Men are not the only ones who may suffer from problems with sexual
desire and performance, as women who have had their ovaries removed
also experience sexual dysfunction. It is for this reason that drug
company Procter & Gamble developed a testosterone patch called
Intrinsa (also nicknamed the "female Viagra") for women
who need a little boost in their sex drive.
Procter & Gamble presented the Food
and Drug Administration (FDA) advisory committee with data regarding
Intrinsa, showing that women who wore the patch in clinical trials
experienced:
- Improvements in sexual arousal and orgasms
- More satisfying sexual occurrences
However, despite the offered data, the FDA committee voted to not
recommend approving the drug claiming there was not enough evidence
to discern its long-term health risks. Further, the FDA committee
was not impressed that three of four women who developed breast
cancer during the clinical trials were reportedly using Intrinsa.
Studies also showed that postmenopausal women who use the drug
might be at an increased health risk, as the patch (which releases
testosterone into the skin) could quadruple testosterone levels,
doubling the risk of breast cancer.
Based on clinical trials thus far, critics claim the benefits of
Intrinsa (one additional sexual encounter a month) simply aren't
worth the risks.
New
York Times December 2, 2004.
USA
Today December 2, 2004
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