The Urgent and Unmet Need for Testosterone Treatment
1. The diagnosis of androgen deficiency is missed because of the misuse of invalid laboratory data at the expense of clinical data, especially symptomatology.
2. Lack of knowledge of the complex mechanisms of androgen deficiency, especially androgen resistance.
3. Unfounded concerns about the side-effects of treatment, especially in relation to prostate cancer.
4. Lack of awareness of recent advances in safe forms of androgen treatment.
5. Lack of understanding of the many serious general medical conditions in which androgen deficiency plays a major role, and the benefits of TRT.
6. Lack of training in safe and effective TRT according to International guidelines.
7. Concerns about the cost of treatment and failure to appreciate the true long-term costs of not treating this condition.
It is suggested that international action is needed in making these problems known to the medical profession in each country, and overcoming them by educating and motivating the profession and those regulating the healthcare systems. The part that could be played by on-line screening of patients prior to expert medical examination and assessment, and increasing the availability of clinics specializing in TRT in the UK is explored.
