full agenda is now live, with additional speakers and partners to be announced in the coming months.

View the full programme here.

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