The British Menopause Society Council aims to help health professionals to inform and advise women about the menopause. The oestrogen plus progestogen arm of the Women's Health Initiative was stopped in July 2002. This guidance regarding hormone replacement therapy (HRT) use responds to the results and analysis that have been published since then, as well as the Million Women Study published in August 2003. Because there are few effective alternatives to HRT for vasomotor and urogenital symptoms, oestrogen-based treatments still have a major role. HRT is also most effective for the prevention of osteoporosis. Unopposed oestrogens are contraindicated in women with an intact uterus, and hence a range of oestrogen and progestogen combinations, with differing routes of delivery, now exists under the title of "HRT". Treatment choice should be based on up to date information and targeted to individual women's needs. Hormone replacement still offers the potential for benefit to outweigh harm, providing the appropriate regimen has been instigated in terms of dose, route and combination.