Trump admin seeks to roll back testosterone restrictions why docs are conflicted
It may soon get easier for older men to get ahold of testosterone therapy.On Thursday, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that it is requesting updates to the prescribing information testosterone replacement therapy drugs, or TRT.The department is hoping to roll back restrictions on access for older men — but not all experts are convinced there’s enough research to make such sweeping changes.In 2015, the FDA slapped warning labels on testosterone medications, cautioning that they weren’t proven safe for low-T and might trigger heart attacks or strokes.Now, HHS is reversing course.Citing new research that suggests the hormone is far less risky than once feared, officials dropped the cardiovascular warnings in 2025 and are now pushing to tone down alerts regarding prostate cancer and enlargement.“During Men’s Health Month, we are putting science back at the center of men’s healthcare,” HHS Secretary Robert F.
Kennedy Jr.declared in a press release.
“By updating testosterone therapy labels to reflect current evidence, we are giving patients and physicians clearer information, supporting informed medical decisions, and improving care for millions of American men.”TRT requires a prescription and is used to treat hypogonadism, when the testicles don’t produce enough sex hormones — mainly testosterone.It can help improve sex drive, boost performance, increase muscle, drop fat, and stabilize energy and mood.Research suggests testosterone levels naturally start decreasing around age 35.
Around 35% of men older than 45 have hypogonadism.Excess body fat also lowers testosterone levels, and low testosterone makes it harder to lose weight.As many as 30-50% of men with obesity or type 2 diabetes have hypogonadism.The 2015 warnings were prompted by potential heart risks — and, HHS said this week, “limited” evidence of benefits.But the department said more recent research suggests heart risk may not be as big of a problem a...