British researchers are developing the world’s only testosterone patch aimed at easing symptoms in post-menopausal women, a follow-on from the testosterone gel clinicians are already prescribing for low libido and other issues.
Low testosterone levels after menopause frequently cause low libido, but are also linked to a loss of energy, headaches and concentration problems, reports The Independent. The gel is prescribed for women for whom hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has not been effective in relieving symptoms.
Prescriptions for testosterone gel have increased tenfold since November 2015, and experts say that while oestrogen and progesterone HRT patches, which deliver the hormones via absorption through the skin, are widely used, there is currently no testosterone patch available for those suffering from post-menopausal adverse symptoms.
A company called Medherant, founded by University of Warwick professor David Haddleton, plans to address this gap, and hopes to begin clinical trials this year.
If the treatment is eventually given regulatory approval, it would be the only testosterone replacement patch available globally, and introduced first in the UK.
However, some medical specialists believe the huge spike in the number of prescriptions for the testosterone gel – including for thousands of patients under 49 – is concerning, with Paula Briggs of the British Menopause Society warning that women are being misinformed about its potential benefits.
“Women believe it’s the missing piece of the jigsaw… the solution to their relationship problems, and I think we have to be much more scientific about how that information is provided,” she said.
Susan Davis, an adviser to the NHS menopause group steering committee, said that while the increasing number of prescriptions shows recognition of the role testosterone plays in treating menopause-related symptoms, it would be “concerning” if the gel were being prescribed to pre-menopausal women.
See more from MedicalBrief archives:
Hormone therapy for menopause symptoms: two decades on, the fear of risks persist
HRT should be given earlier as menopause ‘reshapes the brainʼ – Nature Scientific Reports
More frequent sex reduces early risk of early menopause
FDA warns against treatments to treat menopause side effects