Trump officials want to make testosterone drugs easier to prescribe. Is that a good idea?

By — Matthew Perrone, Associated Press Matthew Perrone, Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/trump-officials-want-to-make-testosterone-drugs-easier-to-prescribe-is-that-a-good-idea Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Trump officials want to make testosterone drugs easier to prescribe. Is that a good idea? Politics Jul 16, 2026 11:54 AM EDT WASHINGTON (AP) — Officials under President Donald Trump want to make it easier for men to get a prescription for testosterone, the latest shift in a decades-long debate over the benefits and risks of replacing the hormone that affects sex drive, mood and other health factors. The move, backed by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and other top officials, aligns with the advice of many online influencers and podcasters, including men's health gurus who tout the hormone as a way to boost muscle and energy. On Tuesday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the military would begin screening for low testosterone and offering the hormone as a way to help troops operate at their "absolute best." READ MORE: Hegseth announces new policy to test troops for low testosterone and offer them hormone replacement therapy The notion of testosterone as an all-purpose elixir for strength and vitality is not supported by the science. But medical experts say a decade of new research has bolstered the case for testosterone's benefits for sexual health while allaying concerns about its impact on the heart. "Many providers have been trained for years that these were real issues, and they were scared to get a testosterone reading from a patient or offer them testosterone therapy," said Dr. Justin Dubin, a urologist at Baptist Health Miami Cancer Institute. Last year, the Food and Drug Administration removed a bold safety warning about possible heart risks with testosterone pills, gels, injections and patches, based on recent data that showed no increase in those problems. Educate your inbox Subscribe to Here’s the Deal, our politics newsletter for analysis you won’t find anywhere else. Last month, the agency proposed rewriting prescribing instructions to clear the way for using testosterone against age-related symptoms, such as low libido and erectile dysfunction. Currently the label emphasizes that the hormone is only approved for abnormally low testosterone levels caused by serious medical conditions or injury. But experts who prescribe the drug say those patients are a small segment of people seeking help. "The majority of people we see in our office are regular men complaining of these common symptoms because they're dramatically affecting their quality of life," said Dr. Helen Bernie, a urologist and director of sexual health at Indiana University. Testosterone use has evolved over decades Testosterone was first approved in the 1950s to treat hypogonadism, a condition defined by low testosterone levels caused by medical problem