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[Robin]

It's shocking that it's so expensive in comparison to the preparations for men when such tiny amount is needed. It can't possibly cost so much more to produce

[Conolly]

Hello Robin,


I guess it's expensive because it is manufactured in Australia and there are import taxes and shipping costs. Maybe after Brexit, Britain will rely on other countries to trade meds and Aussie is obviously a good candidate, so this could be manufactured in the UK in the near future.


Conolly X

[Robin]

I hope so Conolly x

[pepperminty]

The programme on menopause the other day stated that about 2% of men I think( a very low percentage anyway) needed Testosterone . But I bet there is a larger amount of women who would benefit from it!
 Yet again it is a mans world. It will probably take another 20 years before they realise that they need to invest in womens menopause / health more .

Peppermintyx

[Conolly]

Hello pepperminty,


In many countries testosterone gel can be bought without prescription so you can guess how many men (old and young) are using it, have a look at gyms and body-building forums. I guess with transgenders and non-binary genders, this women/men dichotomy is about to vanish.


Conolly X

[Hurdity]

It's shocking that it's so expensive in comparison to the preparations for men when such tiny amount is needed. It can't possibly cost so much more to produce

It's difficult to compare costs of products and private prescriptions are also more expensive as you are paying the actual costs of the drugs. For example I looked up the cost of Testogel sachets and 3 months worth costs £90 approx. However for men on NHS it would presumably be one prescription charge. The reason it is so cheap for women at the moment is that there aren't any products for women in UK so if we get prescribed a box of Testim - it lasts a year. As soon as there is a product for women - if a gel for example - it will be formulated like oestrogen gel to be sufficient for 3 months I'm sure!

Here's an interesting comparison of some testosterone gels.
https://www.pharmoutsourcing.com/Featured-Articles/346924-Androgel-Testim-and-Axiron-Comparison-of-Three-Topical-Testosterone-Gels/
Conolly X

Interesting paper, but to clarify for anyone reading and maybe wondering about this - although the name is similar none of these products relate to Androfeme the product under discussion - they are all gels prescribed for men and the paper focuses on absorption - in men which is critical to them as absorption of different oestrogen products is critical to us.  (As an aside Androgel is the name given to Besins testosterone gel known as Testogel in UK and some other countries. Testim has been discontinued and the other product is not available either in UK as far as I know and definitely not prescribed to women).

The programme on menopause the other day stated that about 2% of men I think( a very low percentage anyway) needed Testosterone . But I bet there is a larger amount of women who would benefit from it!
 Yet again it is a mans world. It will probably take another 20 years before they realise that they need to invest in womens menopause / health more .

Peppermintyx

What is particularly galling is that there is (was) already a testosterone product developed for and tested in women - Intrinsa patches - which were withdrawn for commercial reasons some years ago. Since the NICE Guidelines in late 2015 surely there is a commercial reason for reintroducing these? Any gels developed for women will take years of testing before licensing but Androfeme has already been tested in Aus. I wonder whether the licensing sytem will allow for us (EU) to adopt their research and data so that it can be approved quicker?

Hurdity x

[Perinowpost]

Hi Hurdity et al I do hope so.  As someone who used the intrinsa patches I can vouch for the fact that they were far superior to Testim and Testogel.  And yet here we are having products withdrawn (Testim) it's about time we had something specifically designed for women x

[Hurdity]

That's interesting Peri! You actually used those patches!!! Also that you feel they are superior to the pea-sized blobs of male T gel we use. Your GP (or specialist?) must have been enlightened as they've been unavailable for some years now. I wonder if there is anything being developed somewhere in EU by the relevant pharmas?

Hurdity x

[pepperminty]

Hi Hurdity, I agree since the  NICE guidelines I do hope that further research is done and Androfem can be introduced here. I saw a programme recently that said a lot of pharamaceutical companies introduce products here as  it is easier. Wish i could remeber the programme. I am sure it was BBC.

Peppermintyx

[Perinowpost]

Hi all

Yes, I was on them for about 18 months; I was gutted when they were withdrawn. And yes my GP's are brilliant, it was my female GP who referred me which resulted in me being prescribed Intrinsa patches in the first place. I went back to the consultant when Intrinsa was taken off and he prescribed me T gel but said results hadn't been as good, and that's pretty much been my experience too. Although that said gel is definitely better than nothing.

It's a bit depressing really as that's 2 product (Intrinsa and Testim) gone, we seem to be going backwards! And as you all rightly say there is a definite need x

[Hurdity]

Yes - even worse - I also read somewhere that the Testogel sachets are going to be discontinued - which will mean there is no 1% T product at all - leaving only Tostran at 2% - not ideal, or the Testogel pump pack at 1.62% but the amount dispensed per pump is too great for women's doses.

Hurdity x

[pepperminty]

Yes - even worse - I also read somewhere that the Testogel sachets are going to be discontinued - which will mean there is no 1% T product at all - leaving only Tostran at 2% - not ideal, or the Testogel pump pack at 1.62% but the amount dispensed per pump is too great for women's doses.

Hurdity x

Crikey I hope not, if it is withdrawn then they really need to get a female version introduced. Do the NICE guidelines say anything about T for women? Or was that left out ? I know Nick Panay is an advocate, one asumes that he has based this on fact that it works!

 Deep joy , I can see less informed doctors giving a far too high dose with the 2% T and a lot of very angry women with beards! 

Peppermintyx

[Perinowpost]

Isn't there something we can do about this/somewhere we can lobby? It feels like 2 steps forward, 1 step back! Any suggestions ladies?x

[Hurdity]

I tried to find the website where I read about the Testogel sachets soon to be discontinued but couldn't find it - hopefully it's not true!

Hurdity x