The World Health Organization's announcement that their International Agency for Research on Cancer division has re-classified Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) as "carcinogenic to humans" place such widely used medications such as Prempro and Premarin in the same dangerous category as tobacco and asbestos.

This warning includes not only HRT medications but also combined estrogen-progestin oral contraceptives.

A recognized world renowned international authority on cancer-causing drugs, the W.H.O. agency, after examining the results of several indepth studies concluded that the evidence is overwhelming enough to upgrade HRT/Oral Contraception meds from the previous classification of "possibly carcinogenic to humans".

The findings conclded that HRT medications and combined oral contraception therapy increase a woman's chance of developing breast cancer and endometrial cancer as well as other serious illnesses and disorders.

The two most popular HRT drugs are Prempro and Premarin which are manufactured by Wyeth Pharmaceuticals. While Premarin is estrogen only, Prempro consists of both estrogen and progestin.

Premarin carries the distinction of being the first drug developed for the treatment of menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats. Premarin and Prempro along with Premphase, Prempac, and Premelle have come under fire in the past because of how the drugs are made - from the urine of pregnant mares who, according to several animal rights groups are kept pregnant and caged in cramped quarters for at least two years and then slaughtered.

Premarin, Prempro and their derivatives have previously been linked to an increase in ovarian and breast cancer while other serious side effects include heart attack, blood clots, dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, stroke and lupus.

Because of the ongoing disputes over the safety of HRT drugs, many women have opted into taking herbal remedies to treat the symptoms of menopause. Scientific and medical research has shown that some "natural" remedies can be just as harmful as pharmaceuticals.

Some herbal remedies including clover, palmetto and tumeric root have the potential to cause the same cancers as medicinal hormone replacement drugs.

Experts warn that women already taking HRT should not stop treatment on their own but should visit their physician to discuss all possible options.