From Woman's World · Lisa Maxbauer · · 1m 30s
Sexual Health Gap: 26 Men's Drugs vs 2 Women's
Women get 2 FDA-approved sexual health treatments while men have 26, revealing a decades-long research gap.
In brief
Women get 2 FDA-approved sexual health treatments while men have 26, revealing a decades-long research gap. Women have two FDA-approved treatments for low desire while men have 26, highlighting a historical gender disparity in sexual health research. Originally reported by Woman's World.
The Sexual Health Gap
Women get 2 FDA-approved treatments for low desire while men have 26, revealing a decades-long research gap.
Historical Research Exclusion
Clinical research focused on male subjects for most history, with findings often incorrectly extrapolated to women's bodies.
NIH Policy Change
The NIH changed its policy in 1993 to include women in clinical testing with the NIH Revitalization Act.
Women's Health Budget
Women's health research budget was only 10 percent of NIH's total budget, with menopause receiving less than .03 percent.
Clitoris Research Delay
Scientists mapped the clitoris nerves in 2026, decades after mapping the penis nerves.
FDA Treatment Imbalance
26 FDA-approved products for men's sexual health versus 1 daily pill for women with hyposexual desire disorder.
Addyi Approval Timeline
Addyi was approved for premenopausal women in 2015 and postmenopausal women under age 65 in 2025.
The Orgasm Gap
95 percent of men usually orgasm versus 65 percent of women, creating a 30 percentage point gap.
Women's Health Advocacy
Women's health champion Cindy Eckert fought to get Addyi approved after Viagra's 1998 approval.
New Hope for Women
Two FDA-approved treatments offer hope for women, reflecting years of advocacy to close a gender gap in sexual health.
The bottom line
Women have two FDA-approved treatments for low desire while men have 26, highlighting a historical gender disparity in sexual health research.
