Two California women are suing Procter and Gamble, alleging that it “exploits mid-life women by selling them useless Menopause Tests.”
Procter and Gamble’s “Menopause Stage Indicator” is a urine-based test similar to a pregnancy test stick, and is sold under the Clearblue brand for $30 at mainstream retailers like CVS. The device, which Procter and Gamble claims is the first of its kind, was first released in August 2023 and can purportedly tell women which “stage” of menopause they are in based on a urine sample that looks for follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels, which typically increase with age.
But the lawsuit, filed last week in federal court in Oakland, claims that “FSH levels cannot indicate a menopause stage as Clearblue claims,” rendering the company’s test “worthless.” Medical professionals who spoke to Forbes said there’s only one definitive way to determine whether someone is menopausal – a full 12 months without experiencing a menstrual period.
Procter and Gamble did not respond to Forbes’ repeated requests for comment. The company has also not yet formally answered in court to the lawsuit.
In the years leading up to menopause, FSH levels are too variable to serve as useful indicators.
“[Women] don’t need [a home test] – it’s not the gold standard way,” Dr. Pauline Maki, a professor of psychiatry, psychology and obstetrics & gynecology at the University of Illinois at Chicago, told Forbes.
Still, many companies are trying to cash in on the boom in women’s health and menopause specifically. The market for menopause-related products reached $18 billion in 2024 and is poised to hit $27 billion by 2030, according to a report released last month by accounting firm KPMG and nonprofit Women’s Health Access Matters.
Procter and Gamble, a giant in the world of personal care and hygiene products (market cap: $393 billion), also sells similar and non-controversial products like pregnancy and ovulation tests under the Clearblue name.
“[P&G sells] other pregnancy related products, so we think that women have come to trust this brand and are being duped into buying a product that isn’t actually doing anything,” Shana Khader, one of the plaintiffs’ attorneys, told Forbes, adding that the device was a “gimmick.”
“It’s particularly egregious as a women’s health product to be deceiving about what it can and can’t do and could prevent women from getting proper treatment. If someone is experiencing symptoms of menopause, they shouldn’t take that into their own hands, they should seek advice from medical professionals.”
Court Watch was the first to identify the lawsuit.