From Fox News · Khloe Quill · · 1m 20s
Women seek testosterone for low sex drive as doctors face treatment gaps
Women increasingly use testosterone for menopause symptoms but face insurance barriers and dosing challenges.
In brief
Women increasingly use testosterone for menopause symptoms but face insurance barriers and dosing challenges. Women seeking testosterone for low sexual desire encounter insurance denials and off-label dosing solutions due to lack of FDA-approved products. Originally reported by Fox News.
Women seek testosterone for menopause symptoms
Women increasingly ask doctors about testosterone to address low sexual desire, fatigue and reduced quality of life during menopause.
“Interest in testosterone therapy has grown as more women seek treatment for symptoms such as low sexual desire, fatigue and reduced quality of life during menopause”
No FDA-approved testosterone for women
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not approved any testosterone product specifically for women despite growing interest in the therapy.
“When women ask their doctors about taking testosterone to help with menopause symptoms, they can run into insurance rejections, confusing workarounds and dosing guesswork since no testosterone product is FDA-approved for women in the U.S”
Doctors rely on off-label solutions
Physicians use compounded creams or micro-dosed male gels to treat women without FDA-approved testosterone products.
“The absence of FDA-approved female testosterone products forces patients to rely on compounded creams, over-the-counter purchases abroad or micro-dosed male gels”
Insurance denies coverage for testosterone
Insurance companies routinely deny coverage for testosterone therapy, forcing patients to pay out of pocket for compounded creams or male gels.
“When I was prescribed testosterone, my insurance denied coverage, and my physician recommended a compounded cream to avoid the administrative burden”
Dosing challenges with male gels
Patients using male gel packets must precisely measure tiny doses, but clinical evidence shows limited hormone level changes and symptom relief.
“Despite three months of consistency, follow-up bloodwork showed no change in hormone levels, and the patient experienced no symptom relief”
FDA workshop examines testosterone therapy
The FDA convened a public workshop to review evidence, safety and research gaps for testosterone therapy in menopausal women.
“On Thursday, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) convened a public workshop to examine the evidence, safety and research gaps with testosterone therapy for menopausal women”
Doctors advocate for standardized access
Doctors emphasize that sexual health is part of overall health and urge regulatory agencies to develop safer, standardized testosterone treatments.
“Sexual health is part of your entire health”
The big picture
Women seeking testosterone for low sexual desire encounter insurance denials and off-label dosing solutions due to lack of FDA-approved products.
